At least 50 seniors will receive Touchstone Energy All "A" Classic scholarships to attend post-secondary schools in the fall of 2011. The deadline to apply is December 3.

Eligible students must be in their senior year at one of Kentucky's Class "A" high schools. Students must also plan to attend a post-secondary school in Kentucky including colleges, universities, community colleges, and vocational or technical schools.

The one-time $1,000 scholarships are based first on need followed by GPA, college entrance exam scores, and the interview with a panel of judges.

"The scholarships are sponsored by Clark Energy and Kentucky's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives to demonstrate our commitment to our students," said Paul Embs, president and CEO of Clark Energy. "We support education and the communities we serve."

Over the past 16 years, more than $780,000 has been disbursed in academic awards and scholarships by the Touchstone Energy All "A" Classic.

In addition to the scholarships, the Touchstone Energy All "A" Classic includes a basketball tournament as well as competitions in art, cheerleading, baseball, softball, volleyball, and golf for Kentucky's smallest high schools.

Mark your calendar for these upcoming events:

Scholarship interviews:  January 8, 2011-Eastern Kentucky University

Basketball:                         February 2-6, 2011-EKU

Baseball:                            May 7-8, 2011-Applebee's Park, Lexington

Softball:                               May 14-15, 2011-Skyview Park, Jeffersontown

Please be assured that there will be no interruption in service and you may continue to use your current Co-op Power Plus Visa card. Shortly before your existing card expires, you will receive a new FNBO-branded in the mail, provided you continue to meet FNBO's credit criteria.

You will continue to receive all of the competitive benefits of FNBO's "Maximum Rewards" including:

• 1 point earned for each $1 spent on purchases
• no annual point earnings cap
• up to 5 years to redeem points
• redemption points for cash back, travel, gift cards, and merchandise

Cooperative purchases made after September 30, 2010, will also earn one point for every dollar spent.

If you have any questions regarding your Co-op Power Plus Visa account or the Maximum Rewards program, please call FNBO at 888-530-3626 or go to www.firstnational.com.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Clark Energy has joined an innovative algae research to study carbon capture at power plants. It sounds like science fiction, but it could turn out to be science fact.

Alltech, a global animal health company based in Nicholasville, Clark Energy, and its power supplier, East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC), have joined in a research project to study using algae to capture carbon dioxide that is produced when coal is burned to make electricity for homes or businesses.

Instead of releasing power plant emissions into the atmosphere, they can be used as food to grow algae as a source of oils, proteins, and carbohydrates, which will then yield valuable byproducts such as feed stock for animals and biofuels to run cars.

EKPC is conducting an ongoing experiment to explore this idea at its Dale Station generating plant in rural Clark County, in partnership with Alltech.

"Our co-op has formed a partnership with Alltech's scientific experts to see if algae can be used to capture carbon dioxide so that it can be converted into food," states Paul Embs, Clark Energy's president and CEO. "The experiment may be continued later at EKPC's Spurlock Station in Mason County too."

"Seventy percent of the world's oxygen comes from algae," said Alltech CEO T.P. Lyons. "It is the world's single most important microorganism. We're excited about harnessing this incredible raw material, while working with the co-ops to capture carbon dioxide."

Algae need carbon and nitrogen to grow. In the onging experiment, the coal-based flue gas is released from the power plant generator supplying the required carbon and nitrogen. It is piped into water-filled reactor tubes that contain the algae culture (pictured above). The algae sequester the carbon and nitrogen from the flue gas and grow, producing a product rich in oil, proteins, and carbohydrates.

"While the study is small scale, the results are promising," said Embs. "It is possible that the work might be expanded to a larger-scale research project. Algae could help solve a global problem."

"Algae could become as synonymous with Kentucky as coal is," Lyons said.

For more information from Alltech, contact Becky Timmons, Director of Applications Research at 859-885-9613.