Miranda Pederson/Daily News Valerie Brown, President and CEO of Service One Credit Union, holds up an artists rendering of the new main branch on Campbell Lane on Saturday at the 2nd annual Local Solar Energy Tour at the ALIVE Center. The building, currently under construction, is classified as a green structure.

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From 11 a.m. to about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, several people got a bevy of information about alternative energy sources and the benefits of building green during the annual Solar Energy Tour at the Western Kentucky University ALIVE Center.

The tour, sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society, is just one of hundreds taking place nationwide. While this is the 13th year for the national tour, it is the second year one has been held in Bowling Green. It’s designed to bring awareness of solar energy as a viable energy alternative, said Nancy Givens, co-chair for BG Green Partnership for a Sustainable Community.

Saturday’s event was mainly informational, as no actual tour was given. However, those interested in alternative energy are invited to visit the various “stops” on the tour anytime those sites are open.

In April, the ALIVE Center unveiled its solar photovoltaic system, which powers its facility on U.S. 31-W By-Pass and was part of the tour. The Lovers Lane Soccer Complex’s TVA/WRECC solar installation was also part of this year’s tour, as well as a presentation on Service One Credit Union on Campbell Lane, which is undergoing a “green” expansion that includes solar panels.

The tour is also designed to promote solar energy and encourage a movement away from fossil-fuel based services toward clean energy technologies, Givens said.

“This relates to climate change and developing alternatives that don’t add to the problem,” she said. “We’ve had a very good turnout and people seemed interested in the issue.”

As solar energy has been increasing throughout the state of Kentucky, there has been a concerted effort by local energy providers to explore solar energy installations. And as the cost of fuel rises, the Tennessee Valley Authority, which generates the power that BGMU and WRECC supplies to the region and city, is looking into redesigning programs that will increase incentives for people to install solar energy systems.

Angela Carroll with TVA said the goal is to offset the cost of energy and reduce peak loads. Carroll said TVA is loooking to role out a pilot expansion of the “Generation Partners” program in January, which provides support and incentive for solar, wind and biofuel generating facilities. The expansion will allow up to 20 megawatt systems, where right now the partnership is limited to 50 kilowatt systems.

“That means more renewable energy,” Carroll said. “That means less generation TVA is producing, because customers are producing their own energy.”

Under the program, TVA buys the energy output generated from the installations at a rate of 15 cents per kilowatt-hour.

“It’s a better option than what we have now,” Carroll said. “We’re hoping to get a lot of takers.”

She said power is heavily dependent on coal - “and if we can shift away from that, we can get away from earth destruction, and the same with oil drilling.”

While alternative energy sources are becoming increasingly popular, for both Bowling Green Municipal Utilities and Warren Rural Energy Cooperative Corp. the main point is to educate. Jeff White with BGMU said people are concerned about being efficient, and he’s seeing more and more people questioning their utility bills.

“Efficiency is the name of the game right now,” said Tom Martin with WRECC, since the cost of power has gone up.

Martin said there has been interest in alternatives, but unless there are enough incentives by entities, there are still a lot of up-front costs, which Givens said have been an impediment to home and business owners seeking the alternative methods.

Givens said tax credits and incentives would help pay the initial costs of installation. Over time the energy system pays for itself, she said.

“There’s a lot happening with solar incentives,” Givens has said, referring to legislation passed last year creating tax credits for the purchase of certain energy-efficient products or the purchase or construction of an “Energy Star”-designated home.

Several states like New Jersey and California have huge incentives for alternative energy systems, said Dan Givens with Avery and Son in Hart County. Kentucky gives $500 back to entities for solar installation, he said.

“(I) feel it’s a good start,” he said.

Under the $700 billion financial rescue plan signed Friday by President Bush, solar power developers, among others, will see tax relief. The renewable energy incentives include an eight-year extension of investment credits for solar energy, as well as breaks for wind, geothermal and other alternative sources. The solar industry says extension of the credits through 2016 would produce an extra 440,000 jobs and more than $230 billion in investments.

“At this point, energy costs are accelerating rapidly, making solar economically viable,” Dan Givens said. “I believe we are on the cusp of a new energy paradigm. I think the tax credits in the rescue bill will help, but I don’t know how big of a help. It will make it more cost-efficient on owner’s part to install (the) systems.”

— For more information on the tour, call the ALIVE Center at 782-0082. The Associated Press contributed to this article.