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>>A REPRESENTATIVE FROM
VOLUSIA COUNTY TALKS ABOUT
WHAT'S AT STAKE FOR
MUNICIPALITIES WHEN IT
COMES TO ENERGY CONSERVATION
>>WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THE GREEN
PRACTICES, YOU KNOW
IDENTIFY THOSE PRACTICES,
IT MAKES SENSE
>>THEN WE'LL SPEAK WITH THE
ORLANDO UTILITIES
COMMISSION ABOUT WHY
THEY'RE ENCOURAGING
PEOPLE TO USE LESS ENERGY.
>>WE'RE A PUBLIC SERVICE
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT OUR CUSTOMERS GET
WHAT THEY NEED.
>>BUT FIRST, WE'LL HEAR ABOUT
THE SOLAR ENERGY RESEARCH
BEING DONE IN BREVARD COUNTY.
>>I COMMENTED TO A
LOT OF PEOPLE. WE ALL KNOW
THE PRICE OF A GALLON OF
GASOLINE, BUT WE ARE
CLUELESS TO HOW MUCH WE
PAY FOR ELECTRICITY.
>>THREE CENTRAL FLORIDIANS
TALK ABOUT ENERGY AND WAYS
IN WHICH IT CAN BE CONSERVED.
NEXT ON METRO CENTER OUTLOOK.
[[MUSIC]]
HELLO I'M DIANE TREES.
ALTHOUGH FLORIDA HAS ONE
OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF
HOME ELECTRICITY
CONSUMPTION IN THE
COUNTRY, IT'S ALSO HOME
TO SUNSHINE, A LEADING
SOURCE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY.
TODAY, WE'LL TAKE
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE
ALTERNATE ENERGIES BEING
USED IN CENTRAL FLORIDA
AND THE ROLE OF
CONSERVATION IN OUR REGION.
DR. JIM FENTON IS
THE DIRECTOR OF THE
FLORIDA SOLAR ENERGY CENTER,
A INSTITUTE IN BREVARD COUNTY
THAT RESEARCHES AND
DEVELOPS ENERGY
TECHNOLOGIES.
JIM WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
>>IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
>>WHAT KINDS OF RESEARCH
ARE YOU DOING AT F-SEC?
>>WELL CLEARLY THE
FLORIDA SOLAR ENERGY CENTER,
WE'RE WORKING ON SOLAR,
BUT MOST PEOPLE
AREN'T AWARE OF THE FACT
THAT WE DO A LOT IN ENERGY
EFFICIENT BUILDINGS.
AND SO I HAVE FORTY
PROFESSIONALS THAT WORK ON
RETRO FITTING HOMES AND MAKING
THEM MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
IS THE CHEAPEST
ENERGY YOU CAN GET,
BEST NOT TO USE IT AT ALL.
AND THEN CLEARLY WE DO A LOT
OF WORK IN SOLAR THERMAL
HOT WATER FOR THE HOME.
THE FOLDABLE TAEK, THE
SOLAR TO ELECTRIC THAT CAN
OFFSET SOME OF YOUR
ELECTRIC BILLS AND WE'RE
EVEN GETTING TO THE POINT
NOW IN FLORIDA WHERE YOU
CAN BUY NEW HOMES THAT ARE
NET ZERO ENERGY HOMES.
SUPER ENERGY EFFICIENT,
GOT THE ENERGY STAR
APPLIANCES, LOTS OF
INSULATION, LOW FLOW
SHOWER NOZZLES AND WHATNOT.
AND THEN ALSO THEN A
SOLAR HOT WATER HEATER ON
THE ROOF AND THE FOLDABLE TAEKS.
AND OVER THE COURSE
OF THE DAY,
YOU'RE ACTUALLY NET
USING ZERO ENERGY.
BUT WE ALSO WORK ON ALTERNATIVE
FUELS, BIOMASS TO GASOHOL
AND THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
AND THEN WE HAVE FIVE
FOLKS ARE TIED INTO K THROUGH 12
ENERGY EDUCATION,
ACTUALLY GETTING THIS
INTO THE CURRICULUM
AND THE CLASSROOMS
IN FLORIDA.
