State Awards Grants for Renewable Energy Technologies

TALLAHASSEE – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Charles H. Bronson and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Michael W. Sole today announced the recipients of Florida’s renewable energy technologies grants. Part of DEP’s Renewable Energy Technologies Grant Program, $12.5 million in grant funding was awarded to eight organizations to stimulate capital investment in the state and promote and enhance the statewide utilization of renewable energy technologies, including ethanol, bioenergy, solar and wind.

“We believe that awards such as these are critical in triggering the development of a renewable energy industry in Florida,” Commissioner Bronson said. “With the backing of and an investment from the state, we’re hopeful that these projects will yield positive results and serve as a catalyst for major commercial investment in this industry.”

DEP received 139 grant proposals seeking more than $200 million in grant funding and providing almost $700 million in cost share for renewable energy projects. The proposals, which include technologies such as biomass, solar and hydrogen, were evaluated by the state based on a number of different criteria: cost share percentage; economic development; technical feasibility; innovative technology; production potential; energy efficiency; fostering awareness; project management; duration and timeline; located served; public integration; and incorporation of multiple technologies.

“Through targeted incentives like the Renewable Energy Technologies Grant Program, Florida is stimulating economic development in the renewable and alternative energy fields,” said DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole. “By investing in cutting-edge technologies, Florida is exploring strategies to ensure a stronger economy as well as help prevent pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Renewable Energy Technologies Grant Program recipients for 2007/2008 are:

• Central Florida Regional Transit Authority (LYNX), “Go Renewable Energy Efficient Next-Generation Biodiesel Fleets” ($2,500,000) – Located in Central Florida, this partnership will implement a large- scale alternative fuel research and demonstration project that provides biodiesel blending at a central fueling location. By 2010, Orange County, LYNX and Orlando Utilities Commission will have transitioned their entire diesel fleet to biodiesel blended fuel.
• Exceed Corporation, “Dollars & Sense: Renewable Energy for Florida Builders & Developers” ($990,000) – This project, located in Pinellas County, will develop a profitable model for replication that will provide solutions to up-front cost barriers for renewable energy investments for Florida developers.
• Florida Power and Light, “St. Lucie Wind” ($2,500,000) – This project will construct the first wind energy facility in Florida. As proposed, nine wind turbine generation units would be placed in St. Lucie County and are expected to have the potential capacity of 20 megawatts of electrical power.
• Florida Solar Energy Research and Education Foundation, “Building Florida’s Solar Infrastructure” ($1,688,216) – This statewide project will accelerate the use of solar energy in Florida by reducing market barriers by collaborating with industry experts as well as developing marketing materials and an outreach campaign.
• Orange County Government, “Photovoltaic Demonstration and Research Facility and Climate Change Education Center” ($697,433) – This project enables the completion of a demonstration, research and education program through the installation of the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) system in the South, a one megawatt solar PV system located at the Orange County Convention Center.
• Progress Energy Florida, “Small-Scale Wind Power in Florida” ($123,868) - This project will evaluate inland opportunities for wind energy generation in Florida by using five wind turbines at five different locations across the state, providing more than 15,000 kilowatt hours of wind generation annually.
• Renergie, Inc., “Development of Florida’s Ethanol Industry Using Sweet Sorghum” ($1,500,483) – This project, concentrated in the Florida Panhandle, will design and build Florida’s first sweet sorghum mechanical harvesting system. In addition, the company will develop and construct a sweet sorghum-to- ethanol facility capable of producing five million gallons of ethanol annually.
• Vecenergy, “Production of Biodiesel Using Multiple Feedstocks” ($2,500,000) – Located in Manatee County, the project includes construction and operation of a biodiesel facility capable of producing 37.5 million gallons of biodiesel per year.

In 2007, the Florida Legislature appropriated $12.5 million for the Renewable Energy Technologies Grant Program, providing funding for projects that generate or utilize renewable energy resources, including hydrogen, biomass and solar energy. Since the creation of the Florida Energy Act in 2006, a total of $27.5 million has been appropriated for the Renewable Energy Technologies Grant Program.

In addition to the Renewable Energy Technologies Grant Program, the Florida Legislature created the “Farm to Fuel” Grants Program to provide matching grants for projects that promote the production and distribution of renewable energy from Florida-grown crops, agricultural wastes and residues, and other biomass. As part of the program and with DEP’s input, twelve grants totaling $25 million were awarded last month to stimulate investment in projects that will enhance the value of agriculture products and expand agribusiness in the State.

Last summer, Governor Charlie Crist signed a set of executive orders to reduce Florida’s greenhouse gases emissions, increase energy efficiency, and remove market barriers for renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind energy. In the months since the executive orders were signed, Florida has stepped onto the world stage as a major marketplace for advanced energy technologies. Just last month, the Governor announced a $200 million energy and economic development budget recommendation that builds on the policy framework of the Governor’s executive orders, focusing on increasing energy efficiency, stimulating development of renewable sources of energy, and using markets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information about the Renewable Energy Technologies Grant Program, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/energy. For more information on Florida’s climate change initiatives, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/climatechange.