Madison County KFTC member and Berea College student Beth Bissmeyer on Thursday presented her findings from a energy study she has been working on in partnership with KFTC and Berea College's Center for Excellence in Learning Through Service.  She presented the results at Berea College during its campus sustainability week. 

The study surveyed 259 Madison County residents and attempted to gauge the extent to which Kentuckians, specifically middle and low-income families, are being impacted by rising energy costs. Almost half of respondents (48%) had an income of $25,000 or less.  The study found 94% of local residents are being impacted by the rising energy costs.  She also found that only 27% of folks could identify coal as the main source of Kentucky’s electricity.

She compiled her results into a full report and will present her findings at the next KFTC chapter meeting -- this Monday, October 27th at 7 p.m. at the Child Development Lab in Berea.

According to a University of Louisville report released this month, the price of Kentucky’s electricity has increased 30% between 2000 and 2006.  And Kentuckians use 55% more energy than the national average. “Kentucky’s inefficient electricity use, coupled with the escalating cost of coal, will leave low and middle-income Kentuckians out in the cold if we don’t rethink our energy strategy in Kentucky,” said Bissmeyer.

One interesting finding was that 75% of those who said they have NOT been impacted by rising energy costs were renters. This is a high percentage when compared to the 41% of renters in the overall sample.  An interesting follow-up question that the survey did not address would have been to look at if the renters pay their electricity bill in their rent or if it is hidden within the cost of their rent. 

A special thanks to KFTC member and 2008 Berea College graduate Ian McHugh for his help in conducting the survey and compiling the data for the study!