A wealth of opportunity is knocking on Floridas door. But over the past several legislative sessions, and again this week, our policymakers have not answered the call.
Every time our policymakers leave town without taking action on renewable-energy policy, Florida forgoes tens of millions of dollars in potential revenue, the opportunity to establish a manufacturing base, and the ability to attract research and development facilities. We say "no thanks" to tens of thousands of jobs across a variety of fields -- from programmers and engineers to electricians and roofers.
Florida can be the Renewable Energy Peninsula and a leader in job creation, much like Silicon Valleys dominance in information technology. But unless we make a very important change in our states renewable-energy policies, that simply will not happen. Fortunately for Floridians, lawmakers will have one more chance in September. And they will be urged on by a growing number of Floridians who are anxious to open the door to development of a renewable-energy economy here in the Sunshine State.
I was heartened to see the expanding support across economic sectors, occupations and academic disciplines that was evident at the Florida Energy Summit hosted earlier this month by the newly formed Citizens for Clean Energy. Elected officials, business leaders, clean-energy advocates and ordinary citizens all gathered to figure out how to expand and grow a new industry in Florida based on renewable energy.
Floridas academic institutions know the recipe for success to attract knowledge-based businesses and investment to the state. Our Centers of Excellence program has funded several research centers -- among them the University of Central Floridas Photonics Lab, the University of Florida's Center for Regenerative Health Bio-Technology and Florida Atlantic University's Center of Excellence in Ocean Energy Technology -- that have proved themselves incubators of cutting-edge technology.
Other independent efforts -- such as Scripps Florida, the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Max Planck Florida and the Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies -- have drawn in millions of dollars in federal research funding, creating jobs and investment in local communities.
As a state, we have taken important steps to create the research and development environment necessary to attract renewable industries to Florida, from the 1975 establishment by the Legislature of UCFs Florida Solar Energy Center to the appropriation of $40 million for the Florida Energy Systems Consortium to create a unified network of renewable-energy research programs at our universities.
The rationale here is simple: Cutting-edge renewable research and a skilled and experienced work force are two of the three legs of the stool that companies must have to locate here.
Although we boast an impressive array of research institutions and a skilled work force ready to jump into renewable-energy work, a critical barrier remains.
Over the past several legislative sessions, Florida and our policymakers have not adopted a renewable-energy policy here in the Sunshine State. This resulted in the loss of tens of millions in revenue, the establishment of a renewable-energy manufacturing base here, and the attraction of additional private-sector research and development infrastructure.
In a January white paper on the subject of the creation of new jobs from renewable energy, Lynda Weatherman, president of the Economic Development Council of Floridas Space Coast, rightly notes:
In other words, this industry must have the local market present to create the demand necessary, and in effect, the critical mass required to build manufacturing plants in Florida The understanding of this simple concept will be the profound recognition of our opportunity and the need for aggressive policy to support a renewable-energy market.
Our discussion and debate at the Florida Energy Summit emphasized, above all, the need for immediate action. Other states and other countries are moving ahead on renewable energy, and Florida cannot afford to be left behind. Its up to our leaders in Tallahassee to create the right policies and incentives that will put Floridas thinkers to work and Florida on the map as the place for the development and deployment of renewable-energy technology.
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Jack Sullivan is the president and CEO of the Florida Research Consortium based in Tallahassee, a member organization of Citizens for Clean Energy.