>>ONE OF THE PRODUCTS COME
OUT OF THIS RESEARCH WAS
THE GOSSAMER WIND FAN. HOW
DOES THAT HELP CONSUMERS?
>>YEAH WELL YOU CAN GO BUY
THE GOSSAMER WINDWARD FAN
AT HOME DEPOT. WE'VE
SOLD OVER 2 MILLION OF
THOSE NOW IN FLORIDA.
AND EACH CEILING FAN ACTUALLY
SAVES YOU ABOUT TEN
DOLLARS A YEAR ON YOUR
ELECTRIC BILL.
DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MUCH BUT WHEN
YOU'VE SOLD OVER 2
MILLION, IT'S ON THE
ORDER OF 20 TO 40 MILLION
DOLLARS A YEAR IN ENERGY
SAVINGS. THE INTERESTING
STORY BEHIND THAT FAN IS
THAT THE BLADE DESIGN WAS
BORROWED AFTER THE HUMAN
POWERED AIRCRAFTS THAT
WERE DEVELOPED TO ACTUALLY
GO ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL.
AND SO THEY VERY
EFFICIENTLY REMOVED AIR
MORESO THAN THE
TRADITIONAL FLAT PANELS
THAT WE'RE ALL LOOKING
AT ON THE CEILING FANS.
AND SO IT ACTUALLY SAVES A
LOT OF THE MONEY ON THE ENERGY.
>>WHAT ARE SOME
COMMON USES FOR SOLAR ENERGY?
>>WELL AS WE'RE AWARE,
MOST OF US IN
FLORIDA ENJOY THE HEAT
THAT'S GENERATED BY THAT
SUN AND SO YOU CAN HEAT
WATER. THAT'S A BIG
ADVANTAGE. 15 PERCENT OF
YOUR ENERGY IS TYPICALLY
USED IN YOUR HOME TO MAKE
HOT WATER. SO IF YOU CAN
USE THE FREE SUN YOU CAN
GO AHEAD AND GET THAT DONE
WISELY. AND WE'RE
STARTING TO SEE THE PRICES
FOR THE FOLDABLE TAEK OR
THE SOLAR ELECTRIC PANELS
TO SUBSTANTIALLY DROP.
WE'RE GETTING TO THE
POINT NOW WHERE YOU CAN GO
AHEAD AND PUT P-V PANELS
ON YOUR ROOF AND PAY
COMPARABLE PRICES TO WHAT
YOU'RE GETTING OUT OF THE WALL.
>>NOW WHEN YOU
SAY P-V WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
>>SO THAT'S A FOLDABLE
TAEK. SO THAT'S
WHERE WE TAKE THE ENERGY
NOT IN THE FORM OF HEAT
FROM THE SUN, PHOTONS, AND
DIRECTLY TURN THOSE INTO
ELECTRONS, WHICH IS THE
THINGS THAT CARRY THE
CURRENT THROUGH YOUR
ELECTRIC LINES.
>>IF YOU LOOK ACROSS CENTRAL
FLORIDA, WHO DO YOU THINK'S
DOING A GOOD JOB UTILIZING
SOLAR ENERGY RIGHT NOW?
>>WELL YOU'LL FIND
THAT A LOT OF THE
BUSINESSES THAT HAVE LARGE
ROOFTOPS LIKE YOUR
WALMARTS AND SOME THINGS
LIKE THIS, THEY'RE VERY
ENERGY CONSCIOUS SO THEY
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
THEY'RE PAYING FOR ALL
THEIR BILLS. AND THERE'S
A LOT OF CASES WHERE THEY
CAN GO OUT AND PURCHASE
AND PUT FOLDABLE TAEKS,
THE SOLAR TO ELECTRIC, ON
THEIR ROOFTOPS AND WHAT IT
DOES IS FIXES THEIR ENERGY
COSTS FOR THE NEXT THIRTY
YEARS. SO AS A RESULT,
THEY'RE SORT OF HEDGING
THAT AGAINST THESE RISING,
FLUCTUATING COSTS. SO
THESE LARGE BUSINESSES ARE
STARTING TO SEE THIS MORE.
