Two Innovative Companies Receive Alternative Energy Funding-

Two Kentucky companies have been granted a collective $530,000 in state funding via the Kentucky New Energy Ventures Fund, according to an announcement made yesterday by State Governor Steve Beshear. Wellhead Energy Systems, based in Somerset, was sanctioned to receive around $500,000 to manufacture generator systems which will be positioned around natural gas wells to produce electricity for rural areas. Southeast Biofuels, based in Mt. Sterling, was granted roughly $30,000 to construct a portable system that will turn out ethanol using the sorghum grain plant. “These Kentucky New Energy Ventures Fund awards demonstrate how small rural companies with big and innovative ideas can start up and succeed no matter where they are located in the Commonwealth,” said Gov. Beshear. “Best of all, these energy companies are developing technologies that can be put to work here in Kentucky – while providing jobs for Kentuckians.” Wellhead Energy Systems’ technology can take natural gas from presently inaccessible sources, clean it, compress, and feed it into an enclosed generator. In turn, the generator converts the compressed natural gas into electricity for neighboring utilities, residents and industrial sites. “By placing the generators closer to electrical users, our company plans to create a distributed energy supply to provide secure and reliable electrical power for rural communities,” said David Weddle, president and CEO of Wellhead. “We are also going to use an existing local manufacturer to produce our generator units, which will help keep and create jobs in the Somerset area.” Southeast Biofuels’ portable system will produce the sorghum ethanol at locations where the grain is grown and harvested to sell as a fuel additive. “We plan to initially focus on expanding existing sorghum crops, and then later extending our production onto marginal lands,” said Stephen Popyach, president of Southeast Biofuels. “Our crops will help keep money within the Kentucky economy that is currently flowing out to pay for petroleum fuels. We’ll also help existing farms earn an income by paying to use their land to grow our crops.” Created in 2007 to finance Statewide energy efficiency projects, the Kentucky New Energy Ventures Fund has awarded $2.85 million to 25 companies as of yet.