Renewable energy projects in jeopardy
> Apr 23 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Russell Ray Tampa Tribune,
> Fla.
>
> Several renewable energy projects in Florida may be scuttled or
> delayed if lawmakers fail to pass legislation requiring utilities to
> get 20 percent of their power from renewable or clean energy sources
> by 2020.
>
> "If there is not a renewable target for the utilities to meet, it
> is less likely that they will do some of these clean energy projects,"
> said
> Susan Glickman, a lobbyist for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
> "They won't have the ability to recover the cost."
>
> On Tuesday, the Senate Policy Committee on Ways and Means
> approved a bill that would require electric utilities to generate 20
> percent of their power from clean energy by 2020 and sent it to the
> Senate floor for consideration.
>
> Under the bill, utilities would be allowed to meet the 20 percent
> goal with new generation from nuclear plants and coal-gasification
> plants that can capture and store carbon dioxide.
>
> The bill's author, Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville, said the
> proposal may die in the Senate.
>
> What's more, the House, with less than two weeks until the
> session's end, has not held a meeting on the plan.
>
> But renewable energy advocates remain confident that both
> chambers will agree to some form of renewable energy standard before
> the end of next week. The House has been wrangling with budget issues
> but is expected to take up the matter soon, Glickman said.
>
> "There have been a lot of distractions in the House," she said.
> "But
> we are hearing that they're going to move something."
>
> As the end of the session approaches, utilities are worried about
> eleventh-hour amendments that could affect customer prices
>
> "There could be risk to ratepayers from last-minute changes to
> the bill that haven't been vetted by all stakeholders," said Tampa
> Electric Co.
> spokesman Rick Morera.
>
> In March, Tampa Electric announced plans to build a 25-megawatt
> solar panel power plant near Mulberry in Polk County in anticipation
> of legislation requiring the company to use more renewable power.
>
> Morera said the utility will proceed with the project even if the
> state fails to mandate the use of renewable power.
>
> "We think the project is appropriate for us to pursue, given the
> likelihood of federal legislation," he said.
>
> A 75-megawatt solar project for Babcock Ranch, a development in
> South Florida, may be put on hold if lawmakers fail to pass a mandate
> for renewable energy, Glickman said.
>
> "They need a renewable portfolio standard to do that project,"
> she
> said.
>
> Reporter Russell Ray can be reached at (813) 259-7870.
>
> uld authorize an addition $50 billion for eligible projects under
> the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The bill is designed to lessen
> competition for a smaller pool of loan guarantees sought by other
> companies planning to build uranium enrichment operations across the
> country.
>
> "That would help everybody, all sorts of projects," Crapo told
> the Post-Register.
>
>
> Fla.
>
> Several renewable energy projects in Florida may be scuttled or
> delayed if lawmakers fail to pass legislation requiring utilities to
> get 20 percent of their power from renewable or clean energy sources
> by 2020.
>
> "If there is not a renewable target for the utilities to meet, it
> is less likely that they will do some of these clean energy projects,"
> said
> Susan Glickman, a lobbyist for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
> "They won't have the ability to recover the cost."
>
> On Tuesday, the Senate Policy Committee on Ways and Means
> approved a bill that would require electric utilities to generate 20
> percent of their power from clean energy by 2020 and sent it to the
> Senate floor for consideration.
>
> Under the bill, utilities would be allowed to meet the 20 percent
> goal with new generation from nuclear plants and coal-gasification
> plants that can capture and store carbon dioxide.
>
> The bill's author, Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville, said the
> proposal may die in the Senate.
>
> What's more, the House, with less than two weeks until the
> session's end, has not held a meeting on the plan.
>
> But renewable energy advocates remain confident that both
> chambers will agree to some form of renewable energy standard before
> the end of next week. The House has been wrangling with budget issues
> but is expected to take up the matter soon, Glickman said.
>
> "There have been a lot of distractions in the House," she said.
> "But
> we are hearing that they're going to move something."
>
> As the end of the session approaches, utilities are worried about
> eleventh-hour amendments that could affect customer prices
>
> "There could be risk to ratepayers from last-minute changes to
> the bill that haven't been vetted by all stakeholders," said Tampa
> Electric Co.
> spokesman Rick Morera.
>
> In March, Tampa Electric announced plans to build a 25-megawatt
> solar panel power plant near Mulberry in Polk County in anticipation
> of legislation requiring the company to use more renewable power.
>
> Morera said the utility will proceed with the project even if the
> state fails to mandate the use of renewable power.
>
> "We think the project is appropriate for us to pursue, given the
> likelihood of federal legislation," he said.
>
> A 75-megawatt solar project for Babcock Ranch, a development in
> South Florida, may be put on hold if lawmakers fail to pass a mandate
> for renewable energy, Glickman said.
>
> "They need a renewable portfolio standard to do that project,"
> she
> said.
>
> Reporter Russell Ray can be reached at (813) 259-7870.
>
> uld authorize an addition $50 billion for eligible projects under
> the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The bill is designed to lessen
> competition for a smaller pool of loan guarantees sought by other
> companies planning to build uranium enrichment operations across the
> country.
>
> "That would help everybody, all sorts of projects," Crapo told
> the Post-Register.
>
>