SO YOU CAN FIND A STORES
WITH FOLDABLE TAEKS ON
THEM IN FLORIDA AND
AROUND, DARDEN RESTAURANTS
HAS DONE THIS, AS WELL AS
OF COURSE THE UTILITIES
THEMSELVES ARE STARTING TO
PUT IN MORE SOLAR
PROJECTS. AND THERE ARE A
REASONABLE NUMBER OF FOLKS
THAT ARE PUTTING IT ON
THEIR ROOFS.
>>RESIDENTIAL AREAS YOU MEAN?
>>RESIDENTIAL TYPES OF
FOLDABLE TAEKS. NOW YOU
GOTTA KEEP IN MIND,
TRADITIONALLY, YOU BUY
POWER OUT OF THE WALL.
SO WHEN YOU BUY A POWER
PLANT AND PUT IT ON YOUR
ROOF, YOU'RE PAYING THE
UP FRONT COST FOR THAT.
SO A LOT OF THIS COMES INTO
THE WAY YOU CAN FINANCE
THINGS. SO THE FOLKS THAT
ARE BUYING THE ZERO ENERGY
HOMES WHICH MIGHT HAVE THE
FOLDABLE TAEKS ALREADY ON
THEIR ROOF, THIS IS ALL
LUMPED INTO THEIR
MORTGAGE. SO YOU'RE
PAYING IT OVER A THIRTY
YEAR PERIOD OF TIME AND IT
CAN BE VERY COST EFFECTIVE
TO DO THAT. RETRO FITTING
YOUR HOME, TEARING OUT
SOMETHING, FIXING IT,
IT'S A LITTLE MORE LABOR
INTENSIVE AND WHAT NOT BUT
THERE ARE STILL FOLKS THAT
ARE DOING THAT AS WELL.
>>THAT'S ONE OF THE
COMPLAINTS THAT I HEAR.
PEOPLE SAYING THAT IT'S
SO COSTLY TO GO GREEN.
BUT THE RETURN ON THE
INVESTMENT, DOES THAT SORT
OF MAKE THE OUTLAY AND INTIAL
EXPENSE A LITTLE BIT EASIER?
>>YEAH IT'S INTERESTING
HOW YOU LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S TRUE, MOST
OF THESE THINGS, MORE
INSULATION, THEY REQUIRE
UP FRONT COSTS, AND YOU
PAY THESE BACK BY YOUR
ENERGY SAVINGS WHICH CAN
OCCUR OVER YEARS. IF YOU
HAVE A CREATIVE WAY OF
FINANCING SUCH AS THROUGH
A THIRTY YEAR MORTGAGE AND
A HOME, SO IF YOU
REFINANCE YOUR HOME, IT
MIGHT PAY FOR YOU TO
BORROW A LITTLE MORE MONEY
AND DO ALL THE UPKEEPS.
AND THEN THE PAYBACKS ARE
VERY QUICK. A LOT OF THESE
KIND OF PAY BACKS PEOPLE
WILL HEAR WELL IT'S FIVE
YEARS OR IT'S SIX YEARS,
IT TAKES TOO LONG. SO
THOSE CAN BE STUMBLING
BLOCKS TO GET IT DONE. A
CREATIVE WAY THAT WE'VE
BEEN WORKING WITH, IS
THAT, IN FLORIDA WHEN
YOU'RE AIR CONDITIONING
DOESN'T WORK, YOU
IMMEDIATELY GO GET A NEW
ONE. SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS
YOUR AIR CONDITIONER
CONTRACTOR COMING IN. YOU
CAN GET REBATES TO GET
MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT
ONES, BUT THAT''S ALSO
A TIME WHEN SOMETIMES
WE'RE GETTING MORE
PEOPLE TO PUT MORE
INSULATION IN BECAUSE YOU
DEMAND THAT THE AIR
CONDITIONER GET FIXED
RIGHT AWAY. SO THERE'S
CREATIVE WAYS WE CAN GET
OVER THESE UPFRONT COSTS
>>AND MULTIPLE WAYS TO
LOOK AT THIS FOR
CONSERVING ENERGY AS WELL.
