Farmers RECC sees renewed attention on initiatives aimed at renewable energy sources

On Thursday, July 25th, Farmers Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation, held its 86th annual meeting at the Cave Area Conference Center.

The not-for-profit cooperative, established in 1938, currently serves over 26,000 meters across 11 counties. Farmers RECC operates as a cooperative, meaning it is owned by the members it serves, adhering to seven cooperative principles, including democratic member control. Reflecting this principle, the Board of Directors convened with public members, discussing matters pertaining to the co-op’s most recent challenges and accomplishments.

President and CEO Toby Moss emphasized the cooperative’s openness to various energy sources, stating, “We are not averse to any kinds of power generation. I’ll call us energy agnostic, we want the best, most reliable service for our members and we want to save as much money as we can.”

This statement encompassed the theme of a greater shift toward greener energy sources permeating throughout the Commonwealth. East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC), of which Farmers RECC is a part of, has been making significant strides in renewable energy.

Caralyne Pennigton, the co-op’s director of public communications spoke on the care that Farmer’s takes in weighing different power solutions.

The solar panels of Cooperative Solar Farm One would theoretically produce enough power to supply 1,000 homes. (Photo by Tim Webb)

Governor Andy Beshear has been a strong advocate for expanding renewable energy sources in Kentucky, particularly in rural areas. His administration has leveraged federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to invest in various clean energy projects.

Narrowing the scope to a local level, Pennington also explained a local initiative that Farmers undertook in partnership with the Glasgow Landfill.

According to the Farmers RECC website:

“The Glasgow Landfill-Gas-to-Electricity (LFGTE) Plant is now producing electricity at 100% of the capacity of the generator with the addition of new methane gas collection wells by Glasgow landfill operators and East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC).The project began as a result of extensive discussion between Farmers RECC and the city of Glasgow. Farmers RECC was interested in the production of energy from renewable sources and the city of Glasgow was interested in capturing the methane gas produced at the landfill. East Kentucky Power owns, operates and maintains the plant. Farmers RECC designed, constructed, operates and maintains facilities that interconnect electrically to the plant. EKPC is purchasing the methane gas from the city to power the generator and Farmers is purchasing all of the renewable energy produced by the facility. The methane being produced by the project is powering approximately 550 local homes in Farmers RECC’s service territory. The project was designed to be easily expanded as the landfill grows and more methane gas is produced and harvested to support adding an additional generator. In addition, the LFGTE project is providing a backup source of power to the Glasgow Water Company’s recently expanded wastewater treatment plant, saving them from having to make a considerable investment to provide their own backup power source.”

The meeting concluded with the announcement of election results, confirming the reelection of all current officers, and an update on the funds returned to customers.

The entire session lasted nearly an hour, encapsulating a year of challenges and forward-looking strategies for Farmers RECC.