Press Release

U.S. Department of Energy Awards Florida Solar Energy Center at UCF $2 Million for 'Green' Regional Project

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The U.S. Department of Energy recently named the Florida Solar Energy Center at the University of Central Florida as one of only two sites nationwide that will share a multi-million dollar grant to accelerate the adoption of new and developing energy-efficient technologies.

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) received $2 million from the Department of Energy (DOE) grant to be home to a regional building technology application center. The center, to be located at FSEC’s facility in Cocoa, will serve 12 states and produce projects that will substantially increase the deployment of high-performance “beyond-code” buildings across the Southeast. Read more

Florida Solar Energy Center releases EnergyGauge® Summit Premier 3.13

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Easy-to-use, state-of-the-art software offers construction-industry professionals substantial time savings while completing required energy modeling calculations for LEED® projects.

Cocoa, FL – November 7, 2007 – The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a research institute of the University of Central Florida, today released EnergyGauge Summit Premier 3.13 at the Greenbuild conference in Chicago. This state-of-the-art software provides construction-industry professionals with the opportunity to substantially reduce the time required to complete energy modeling for the  commercial construction LEED® rating system.

The United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system is the leading green building rating system in the United States. The organization recently mandated that each project achieve at least two energy optimization points in their rating. EnergyGauge Summit Premier allows engineers to simply enter the design building characteristics and the software calculates everything else for these important point credits. Read more

National Solar Tour at Florida Solar Energy Center

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The Florida  Solar Energy Center at the University of Central Florida  will open  its doors to the public Oct. 5 and 6 for tours as part of the National Solar Tour.  The guided walking tours of the center and its laboratories will give residents and  businesses a chance to learn more about solar energy, energy efficiency and alternative  transportation systems and how to implement those strategies in their lives. Read more

Florida Solar Energy Center Hosts SunDay Challenge to Promote Alternative Energy Technologies

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The Florida  Solar Energy Center, at the University of Central Florida, hosts the SunDay Challenge Oct. 6-8.  Florida Institute of Technology, the Florida Electric Auto Association and the Space Coast Clean Cities Coalition are partners with FSEC in presenting the event.

The goal of the three-day event is to educate people about alternative fuel vehicles and to promote alternative energy technologies. The event showcases and promotes alternative energy technologies to power vehicles of the future to solve our transportation energy and air quality problems.

The free event includes performance testing, autocross, workshops and a popular road rally. All types of powered vehicles from solar, fuel cell, electric and hybrid will participate. Read more

Governor Crist Appoints Fenton to Energy Action Team

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Jim Fenton, director of UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) in Cocoa, has been named to the Florida’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change.

Governor Charlie Crist made the announcement Monday. Crist said he appointed the 21-member committee to “preserve our state’s beautiful natural environment. During the next few months, Florida’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change will develop further recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and diversify our energy resources.”

Fenton said the first directive should always be to focus on “efficiency.”

“We have to find ways to make it cost effective for consumers to be more energy efficient,” he said.

Fenton, who specializes in fuel cells, sustainable energy, electrochemical engineering, environmental engineering and pollution prevention, said consumers are often put off by the initial cost of products that, in the end, will not only save them money but will also help the environment.

“I would love to find a way to let people buying a brand new home to demand every energy efficiency measure, and solar electric and water heating on the roof from their builder and get an immediate payback,” he said.

The first phase of the committee’s work, due by November 1, will be to make recommendations regarding Florida’s energy policy, including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and strategies to diversify fuels used to generate electricity.

Phase two of the work, with a deadline of October 1, 2008, will focus on mitigating the impact of greenhouse gas emissions caused by new growth. One way will be looking at how to lure more “climate friendly” businesses to the state.

Fenton said that might require attracting venture capital funds to help companies that make and install energy efficient products to locate in the state.

CONTACT: Barb Abney, UCF, 407-823-5139 or babney@mail.ucf.edu
Governor’s Press Office: 850-488-5394 [http://www.flgov.com/release/9315]