DOES FLORIDA'S CLIMATE
WORK FOR OR AGAINST US IN
TERMS OF THE ALTERNATIVE
ENERGY SOURCES?
>>WELL YOU KNOW FLORIDA'S THE
SUNSHINE STATE
>>YES
>>SO YOU MIGHT EXPECT WE HAVE A
LOT OF SUN AND THAT'S
TRUE THAT WE DO. IT'S
INTERESTING IS THAT THE
SUN OF COURSE WOULD
PROVIDE THEN THE ENERGY
FOR FOLDABLE TAEKS AND
ELECTRICITY ON OUR HOMES
USING THE SOLAR ENERGY.
UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT
JUST THE SUN THAT YOU HAVE
THAT. THERE'S AN EXAMPLE
IN NEW JERSEY, WHICH
DOESN'T GET ANYWHERE
NEAR THE SUN WE DO, PEOPLE
ARE PUTTING SOLAR ELECTRIC
ON THEIR ROOFS NOW.
IT'S CHEAPER THAN PAYING FOR IT
OUT OF THE WALL. A LOT OF
OUR PROBLEM ISN'T THE
WEATHER PER SE, IT'S
THAT OUR CURRENT
ELECTRICITY IS RELATIVELY
CHEAP. THE UTILITIES HAVE
DONE A DARN GOOD JOB OF
THAT. AND SO AS A RESULT
WE HAVENT QUITE GOT TO
THIS POINT WHERE PEOPLE
ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
THAT. BUT THAT WILL CHANGE
SOON. AND WE DO HAVE
PLENTY OF SUN. ONE OF THE
OTHER THINGS PEOPLE
AREN'T AWARE OF, WE ALSO
HAVE A LOT OF HUMIDITY.
AND WE'RE ALSO THE
LIGHTNING STRIKE CAPITAL
OF THE WORLD. SO AS A
RESULT, THERE'S EXTRA
ISSUES TIED INTO THIS,
JUST AS THERE ARE FOR
HURRICANE AND WIND
PROTECTION. BUT WE'VE
OVERCOME ALL THESE THINGS
TECHNICALLY. A LOT OF THE
CASES, IT'S JUST THE
FINANCING AND MAKING IT
EASY TO FOR THE CONSUMER
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE
PRODUCTS, WHETHER THEY BE
ENERGY EFFICIENCY PRODUCTS
OR THE RENEWABLE ENERGY
PRODUCTS. >>JIM, WITH
F-SEC WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
WAYS YOU TEACH AND EDUCATE
PEOPLE TO GO GREEN?
>>WELL A LOT OF IT IS JUST
EDUCATION ON WHAT YOUR
EXPENSES AND WHAT YOU'RE
PAYING FOR TODAY. MOST OF
US AREN'T VERY
KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT OUR
OWN ENERGY BILLS. I
COMMENTED TO A LOT OF
PEOPLE, WE ALL KNOW THE
PRICE OF A GALLON OF
GASOLINE BUT WE ARE
CLUELESS AS TO HOW MUCH WE
PAY FOR ELECTRICITY. OR A
LOT OF THE CASES WE
DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH
WE PAY PER MONTH FOR
ELECTRICITY. SO TO GIVE
YOU A DIFFERENT WAY OF
LOOKING AT IT, IF YOU WERE
TO PUT FOLDABLE TAEKS ON
YOUR ROOF TODAY, THE COST
OF THAT ELECTRICITY IS 13
CENTS KILOWATT HOUR. THAT
MEANS SOMETHING TO SOME
PEOPLE. YOU'RE TYPICALLY
PAYING 12 CENTS NOW BY THE WAY.
