Florida Energy Security Summit – May 30, 2007

Florida Energy Security Summit

Selected Talks

TECO - John Ramil

TECO - Chuck Black

Florida Public Service Commission - Bob Trapp

Seminole Electric - Rich Midulla

U.S. Envirofuels - Paul Hauck

OverView

U.S. dependence on oil, particularly foreign oil, carries significant economic and security risks.

There are also a number of other threats to the security of the infrastructure and continuity of the energy supplies, including, catastrophic events such as hurricanes, global terrorism and potential global climate change. Therefore it is important to create a resilient energy infrastructure in Florida and the nation. The federal administration is assessing the nations’ vulnerability to a range of outside threats and considering steps needed to develop a more secure energy future — but local and state efforts will also be necessary to ensure a secure and clean energy future.

 Creating a resilient energy infrastructure is the goal of the Florida Energy Summit which brought together leaders from the energy industry, research community and policy makers to prioritize crucial issues and plans of action. The summit occured on 05/30/2007 near the USF Tampa campus.

Proactively led by industry leaders, the Summit’s objective is “To establish a forum to discuss actions needed to establish Florida’s energy supply and security needs in the 21st century; prioritize R & D and policy needs for the physical security of the energy infrastructure; and continuity of clean energy supplies, including solar energy, biofuels, hydrogen, clean coal technologies, alternative transportation technologies, distributed generation technologies and nuclear power.”

The Summit included a select group of leaders from the energy industry, academia and policy makers. Participants included: TECO Energy, Progress Energy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Energy, ASME ITI, Gulfstream Pipeline, Florida Reliability Coordinating Council, Florida Municipal Power Agency, Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Gas Transmission, Orlando Utilities Commission,  Seminole Electric, Lakeland Electric, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Tampa Port Authority.

 Sessions included both national and state perspectives on the power and transportation sectors including conventional and alternative fuels. The breakout meetings considered the issues brought out in the Plenary Sessions, prioritize the top issues and develop plans of action for R&D and policy needs. The summit prioritized the proactive steps the industry will take for a sustainable energy future for Florida.

 The Summit was planned by a Steering Committee chaired by John Ramil, President of TECO. The Steering Committee consists of Chuck Black (TECO), Yogi Goswami (USFCERC), Rich Midula (Seminole Electric), Ed Mierzejewski (USF-CUTR), George Moore (USFCERC), Steve Reich (USF-CUTR) and Lee Stefanakos (USF-CERC). Actively involved in coordinating and birthing this Summit are George Moore and Yogi Goswami. Moore, who for many years worked within industry at Florida Power Corporation (now Progress Energy), is now a senior researcher at the Clean Energy Research Center (CERC). Goswami, an expert in the field of renewable energy engineering, is the past President of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) and is currently co-director of CERC.