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Energy Policy Could Mean Jobs

October 31st, 2011 by Mike Vasilinda

Out of date twentieth-century regulations are hampering job creation in the renewable energy market according top participants at last week’s energy summit in Orlando. A major push by the state’s retailers to be energy independent is being stopped by large power companies. And as Mike Vasilinda tells us, no coherent policy is on the horizon.

Most of the state’s large retailers want to install solar on their roof tops, then sell the excess power to other stores in the strip mall. But state law says no. Participants at an energy summit in Orlando say it is this kind of regulation that is hampering job growth.

“We ought to consider developing ways for entrepreneurs to participate in power generation in ways that don’t put reliability at stake,” Tom Larson with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said.

The energy summit was called by Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. He says the state legislature has been better at killing an energy policy than passing one.

“The state of Florida is well positioned to produce more renewable energy, whether it’s from the sun, or from biomass,” Putnam said.

But Florida’s potential is being stymied by regulations and election year politics.

Rep. Scott Plakon is the fourth chair of the House Energy Committee in four years.

“We should try to look for solutions that go beyond the next election cycle or two and try to look to do things that affect generations,” Plakon (R-Longwood) said.

With no policy, Florida has no renewable goals, and burns more gas than 47 other states, sending billions to other states and foreign countries.

“We could keep a lot of that money circulating in Florida, providing jobs,” Larson said.

And renewable advocates aren’t asking for incentives. What they say they need is a free market environment that will let them compete. But competition is something opposed by large power providers.

In Europe, the country of Greece is embarking on a major solar effort as a way to provide jobs and erase the nations huge debt. And in California, where energy standards will require a portion of all energy to be from renewables, more than a half dozen major solar projects are underway.

Posted in Business, Energy, Environment, Gas Prices, Legislature, State News | 6 Comments »

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