BUT IF I WERE TO USE
THAT FOLDABLE TAEKS TO
POWER YOUR ELECTRIC CAR,
IT'S EQUIVALENT COST IS
$1.08 A GALLON. AND IF YOU
RECALL, YOU HAVEN'T PAID
$1.08 A GALLON IN A LONG
TIME. AND IF I WAS TO PUT
P-V ON YOUR ROOF, IT WOULD
BE $1.08 A GALLON FOR THE
NEXT THIRTY YEARS. SO
IT'S A DIFFERENT WAY OF
LOOKING AT THINGS. SO
IT'S A PARADIGM SHIFT IN
THAT MAYBE THE FUTURE WILL
BE ELECTRIC CARS. MAYBE
YOU WILL HAVE THIS P-V
FOLDABLE TAEKS ON YOUR
ROOF, MAKING YOUR OWN
ELECTRICITY. AND YOU HAVE
NOT ONLY A NET ZERO ENERGY
HOME, BUT YOU ACTUALLY
AREN'T PAYING ANY MONEY
FOR YOUR ENERGY TO POWER
YOUR CARS TOO. SO WE'LL
SEE. IT'S AN EXCITING
TIME AHEAD. I THINK
FLORIDA, WITH THE NICE
WEATHER, WITH THE 18
MILLION PEOPLE THAT WE
HAVE, AND UNFORTUNATELY
STARTING IN LAST PLACE IN
A LOT OF THESE AREAS, WE
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE
LEADERS AND I'M UPBEAT
THAT WE'LL DO THAT.
>>VERY GOOD. THANK YOU JIM
SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>>YEP, PLEASURE
>>WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL LEARN
WHY ONE CENTRAL FLORIDA
COUNTY IS ENCOURAGING
IT'S RESIDENTS TO JOIN
THE GREEN MOVEMENT.
>>KATRINA LOCKE LEADS THE
VOLUSIA COUNTY INITIATIVE,
GREEN VOLUSIA, WHICH IS
EXPANDING ENERGY SAVING
PRACTICES INTO COUNTY
OPERATIONS. KATRINA
WELCOME TO THE SHOW
>>HELLO
>>TALK ABOUT GREEN VOLUSIA,
WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT?
>>GREEN VOLUSIA IS
A PROGRAM THAT IS DESIGNED
TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTALLY
RESPONSIBLE PRACTICES THEY
CAN DO AT HOME. SO GREEN
PRACTICES FOR THE HOME.
AND IT WAS ALSO TO EXPAND
THE COUNTIES GREEN
PRACTICES TOO. SO EXPAND
THE GREEN INITIATIVES
WITHIN OUR OWN OPERATIONS.
>>HOW DID IT GET STARTED?
>>IT STARTED ACTUALLY IN 2008
>>SO NOT THAT LONG AGO?
>>NO NOT TOO LONG AGO.
AND IT WAS THE COUNTY
COUNCIL ADOPTED THE
PROGRAM IN 2008 AND THEY
GAVE US THREE AREAS TO
FOCUS ON. AND ONE OF THOSE
WAS TO LOOK AT A GREEN
BUILDING ORDINANCE AND
ANOTHER ONE WAS TO LOOK AT
OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT AND
TO MEASURE AND RE JUICE
OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
WITHIN THE COUNTY
OPERATIONS, WHICH WE HAVE
MOVED TOWARD DOING.
WE'VE CREATED A BASELINE
FOR THOSE CARBON EMISSIONS
AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT
PRACTICES AND HAVE ADOPTED
SOME THINGS ALREADY THAT
HAVE RE JUICED THOSE
EMISSIONS. AND THEN
WE'RE ALSO, ONE OF THE
OTHER THINGS THEY ASKED US
TO DO WAS TO LOOK AT
CERTIFYING AS A FLORIDA
GREEN BUILDING COALITIONS
GREEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND WE SUCCEEDED IN DOING
THAT IN 2010.
>>HOW DOES THE COUNTY
GO ABOUT ENCOURAGING
CONSERVATION OF ENERGY?
>>WELL WE LOOK AT
IT IN SORT OF TWO WAYS.
ONE IS THAT WITHIN AN HOUR
OF OPERATIONS, OUR CENTRAL
SERVICE DIVISION, WHICH IS
OUR FACILITIES, HAVE DONE
SOME GREAT PROJECTS IN
WHICH THEY'VE DONE SOME
RETROFITS IN SOME OF OUR
BUILDINGS THAT HAVE LED TO
ENERGY REDUCTIONS. AND
THEN ALSO WE LIKE TO
EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT
THINGS THEY CAN DO AT HOME
TO CONSERVE ENERGY AND RE
JUICE THEIR NATURAL
RESOURCES USE.
>>NOW YOU TALKED ABOUT, IT WAS
THE FLORIDA GREEN LOCAL
GOVERNMENT, AND THAT WAS
THE AWARD AND IT WAS GIVEN
BY THE FLORIDA GREEN
BUILDING COALITION AND I
KNOW THAT THERE WERE
SEVERAL CITIES IN VOLUSIA
THAT ALSO EARNED THAT
DISTINCTION. WHY DO YOU
THINK THERE IS SO MUCH
SUPPORT FOR GREEN IN VOLUSIA?
>>I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS
YOU CAN DO, IS
THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
GREEN PRACTICES, IDENTIFY
THOSE PRACTICES IT MAKES
SENSE ECONOMICALLY TO THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND WAYS
IN WHICH THEY CAN
CONSERVE AND THEREFORE
POTENTIALLY MONEY AS WELL.
SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE,
THAT MAKES SENSE.
>>WHAT ABOUT THE RESIDENTS IN
VOLUSIA? WHAT DO YOU HEAR
FROM THEM?
>>WELL WE DO WITH THE GREEN
VOLUSIA PROGRAM WE DO VISIT
OUTREACH EVENTS AND WE ALSO HAVE
A GREEN VOLUSIA WEBSITE AND
THE WEBSITE HAS
INFORMATION ON IT FOR THE
CITIZENS AND THE RESIDENTS.
SO FROM OUR OUTREACH EVENTS,
WE SUDDENLY GET SOME
POSITIVE FEEDBACK WHEN
WE'RE
TALKING TO THEM ABOUT
THINGS THAT CAN DO AT
HOME, NOT JUST FROM AN
ENERGY PERSPECTIVE BUT
ALSO FROM OTHER SAVINGS OF
NATURAL RESOURCES THROUGH
WATER REDUCTION AND HOMES.
SO WE DO GET A GOOD
RESPONSE AND THEN WE WERE
ALSO WHILE BACK, WE WERE
ABLE TO DO A COUPLE SMALL
FOCUS GROUPS WHERE WE WERE
ABLE TO REACH OUT TO
CITIZENS AND ASK THEM
ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN
PROMOTE THE GREEN VOLUSIA
PROGRAM AND WAYS TO MAKE
IT MORE RELEVANT TO THEM.
>>HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT
CHANGING PEOPLE'S ATTITUDES
AND MAKING THEM AWARE?
IS IT THROUGH THE PROGRAMS
THAT YOU DO? IS IT EDUCATIONAL?
IS IT FUN?
>>THROUGH THE EDUCATION.
BASICALLY RIGHT NOW
THROUGH THE EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH SO MORE THROUGH
THE OUTREACH AND
INFORMATION WE PROVIDE ON
THE WEBSITE AND ALSO
ATTENDING THOSE EVENTS IN
THE COMMUNITY.
>>WHAT ARE SOME WAYS
FOR RESIDENTS TO GET INVOLVED
WITH GREENING THE COUNTY?
