Energy
We can help you save money.
The Mountain Association’s energy experts are tackling the problem of high energy bills in Eastern Kentucky.
We help businesses, nonprofits, faith groups, local governments, and homeowners find much-needed energy savings.
Let us do a free assessment of your bills and your building, and we’ll tell you what you can change to save big and how much you will have to invest. We are a nonprofit, so we aren’t here to sell you anything – just provide you with the information on where to start.
How will this help me?
Upgrades simply save you money. And sometimes, you don’t even have to spend money to save money. We often find utility billing errors that result in years of refunds for businesses and organizations.
- For one grocery client, energy upgrades added up to a savings of more than $47,000 per year, which has allowed them to hire more employees.
- A church was able to better steward its resources by saving on overhead costs.
- A nonprofit now saves $8,900 on their bills every year, allowing them to focus less on raising money and more on serving their community.
- A local government was overcharged $20,000 on their bills, allowing them to save taxpayer money.
How does this work for businesses & organizations?
- Apply: The first step is for you to fill out our short application online, or give us a call to fill it out over the phone. The application gives us information about your building and utilities. After you apply, we’ll call you to discuss your facility, needs and priorities.
- Utility Bill Analysis: Next, we look at 12 months of your past utility bills to see your current use and make sure your utility company has not made any billing errors.
- On-site Energy Audit: Someone from our team will visit and walk through your building, looking at your HVAC, lights, insulation, water heating and any other areas of concern.
- Energy Assessment Report: In four to six weeks, we’ll send you a written report of our recommendations.
- Follow-up Support: We can connect you with contractors to do any of the recommended upgrades, review their bids, and help you apply for financing, grant funding or rebates.
Questions? Contact Carrie Ray at the Mountain Association, carrie@mtassociation.org or (859) 544-0023.
What about for homeowners and renters?
What are the options for homeowners & renters?
There are a number of options for residential energy efficiency audits that vary depending on where you live. Depending on your utility, they may offer an audit through our HowSmart program. Additionally, there are a number of housing non-profits that serve Appalachia and may offer energy programs.
Start by contacting Chris Woolery at the Mountain Association, chris@mtassociation.org or (859) 621-4765, who can tell you all about your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about our energy program and other resources.
What are my options for having my business or organization assessed for efficiency issues in Eastern Kentucky? How does an energy assessment from the Mountain Association work?
The Mountain Association has a team of energy experts that can help you figure out how to save on your energy bills. We are a nonprofit, so we aren’t here to sell you anything – just provide you with the information on where to start. The process starts with you filling out an application that gives us some more information about your building, utilities, etc. Apply here, or we can fill it out over the phone if you prefer (859-544-0023). After you apply, we’ll have a phone call to discuss your facility, your needs, and your main priorities.
Next, we look at 12 months of your past utility bills to see your current use, and make sure your utility has not made any billing errors. After that, one of our staff or one of our contractors will come out to walk through your building: looking at your HVAC, lights, insulation, water heating, and any other areas of concern. These are free or low-cost depending on our current offerings. Our on-site audits are free for small businesses and non-profits with most audits taking two hours per building.
A few weeks later, we’ll send you a written report of our recommendations, and we can help you decide where to go from there.
How can my business or organization benefit from energy savings?
Investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy often pay for themselves in a short period of time – in the case of LED lights, it’s often less than two years! With Mountain Association’s low-interest solar loan, solar might be able to result in a positive cash flow from day one. As a business, you can also depreciate the business solar expense on taxes over five years, offering another opportunity to achieve a positive cash flow. Regardless of what upgrade you choose, lowering your energy costs reduces overhead and limits the impacts of ever-rising electric rates.
Resources: Solar Energy Industries Association
What are my financing options?
Costs shouldn’t be a barrier to take on energy efficiency or renewable energy projects that will save you money in the long run. The Mountain Association provides affordable financing to eligible businesses and organizations, with loans up to $50,000 at 5% interest with up to 72-month terms for general energy efficiency projects. For solar projects, we offer 4% fixed interest with up to a 20 year term. All loans are subject to approval. Personal residences are not eligible.
