FLORIDA TO FIGHT OVER NEW ENERGY

Unlike politicians in Washington, D.C, many American governors see the future of energy coming and realize there is big opportunity in going out to meet it. Charlie Crist of Florida is one of those governors.

Not everybody at the state level welcomes the future with open arms. Utilities worried about keeping the lights on do not get excited about unfamiliar ideas like wind energy and solar energy. They are also not famous for worrying about climate change.

Governors do. And Governor Crist, like so many other governors, realizes climate change is the more urgent problem. So he is demanding the utilities join him in going out to meet the future. Unlike Governor Schwarzenegger’s liberal constituency and progressive California utilities, Florida has some really recalcitrant elements. It looks like a real fight is brewing.

Crist Energy Plan: Clean Or Costly?
Russell Ray, December 4, 2007 (Tampa Tribune)

WHO
FLA Gov. Charlie Crist; Florida Energy Commission; Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy (the state's two largest electric utilities); Mark Wilson, vice president, Florida Chamber of Commerce; John Reilly, associate director of research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change

New Energy skeptics often dismiss its potential without having all the information available to someone like Governor Crist. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
Crist’s executive orders call for significant reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and big increases in New Energy. Crist's plan cuts power plant emissions to 2000 levels by 2017, to 1990 levels by 2025, and to 80% of 1990 levels by 2050. Business leaders contend energy prices will go up, driving utility rates up, causing job cuts and business flight. The Energy Commission, a 9-member state-appointed panel, recommends tax credits and incentives for New Energy in its final guidelines.

WHEN
- Crist signed the executive orders last summer, mapping out a path 40 years into the future.
- The Florida Legislature will begin review and debate when the new session opens in March 2008.
- Florida Energy Commission finalized its recommendations to the Legislature December 3.

The energy experts at Florida Atlantic U. seem to see more economic opportunity in New Energy than the Chamber of Commerce. (click to enlarge)

WHERE
Crist’s plan is for the state. The Energy Commission met in Orlando. The Florida capital is Tallahasee.

WHY
- Crist modeled his plan on California's. He hopes it to be one of his key legacies. It orders utilities to obtain 20% of their power from renewable energy sources but sets no deadline. Fla gets 2% of its electricity from renewables.
- 45% of Fla GHGs come from fossil fuel power plants but cutting will be difficult b/c Fla energy demand is expected to grow 76% by 2030 (twice US growth).
- Opponents want Crist to delay his plan by 3-5 years, allowing to Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy to build new nuclear reactors.
- The Florida Energy Commission approved extending the time periods to 2020 for GHG cuts to 2000 levels and 2030 for cutting to 1990 levels and withdrew recommendation for the 20% renewables by 2025 mandate.
- A study by Washington-based CRA International, a business consulting firm hired by
- Crist opponents, reports Florida will lose more 700,000+ jobs over 43 years, seconding assertions Fla does not have the sun or wind to support Crist’s goals.

Solar energy authorities calculate that the southern half of Florida has 85% of the solar potential of the southwestern deserts. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Mark Wilson, vice president, Florida Chamber of Commerce: "If we don't change the executive orders, our experts have concluded that by 2015, electricity prices will be 26 percent higher than they would have been…Florida will lose 251,000 jobs if we don't change course…The reason everybody doesn't have solar is the technology doesn't exist yet to make it financially feasible to do…We either need to figure out a way to get rid of the clouds or you need to improve the technology."
- John Reilly, associate director of research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change: "It's an aggressive policy…It will require completely redoing Florida's electricity sector…The fact that Florida already has a relatively clean generation portfolio makes it that more difficult to clean it up further…"