The Sunshine State: Florida Solar Market and Policy Issues
Dear Friends & Readers/Visitors/Viewers,
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Below is a recording of the panel of discussion that took place on September 11, 2012, Tuesday, 2:30-4:00P.M. During Solar Power International (SPI)2012, moderated by Bill Gallagher (President of Solar-Fit), Speakers: Patrick Sheehan (Director of Office of Energy), Joseph Pietrzak (Senior Program Manager of Progress Energy of Florida), and Bruce Kershner (Executive Director of FlaSEIA).
Recent history of solar policy in Florida was presented/discussed. Its effect on the local solar industry and what is needed to create a strong solar industry in the state are analyzed. All speakers are very well organized and succinct in their presentations. It is clear that incentive policy is critical in determining the future direction (Success or Failure) of our state’s (or any other state’s) energy/solar industry. From these presentations, we can see the need for a more clear state energy incentive policy (with less regional variations and better defined goal). The effective Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) (http://sunisthefuture.net/?m=20120417) had been a policy responsible for much of the job creations and economic prosperity in Germany, Gainesville, FL. FIT had been asked by many Florida residents in the past. It’s an incentive policy that had been overwhelmingly received by many countries on planet earth. It is important that all parties involved will try to work cooperatively, for the cost of solar is low enough and will continue to drop. There are also many other modern technologies and R & D for alternative energy that are in the process of development. Mutual cooperation is needed for long term successful survival of all parties, small individuals as well as large utility companies. Because it is at a point in human history that in the near future, individuals may have the option of going off the grid completely. We are living in a time of global economy and we are not living on an isolated island. If utility companies are truly concerned about their long term viability, they should think of implementing incentives that would keep their customers connected to the grid, working cooperatively toward a solution that will be mutually beneficial for every one involved. I have long enjoyed the stability of using my utility company and would like to see it on the path being viable for the long haul. FIT may be implemented in such a way that both the utility company and individuals may benefit from participation. I believe CA is trying some such measures. Utility company in Hawaii is also thinking about the future success/viability of their organization, implementing FIT very effectively and cautiously. I would also like to remind you of another post on September 16, 2012 at http://sunisthefuture.net , recalling lessons from other industries: music industry with mp3 and Kodak with digital photography. In both cases, one can see that resistance was futile and delayed acceptance by the status quo would either lead to dramatic lowered revenue or death of the industry. Don’t forget this type of cooperation is also a way to demonstrate our sense of responsibility for future generations on this planet, for implementation of effective Feed-In-Tariff would lead to massive solar installations, job creations, local economic prosperity, while insuring cleaner and safer environment for our future generations. Our world is changing and our paradigm has shifted such that we all need to learn to play cooperative games in order to survive in this global economy. Successfully played, it will be a very prosperous, clean, and a war-free future for all of us.
~have a bright and sunny day~
written & posted by sunisthefutrue-Susan Sun Nunamaker, sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Homepage: http://www.sunisthefuture.net
Tags: Bill, Bruce Kershner, cooperative, feed-in-tariff, FIT, FlaSEIA, Gallagher, grid, http://sunisthefuture.net, Is The Future, Joseph Pietrzak, Office of Energy, Patrick Sheehan, Progress Energy of Florida, solar, Solar-Fit, Sun, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker