State Energy Program
The Office of Energy Policy supports many energy programs across the Commonwealth that touch our schools, homes, businesses, communities and government facilities. These programs have a positive impact and help Kentuckians better manage their energy use while improving their environment.
Check out our current SEP Annual Projects here!
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Projects
The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 released billions of dollars to states and communities for infrastructure and energy improvements. The Office of Energy Policy has plans to use our portion of these funds for special projects, grid improvements, and more. The Office of Energy Policy has submitted and been awarded the following funds. Details on how we are utilizing these funds for the betterment of the Commonwealth can be found on the OEP's Project Explorer.
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Projects
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 released historic amounts of funding to states and tribes for home energy audits, electrification upgrades, appliance rebates, and contractor training. More information will be forthcoming later in 2023 as we learn more about this exciting opportunity for Kentuckians. The Office of Energy Policy plans to submit an application, or has submitted an application, for the following funds. Updates for the status of these programs can be found here.
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
This grant, funded through FEMA, provides planning grants to 15 local area development agencies across the state to help them identify critical facilities, undertake hazard mitigation projects, and reduce the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. More information can be found here.
Solar For All
On June 28, 2023, the EPA released the $7 billion "Solar for All" Notice of Funding Opportunity. This competitive grant program will award up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and nonprofits to expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for residential solar investment—enabling millions of low-income households to access affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy. The Office of Energy Policy has applied for this funding source and the narrative we included in our application can be found within the OEP's Current and Past Project Explorer.
Solar for All program funding is not yet available. Kentucky residents should be aware of bad actors attempting to use this high-profile program to spread scam offers. Offers of “free solar” to low-income households because of this program—whether received via phone, email, text, advertisement or door-to-door marketing—are probably not legitimate. The Office of Energy Policy has published resources for individuals interested in residential roof-top solar. Please review those resources here.
State Heating Oil and Propane Project
Kentucky participates in the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) State Heating Oil Propane Program (SHOPP) to collect state-level residential price data of No. 2 heating oil and propane. The Office of Energy Policy aids in collecting residential fuel prices weekly from 48 Kentucky businesses during the heating season October – March. The data collected is useful to EIA and states in responding to Congressional and consumer inquiries and are a valuable means of communication among federal and state governments and the petroleum industry. All published aggregated data (averages across all responding companies) appears on EIA’s website in the Heating Oil and Propane Update.