Officials Say New Energy Research Center In The Works

Save

Posted: 11:27 PM Jun 15, 2008
Last Updated: 12:03 AM Jun 16, 2008
Reporter: Peter O'Connor
Email Address: peter.oconnor@wymtnews.com

4 comments

A | A | A

Pike County officials say a new energy research center is the works.

Pike County officials are calling the new center the American Energy Research Center. They say it will usher in a new era of coal research.

"The center is going to be a facility that focuses on all aspects of energy development," said Energy Director Roger Ford.

Ford says the research center will work with the University of Kentucky and possibly others to help lay the groundwork for a coal-liquid plant in the region.

"Take those research dollars to the next step which is to develop pilot scale plants and processes to prove the technologies that they are doing in the laboratory," Ford said.

Officials say they are in discussions with the Mattel Energy Institute from Ohio to run the facility.

Ford says officials have identified four possible sites to put the research center including next to the county's regional airport.

Officials say the focus of the center will be to research better energy alternatives, but also be a place to train for the future.

"The training aspect of this facility and if we bring in the coal to liquid, they will be training those people bio mass," said Pike County Judge Executive Wayne T. Rutherford.

The judge-executive says he hopes the more people they can train, the more outside businesses will be encouraged to relocate to the mountains.

"It takes us beyond just sustaining ourselves in terms of workforce and looks to provide a well rounded, more focused energy workforce development program," Ford said.

"You know we don't want to import anything in. We want to do it here and that is the purpose of your research center," Rutherford said.

Officials say June 30th is when they will release more details about the project as they wrap up a year long coal to liquid study.

Officials say they hope to start construction on the new research center soon.

More Stories
Federal courthouse in Pikeville shut down after unknown substance found

Same suspect in two Leslie County murders

Volunteer fire departments in trouble

Study finds people saving more than usual

Alcohol sales ordinance passes first reading

Lexington doctor killed in shooting

Kentucky marine remembered in Knott County

Federal funding coming for ice storm and flood cleanup

Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Eddie Location: Pikeville on Jun 16, 2008 at 05:51 PM
Crystal, I respect your view as well, however, it states in the article that "Take those research dollars to the next step which is to develop pilot scale plants and processes to prove the technologies that they are doing in the laboratory," Ford said. I take that to mean, more than likely, they will use money already set aside for research and development. I'd rather see it spent here, than in say, Lexington or Louisville. As for my Republican comment, that was directed at the fact that the Pike County Judge Executive is a Democrat. I meant to convey that I support them trying to do something rather than not doing anything. The old gasification plant that "redneck Hillbilly" spoke of in his post was actually a great idea, but the government and the people did not have the foresight to see how much it could have helped like it could now, and cut the funding for it. Sometimes they don't see the forest for the trees.

Posted by: CRYSTAL Location: KNOTT CO. on Jun 16, 2008 at 02:58 PM
Eddie i respect your view,i see sort of where you coming from, one cannot sit around and do nothing, very true, but on the other hand the officals in charge need to make wise decisions on how Kentucky Taxpayers money is used, if the center is to be payed for by private funds,then i have no problem with it. And if you read i worte the #1problem was the cost of producing coal to liquid it justed to costly. But time will tell, you just rembember, well Crystal was right. And being Republican has nothing to do with it. You right Tourism will not cut it. But Eddie i sure hope your right, because beleive it or not it's still a dream.

Posted by: Eddie Location: Pikeville on Jun 16, 2008 at 09:03 AM
To Crystal, what would you have them do? Sit around on their hands and wait for another call center paying $6.85 an hour to open up? If it provides good paying jobs, educates more people and trains them for alternative style jobs, it is worth it. Also keep in mind, it is estimated that the Eastern Kentucky area is sitting on top of natural gas reserves that are the equivalent of the oil reserves in Saudi Arabia. Look at all the Equitable Resources trucks running around in Knott County, they are laying a major pipeline through parts of Floyd and Knott to begin tapping into these resources as well. I'm a Republican, but I applaud them trying their best to develop jobs and technologies to sustain this area even more. Tourism sure won't save the day here, although it will help. Why would the government "never allow" this as you say? With all the talk about cleaner and alternative energy sources, I bet they will. You aren't waking people up from a dream, you are in denial.

Posted by: redneck hillBilly Location: Pikeville on Jun 16, 2008 at 08:39 AM
Are the people, the voters, going to have a say in this? Before Rutherford starts spending money like a drunken sailor let's look back at his pie in the sky from the last time he was judge executive. Doesn't anyone remember his gasification plant that cost untold millions? How about the news media doing a little investigative work. When they spend tax money that's our money, not thiers. How many people could have had clean drinking water or sewer systems with the money spent on a gasification plant that doesn't now exist. I say no more big spending on projects not throughly vetted by the taxpayers.

Posted by: Bill on Jun 16, 2008 at 07:57 AM
Better put your rubber boots on, the high tops.Its getting deep agian.

Posted by: CRYSTAL Location: KNOTT CO. on Jun 16, 2008 at 01:22 AM
People,People, People, don't waste money on this project,this research center will it be payed for by tax monies? If so, what a waste of money, the whole thing will not amount to a heel of beans. I mean come on, Coal to fuel, do you guys realy think this will come to past? Well i'am hear to wake you up from your dream. Reason#1 that it will not happen is COST #2 the goverment would never allow this #3 is the supply of coal. The coal would run so fast we would be buying it back from China. I'am not trying to be smarty pants about this, but just think about it and use common horse sence.

	Classifieds THE place to buy and sell items. All ads free.

	Issues & Answers Host Neil Middleton gets the answers you want.

	Jim's Weather Class Want to understand the hows and whys of weather?

	A Rich Full Life Nominate someone you know!

	Simply the Law Gary C. Johnson

	WYMT Archives Looking for a video clip?

	Student Achiever Honoring outstanding students in our community.

	Health What you need to know about your health.

	Focus on the Family Help your family thrive.