Published Monday, January 16, 2006
The Solar Energy State
High electricity bills bothering you? How about some free hot water? The
water heater is the second-largest energy user in the average home,
accounting for about 20 percent of the electric bill. While there's
plenty of sunshine in Florida to heat water, rare is the home that has a
solar water heater.
"We do a really lousy job of that for the Sunshine State," said Rep.
Trudi Williams, R-Fort Myers. Williams told the Naples News that she is
promoting legislation for the upcoming session in Tallahassee that would
encourage people to invest in solar energy with incentives from the
state.
"You need to have a solar hotwater heater with every home, or the option
with some sort of incentive," she told the newspaper.
Gov. Jeb Bush is scheduled to announce a revised energy policy Tuesday.
Anthony De Luise, press secretary for the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection, said he couldn't discuss specifics, but said
solar energy would be included. "Solar energy is an important
alternative source of energy that is consistent with the department's
strategy for guiding the state's energy future," he told the News.
The big stumbling block is cost. Panels to provide hot water can cost as
much as $3,500, say state energy officials, and customers have to pay
the up-front costs. That's why incentives from the state or federal
government are needed.
Lakeland Electric had a pilot program that installed solar water panels
on Lakeland homes. The city maintains the panels (about 55 homes were
equipped) and, in return, the homeowner agrees to pay for the
solar-heated water at the then-current rate it would have cost to heat
the water with electricity.
The advantage, of course, is a rate that avoids fuel-cost increases.
Jeff Curry, the city's alternative-energy specialist, said at the time
the units were installed six years ago, electricity was selling for
about 9 cents per kilowatthour. Electricity has gone up more than 30
percent since then, so customers are saving money, said Curry.
The program was discontinued because of funding problems, but Curry said
he hopes it can be resumed. Tuesday's changes might help the city
accomplish that.
"The Sunshine State" is in itself an enticing motto. Making it "The
Solar-Energy State" is even more enticing for homeowners.
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