Crist Ignites Energy Push
By Kristi E. Swartz, The Palm Beach Post, Fla.
Feb. 1–Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday moved to diversify Florida’s power supply, recommending that the state spend $68 million on alternative energy, including $50 million for developing ethanol and biodiesel products.
“It is pretty significant. The governor really believes that diversity is vital to secure a new energy future,” Crist spokeswoman Vivian Myrtetus said.
In addition to the $50 million for ethanol and biodiesel, Crist asked lawmakers to extend $17.5 million in grant programs from the current budget year and set aside $1 million to educate Floridians about energy efficiency.
“We’re serious about making alternative fuels a mainstay of Florida’s economy,” said Rep. Bob Allen, R-Merritt Island, chairman of the newly created House Committee on Energy.
Allen said he’s pushing for alternative and renewable energy — which includes solar, ethanol and waste — to make up 10 percent of Florida’s fuel mix. Right now, Floridians get less than 1 percent of their electricity from renewables.
“This is what I call the biggest opportunity for the state,” Allen said.
Using ethanol as a way to wean Florida, as well as the nation, off natural gas and oil is fast becoming a part of mainstream talk after being endorsed by President Bush and governors in several states.
“If we don’t get cranking in Florida on alternative energy right now, we’re going to be behind the eight ball,” said Tommy Buroughs, chairman of the recently created Florida Energy Commission, which will meet for the first time in Tallahassee next Friday. “If we do it right, we can have some of those industries here, and we’ll have money from out of state coming in and feeding our economy.”
If approved, the $68 million is a significant jump over money set aside as part of last year’s energy law, which was designed in part to make it easier for utilities to build coal and nuclear plants as well as to encourage the development of renewable energy.
Florida Power & Light Co. has been using biodiesel in some of its trucks since 2001. The utility now uses 500,000 gallons of virgin soybean oil mixed with standard diesel for its trucks, Fleet Director George Survant said.
“The governor’s approach is best served by recognizing the early-adopter alternatives like biodiesel; it’s something that’s easy to put into place,” Survant said. “It may not be the ultimate solution, but it’s the solution for today.”
Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton and chairman of the Senate Committee on Communications and Public Utilities, said he’s been talking to Crist about putting more money in the budget for alternative energy.
“I know he is as committed as I am, and I know we’re going to get it (the money),” said Bennett. “We will never become independent of foreign oil until we move it to the top of the agenda, and that’s where it belongs.”
But to produce alternative energy products on a mass scale, even more money is needed, one analyst said.
“It’s a great start, but it takes a lot of money to do these projects,” said Mike Bedley, a regulatory and commercial specialist with Apex Power Corp. in Davie.
Susan Glickman, a Florida consultant for the Natural Resources Defense Center, said Crist’s move represents “real dollars.”
“It’s not like the billions that California is doing for solar, but based upon where Florida has been, this is serious financial leadership from the governor,” she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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