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
Press Release
Florida Solar Energy Center Hosts SunDay Challenge to Promote Alternative Energy Technologies
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
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]
EnergyWhiz Olympics at Florida Solar Energy Center-UCF
More than 300 students and teachers from throughout Florida participated in the 2007 EnergyWhiz Olympics at the Florida Solar Energy Center on Saturday, May 12. Events included solar car races, hydrogen fuel cell vehicle races, a photovoltaic design competition called “Energy Innovations” and a solar-powered boat demonstration.
Students from elementary through high schools took part in the alternative fuel competitions. The largest event, with 61 teams, was the Junior Solar Sprint. Middle-school students designed and built model-sized, solar-powered vehicles, which they raced during the competition. Awards were given to the top performing vehicles based on design, quality of craftsmanship, innovation and speed. Read more
Renewable Energy Conference to be Held in Cape Canaveral
| A four-day conference on the use and development of renewable energy in the
Caribbean will be held in Cape Canaveral from June 3 to 6. “Renewables: The Road to Sustainability” is the seventh program in a series sponsored by Sustainable Applications for Tropical Island States (SATIS) and the Caribbean Solar Energy Society. Bill Young of the University of Central Florida’s Florida Solar Energy Center is serving as technical contact for the conference, which will be of special interest to Caribbean government officials and people doing business in the Caribbean islands. Solar energy technology offers significant potential as a major energy source in the area, as well as growing opportunities for jobs such as contractors and installers. Topics of special interest to government officials include energy costs and how to reduce them and using renewable energy as a critical power supply during energy outages and disasters. Business sessions include discussions of the latest markets for renewable energy in the Caribbean. Read more |