Governor Andy Beshear was in Murray on Friday to unveil a newly installed solar-powered HVAC system on Murray State University’s West Farm — exploring the future of agro-tech education and agro-voltaic jobs in the field. west of Kentucky is touted.
Already working on studies on dark tobacco, fiber hemp and biofuel alternatives, as well as equine and bovine species, MSU’s latest gadget is bringing much-needed climate control to the farm’s shop — while becoming one of the school’s first solar projects.
A joint effort by MSU’s Hutson School of Agriculture, the Kentucky Energy & Environment Cabinet, Gree Commercial, Beck’s, Helena, Sunway Energy Solutions and Jim McBee’s Heating & Air LLC, MSU Dean of Agriculture Tony Brannon noted that it was important to get support from Beshear for education and development.
This is another boon for Western Kentucky, where PJ Clark Lumber in Cadiz, Porter Road in Princeton, iwis-Daido in Calloway County and Ahlstrom-Munksjö in Madisonville have all now been announced as of December 2020 – in what is a clear recovery for new jobs in the region.
And Beshear teased another opportunity that will also be announced in two weeks’ time — one that he believes could be one of the biggest job creators for Western Kentucky in decades.
He didn’t hint at what job sector it will serve, but he was clearly excited about the region’s future.
Beshear hasn’t made many jokes in the last 16 months. Since March 2020, more than 7,000 Kentuckians have died from complications from the coronavirus, while record unemployment claims have been rampant in both frequency and fraud. Republican leader Mitch McConnell recently overturned Beshear’s decision to maintain $300 weekly unemployment checks through Sept. 6, and job openings have only increased in the Commonwealth — and have gone somewhat unfilled — since the state’s full reopening on Sept. June 11.
But on Friday, Beshear — whose roots lie deep in Dawson Springs — returned to his childhood for a little chuckle, in what felt like a much-needed laugh after much grief.
MSU President Bob Jackson has had a particularly busy political week, which began with a warm visit from McConnell at a business lunch in Murray before greeting Beshear.
Grateful for the visits, Jackson joked that it could be the first of many alternative solar cells to power the farm — in what’s still a clean energy initiative across America.
Kentucky’s Secretary of Energy and the Environment, Rebecca Goodman, further sharpened the point, noting that research shows that more than 900,000 jobs will be available in the solar industry by 2035 — which is just three undergraduate cycles away. is for future students.
– Visit MSU’s Hutson School of Agriculture for more information about educational opportunities.
Beshear visits Murray State University
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