What grants, tax credits and rebates are available?
As a for profit business, there are two grant programs that the Mountain Association can help you apply for through the USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy’s Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund (KADF) for agricultural businesses. We have helped businesses bring in over thousands of dollars through these programs.
There are many tax credits and direct payments now available through the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law in 2022. For example, REAP grants can now cover up to 50 percent of an energy project, where as it was previously just 25 percent.
Resources: USDA REAP, Kentucky KADF, Kentucky Utilities Rebates
What are my options for having my home assessed for efficiency issues in Eastern Kentucky?
There are a number of options for residential energy efficiency audits that vary depending on where you live. Depending on your utility, they may offer an audit through our How$mart program. Additionally, there are a number of housing non-profits that serve Appalachia and many offer energy programs.
Start by contacting Chris Woolery at the Mountain Association, chris@mtassociation.org or (859) 621-4765, who can tell you all about your options.
What are all these charges on my utility bill?
The Mountain Association can walk commercial energy users, which include businesses, nonprofit, government and schools, through what is wrapped up in the charges on your utility bill, whether you are served by Kentucky Utilities, Kentucky Power or a rural electric cooperative. Please watch a video here or contact us for one-on-one support at energy@mtassociation.org or 859-544-0023.
To find and compare current utility rates across Eastern Kentucky, visit here.
I am a contractor, or want to go into the energy field. What training options are available?
The Mountain Association is happy to learn about new or existing contractors working in the growing fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy. In fact, through our New Energy Internship program, a workforce development program that ran from 2018-2020, we trained seven former coal industry or other out-of-work individuals in energy efficiency and renewable energy, such as assessing buildings and homes for energy efficiency issues, implementing energy efficiency upgrades, particularly in lighting and duct sealing, and in facilitating renewable energy systems. Four of those individuals are now contractors that we use for referrals.
To be added to our current list of contractors that we refer to businesses and organizations interested in implementing energy projects, email Carrie Ray at carrie@mtassociation.org.
We also have various hand-held and data-logging tools available for free, short-term borrowing by individuals or businesses/organizations. Anyone wanting to borrow equipment first needs to become a lending library member (it’s easy!) and agree to return the equipment in the time allotted. A late fee of $1.00 per day will be assessed if equipment is not returned on time. For more information, contact us at info@mtassociation.org.
What should I consider when looking for a solar installer?
Thousands of Kentuckians across the state are saving money on their electric bills through rooftop solar installed by reputable local companies. But there are also companies operating here that are making big promises that don’t deliver, locking you into a costly solar installation that’s overpriced, improperly designed, unpermitted, or poorly installed.
So how do you tell the difference? Check out our solar scam post.
I am interested in making DIY improvements to my home or business. What resources are available for me?
Please get in touch and we can recommend a number of DIY YouTube videos to follow on insulation improvements, lighting changes, water heater settings, and more. We also have various hand-held and data-logging tools available for free, short-term borrowing by individuals or businesses/organizations. Anyone wanting to borrow equipment first needs to become a lending library member (it’s easy!) and agree to return the equipment in the time allotted. A late fee of $1.00 per day will be assessed if equipment is not returned on time. For more information, contact us at info@mtassociation.org.
Success Stories
Learn about other small businesses and organizations that have saved through our energy program. We also work on energy policy at the local, state and federal level.
Pros and Cons of the Electric Vehicle Movement in Appalachia
Read Pros and Cons of the Electric Vehicle Movement in Appalachia
What an extra $15,000 a year means for a rural Kentucky grocer
Read What an extra $15,000 a year means for a rural Kentucky grocer
Experts: Utility disconnections in extreme weather harm communities
Read Experts: Utility disconnections in extreme weather harm communities
Resilience in Action: How Hemphill Community Center is Powering Through Hard Times with Solar Energy
Advocates: Kentucky Power needs a more robust energy-efficiency proposal
Read Advocates: Kentucky Power needs a more robust energy-efficiency proposal
Farming the Wilder Way: How this mother & daughter use solar on their Madison County farm
Read Farming the Wilder Way: How this mother & daughter use solar on their Madison County farm