State House Rep. Joe Gibbons - Photo: Tallahassee Democrat
Rep. Joe Gibbons has kindly allowed us to reprint his published essay. He addresses the critical need that low-income utility customers have for expanded energy efficiency programs. As demonstrated in a recent study by Florida Power & Light , low-income residents participate in energy efficiency programs at the [...]
Quietly, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has been signing contracts with several wind developers that will put the federal utility in a position to significantly grow its wind energy portfolio in 2012, if all goes to plan.
Over the past 5 months, TVA has announced multiple contracts with Invenergy Wind, CPV Renewable Energy Co., Iberdrola [...]
The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) just set goals for electric energy efficiency well below targets set—and achieved—by other states, but not surprisingly, several FEECA utilities filed objections seeking still lower goals.
Earlier, we reviewed the goals and outlined why the PSC’s targets were as weak as they were—but still the utilities want to aim even lower. Progress, FP&L, Gulf and [...]
The PSC meeting last week was marked by two dramatic changes for Florida electric utilities. Utility-oriented commissioner Carter was succeeded as chair for 2010-2012 by the far more consumer-oriented commissioner, Nancy Argenziano. In remarks made while nominating Ms. Argenziano, Chairman Carter said, “. . . she answered the call to leadership.” But in the same meeting in which new electricity conservation [...]
Would you believe that an environmental advocate hired a drill rig to help reduce global warming pollution? No, I wasn’t drilling for oil or gas, or burying my carbon dioxide (hmmm). I was installing a geothermal system for my home.
The geothermal system design we chose actually provides us with three services: cooling, heating and an [...]
Next week, a former editorial board editor is one of five Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) members who will direct Florida’s major utilities to pursue energy efficiency efforts over the next five years. Will we get more of the same, as the utilities and the Commission staff suggest, or will Florida take a step towards [...]
President Obama is visiting DeSoto County, Florida today to headline the opening ceremony of the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) facility in the country. This must signal that Florida is on its way to a clean energy future, right?
Well, not so fast. The facility is certainly a testament to the vital role renewable energy should play [...]
Last Wednesday, the St. Petersburg Times recognized the “Powerful Savings” available to Florida by investing in conservation. Yet the chief obstacle to conservation remains Florida’s commitment to overinvest in nuclear power. Even if the utilities had not biased their efficiency analysis with nonsensical limitations, their assumption that unlicensed nuclear reactors would be built on schedule [...]
Will Florida have a smart, fair decision on energy efficiency? Or will base rates go up and nothing be done to help the consumer?
And will someone please explain to me how a 1% reduction in customer energy use over ten years will provide any meaningful offset to a 31% increase in base rates?
While media coverage [...]
This Saturday, the City of Knoxville will hold a Solar Tour and Fair in conjunction with the world’s largest grassroots solar event, the American Solar Energy Society National Solar Tour. Beginning at 9 a.m., the event will provide information and workshops at Krutch Park located on Gay Street in Downtown Knoxville and a self-guided tour [...]
