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Florida Wants To Count Nuclear Energy Toward Renewable Energy Mandates

Florida Power & Light (FPL) is lobbying to have nuclear energy added to the state’s portfolio. They want Florida to recognize “Clean” energy, not just “Renewable” energy. FPL does not produce any renewable energy in Florida at the present time. They are, however, the largest utility in the state to generate nuclear power.

FPL is putting forth the argument that the state’s clean energy standards should include nuclear power, as well as wind and solar. An FPL spokesperson, Mayco Villafana, has said that the state can meet all their requirements of cutting greenhouse gas emissions with a combination of energy strategies. At the same time, Villafana also believes costs can be reduced for consumers.

In Florida, an Executive Order was signed by the Governor in 2007 to induce the Public Service Commission to create a “Renewable Energy Portfolio” which would outline the state’s efforts toward meeting a timetable of generating 20 percent of their energy market from renewable sources. Twenty-seven states have enacted such a law. Of those 27, only Ohio includes nuclear power in their portfolio.

One of the arguments to the Public Service Commission given by FPL is that they can meet the timeframe faster if allowed to incorporate nuclear power into the energy mix. FPL’s timetable would put meeting the 20 percent clean energy goal of the state to the year 2041. According to reports from other states, that would put Florida 16 years behind in green technology standards.

An opponent to the change from “Renewable Energy” to “Clean Energy,” Eric Draper, who is the policy director for Audubon of Florida, says that the entire reason behind enacting the “Renewable Portfolio Standard,” which has the goal of meeting the targeted 20 percent clean, renewable energy by the year 2020, is to encourage growth in renewable technologies, including solar. Many environmentalists would rather act sooner than later, having the benefits put off until a later year.



Sherry Irvin
on behalf of the
BascoTec Internet Limited
Technologie Park 13
33100 Paderborn
Germany


Sources: nuclear energy, clean energy, renewable energy, nuclear power, greenhouse gas emissions, energy strategies, renewable energy portfolio, renewable sources, energy mix, green technology standards, renewable technologies

Source: Bascotec Internet Ltd. / ENERLIX on pressbot.org | Date: 2009/01/17 - 19:11 | 1010 Hits