University of Louisville
IN-4: Innovation 4

Kentucky Save Energy Now (KY SEN) Program As part of the J.B. Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville, the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center (KPPC) helps Kentucky’s businesses, industries and other organizations stay sustainable and competitive. KPPC's Kentucky Save Energy Now (KY SEN) program helps energy-intensive facilities build self-sustaining energy-savings programs, with the goal of reducing their energy use by at least 2.5 percent per year for 10 years. Through KY SEN, participants establish sustainable, self-directed energy management programs that reduce operational expenses through improved energy performance year after year. The KY SEN Awards Recognition Program is an innovative and unique concept not offered through any similar program. The five-level awards program (based upon execution of the ENERGY STAR Seven-Step Energy Management Process) recognizes participants for their accomplishments as they advance through progressively higher levels of program implementation. University of Louisville President, Dr. James Ramsey, presented the inaugural round of awards in October 2010 in a ceremony held at the University of Louisville’s Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. To date, 30 industrial and commercial facilities from across the Commonwealth have signed the pledge and are enrolled in the KY SEN program. Two of those companies have achieved level-five recognition, developing internal recognition programs for their employees and acting as mentors to other KY SEN participants. Six participating companies have listed themselves on the KY SEN Mentor Directory, agreeing to share their experiences with other KY SEN participants in the areas of lighting, HVAC, motors, combustion, power factor, chillers/cooling towers, boilers, compressed air, renewable energy and energy management programs. Another innovative concept developed through KY SEN is the Kentucky Energy Alliance (KEA). Through KEA, participants meet quarterly to foster peer-to-peer exchanges between the facilities. At the start of the program in 2010, KPPC established an overall program goal of identifying 815,000 MMBtu in source energy savings for industrial and large commercial clients. Participants have already surpassed that goal and to date the Center has identified 827,618 MMBtu in energy savings. Results from KPPC facility site assessments for calendar year 2012 included a total projected reduction in CO2 equivalents from source of 28,691 metric tons/yr and a total projected annual avoided cost savings of $1,256,370/yr. KPPC collaborates on KY SEN with the state energy office – the Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence (DEDI). Partnering organizations also include: Louisville Gas & Electric/Kentucky Utilities, Eastern Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Duke Energy Corporation, Big Rivers Electric, Fellon-McCord and Associates, and the Kentucky Energy Efficiency Workgroup. The program also promotes and leverages the wide array of federal resources available through the Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO), including best practices tools and assessments, software tools, training and AMO's extensive list of publications. UofL’s KPPC serves as the administrator of KY SEN.