Q. What kind of incentives are currently available for people
who are considering switching to an alternative energy source for their
homes or businesses?
A. There are many federal and state incentives for switching to renewable
and alternative energy. They can be found at the DSIRE's
database of state incentives
for renewable energy. Additional information on the different types
of incentives for utilizing alternative energy can be found under
Incentives.
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Q. How does solar energy work?
A. Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert sunlight into electricity. The PV
panels are often made of silicon, one of the most commonly occurring
minerals on earth. The silicon has wires running through it, and is
encased in tempered glass. This panel is usually very durable, and can
stand in for regular roofing – often outlasting regular roofing. When
light hits the silicon in the panel, electric current is generated and
channeled through the embedded wires. The panels do not need to move,
make no sound and need no fuel other than the sun’s rays.
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Q. How do fuel cells work?
A. A fuel cell converts the elements hydrogen and oxygen into water,
and in the process it produces electricity. The electricity produced
is used to power the system the fuel cell is placed in, while the other
products of the reaction - water vapor and heat - also have the potential
to be harnessed for use. Fuel cells may operate of a variety of different
types of fuel, from hydrocarbon based fuels to water. They have no moving
parts and thus are very quiet. Learn more about
hydrogen fuel cells.
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Q. What kind of fuel will the proposed hydrogen fuel cells run
on, and why?
A. There are a variety of fuel cells available for use today. Most of
the fuel cell initiatives planned for Florida will use a combination
of solar (otherwise known as photovoltaic, or PV, energy) and electrolysis
of water as their source of hydrogen, a process which results in zero
emissions. Other sources of fuel for hydrogen fuel cells might include hydrocarbon feeds
(i.e. natural gas, propane or biofuels). These hydrocarbon based fuels may produce some emissions, but a low amount.
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Q. What is biomass energy? Why is it a good idea?
A. Biomass energy includes any energy derived from a type of fuel which
was once living matter, or a product derived from living matter.
Biomass energy can be harvested from plants or plant-derived industrial,
commercial, or urban wastes, or agricultural and forestry remains. Biomass
energy presents us with an energy source of numerous possibilities,
and as a result, large quantities. Biomass energy offers a readily available
alternative to relying on traditional fossil fuels. Learn more about
biomass energy.
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Q. Why isn’t Florida looking into harnessing the power of the
wind as another alternative energy source?
A. A recent study funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind
Powering America program concluded that Florida’s onshore wind
resources traditionally considered “marginal to good” could now be
“fair to excellent.” Utility scale wind power generation appears to
be economically viable at certain off shore and at direct coastal
sites within view of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. The 2006 Florida Energy Act created a grant program to provide matching funds for projects related to renewable energy technologies such as power generation from wind turbines. For more information, see the
Energy Act Grant Program.
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