Sun Is The Future

Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers,

(Please click on red links below)

I’ve been spending more time learning about Feed-In-Tariff (FIT). Naturally, Gainesville, FL is an important starting point for history of FIT in USA, for it was the first city in USA that adopted FIT (Feed-In-Tariff) via GRU (Gainesville Regional Utility) back in February/March of 2009.  So, it was both a pleasure and honor for me to present to you Ed Regan and former Mayor of Gainesville, Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan , in the video clip below. This interview was conducted at the top of Downtown Gainesville parking garage (220 SE 2nd Ave.), in Gainesville, Florida.

Solar installations at Downtown parking garage of Gainesville, FL (thanks to Solar Feed-In-Tariff!), photographed by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker

Solar panels on top of Downtown parking garage of Gainesville, FL (benefitted from FIT (Feed-In-Tariff)), photographed by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker

The program (Solar FIT in Gainesville) was open to small, medium, and large projects, but was capped at 4 MW per year. As of 2011, Gainesville has increased solar generated electricity from 328 to 7391 KW. By Dec. of 2012, over 14 MW of solar PV had been installed in the Gainesville area. This is the highest per capita solar PV in Florida and one of the highest in the United States.Solar energy now takes up about 1.2% of peak load energy (610 MW) in Gainesville, FL. FIT had been responsible for much of the widespread implementation of solar in Gainesville area, increased local jobs, and dramatically improved economic opportunities for Gainesville, FL.

Solar panels on rooftop of library in Gainesville, FL, generating solar power (thanks to Solar-FIT!). Photographed by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker

At the rooftop of library of Gainesville, FL, near Downtown parking garage, more solar installations are seen. Photographed by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker

Two very important people who were instrumental in the adoption of FIT in Gainesville, FL: Ed Regan and Pegeen Hanrahan are being interviewed in this video. Ed Regan, a senior administrator (Assistant General Manager for strategic planning of GRU, Gainesville Regional Utility) back in 2009, is now with Strategic Utility Management at Gainesville, FL.  Pegeen Hanrahan, two-termed Mayor of Gainesville in 2009, now the Principal of Community and Conservation Solutions, is involved with various projects protecting FL’s public lands, parks, and natural resources.

Ed Regan and Pegeen Hanrahan discussed changes and progress in solar energy during the past few decades and the importance of concerned citizen participation, as well as legislative support and proactive and creative utility staff in setting the right tone for a prosperous renewable/solar energy future.  Without these three factors mentioned above, Solar FIT would not have been able to take place in Gainesville, FL. Ed Regan and Pegeen Hanrahan are two eloquent speakers with plentiful  lessons learned, practical insight, and wisdom.  This is a valuable discussion for any one currently in or will become part of the solar energy future. To better appreciate this interview, please feel free to click on following links:   Kyoto Protocol; net metering; avoided cost; PURPA;Feed-In-Tariff.

As  advocates for solar energy, Sun Is The Future team was thrilled to have this opportunity to learn about solar energy and FIT (Feed-In-Tariff) from these two highly charged individuals. As the cost of solar installations continues to drop, it is apparent that investing in solar is a no brainer. Implementing Solar-FIT, a productive incentive policy,  will help local economic prosperity by creating local jobs, improving energy security, and insuring the health and clean nature of the energy source of all types of   utility ( municipality, investor-owned, or cooperative ). But experience did indicate that investor-owned utility tends to require more hurdles to overcome before Solar-FIT may be successfully implemented.

Now, it is with hope and optimism,  please allow me to share the FIT Song by Regans,written by Kevin and Brendan Regan.

So, what are we waiting for? Let’s support the Renewable/Solar Feed-In-Tariff in Florida, USA, and the planet earth! Let’s convert as much usable space into Renewable Space on our journey toward the Renewable/Solar Future!

~have a bright and sunny day~

written, gathered, and posted by-sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker

any of your comments or suggestions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com

Homepage: http://www.sunisthefuture.net

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Tags: avoided cost, Community and Conservation Solutions, cooperative, Ed Regan, feed-in-tariff, FIT, FL, Gainesville, Gainesville Regional Utilities, GRU, investor owned utility, Kyoto Protocol, mayor, net metering, Pegeen Hanrahan, PURPA, Strategic Utility Management, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker

This entry was posted on Friday, July 26th, 2013 at 2:28 AM and is filed under Educational. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.