>>OK SO THEY
CAN LOOK AT THEIR OWN
PRACTICES AT HOME AND SEE
IF THOSE WAYS IN WHICH
THEY CAN MAKE DIFFERENCES
WHETHER IT'S AT HOME OR
IN THEIR BUSINESSES. AND
THEN ALSO, ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT IN VOLUSIA
COUNTY HAVE A NUMBER OF
WAYS THAT CITIZENS AND
RESIDENTS CAN GET
INVOLVED. AND WHETHER
IT'S THROUGH
VOLUNTEERING AT A CLEAN UP
EVENT. WE HAVE AN EVENT ON
THE ST JOHNS RIVER AND
ANOTHER ONE WHICH IS A
COASTAL CLEAN UP EVENT. SO
THEY CAN GET INVOLVED IN
THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. BUT
THEY CAN ALSO GET INVOLVED
BY EDUCATING THEMSELVES
ABOUT ECOSYSTEMS IN THE
COUNTY AND NATURAL LANDS
AND THERE'S PROGRAMS
AVAILABLE FOR THEM THERE TOO.
>>WHAT ABOUT THE
SCHOOLS? ARE YOU INVOLVED
WITH ANYTHING IN OUTREACH
TO YOUNGER PEOPLE?
>>NOT AS MUCH AT THE MOMENT,
ALTHOUGH IT'S SOMETHING
WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND
UPON AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
>>IT TAKES A LOT OF
CONTINUOUS EFFORT. I WOULD
IMAGINE TOO THAT SOME
PEOPLE WHEN THEY START
LOOKING AT YOUR PROGRAMS
DO YOU FIND THAT THEY GET
MORE INVOLVED?
ARE YOU SEEING PEOPLE COME BACK
AND SORT OF EXPAND ON
THEIR KNOWLEDGE BASE?
>>MAINLY RIGHT NOW, A LOT
OF WHAT WE DO IS THE
OUTREACH EVENTS. SO WE MAY
SEE SOMEBODY EVEN ONE OR
TWO TIMES. SO WE MIGHT NOT
INTERACT WITH THEM AGAIN.
BUT THAT WOULD BE
SOMETHING WE WOULD
DEFINITELY LOOK TO IN THE
FUTURE. JUST SEEING HOW
THE INFORMATION WE PROVIDE
IS CHANGING PEOPLE IF
IT'S HAVING AN IMPACT ON
THEIR BEHAVIOR OR IF
WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE
THEM WITH GOOD
INFORMATION.
>>RIGHT. KATRINA WHAT'S NEXT FOR
GREEN VOLUSIA?
>>WELL WE HAVE A FEW THINGS IN
THE WORKS RIGHT NOW. ONE OF
THEM IS SOMETHING THAT WE
DID A WHILE BACK IS A
SUSTAINABILITY, A GREEN
BACKPACK THAT WE HAD IN
THE LIBRARIES AND WE'RE
JUST UPDATING THOSE
>>THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES?
>>IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN
VOLUSIA COUNTY YES THANKS.
SO WE'RE UPDATING THOSE
WITH SOME NEW INFORMATION
AND THEY'LL GO INTO
CIRCULATION LATER ON,
HOPEFULLY IN THE SPRING.
AND THEN FOLKS CAN THEN
CHECK THOSE OUT AND THEY
GET TO KEEP THEM FOR THREE
WEEKS. THERE'S
INFORMATION IN THOSE
BACKPACKS TO HELP THEM
INCREASE THEIR GREEN
PRACTICES AT HOME. AND
THEN FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF
OUTREACH, TO LOOK AT WAYS
IN WHICH WE CAN INCREASE
OUR OUTREACH AND HOW WE
GET OUR INFORMATION OUT TO
THE PUBLIC AND THEN TO
LOOK FOR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS AS WELL.
>>KATRINA THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION
>>YOU'RE WELCOME
>>AFTER THE BREAK WE'LL TALK
WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM
THE ORLANDO UTILITIES
COMMISSION ABOUT SIMPLE
WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY AT
HOME AND AT WORK.
TIM TRUDELL WORKS WITH THE
ORLANDO UTILITIES
COMMISSION TO SPREAD THEIR
GOAL OF USING ENERGY MORE
EFFICIENTLY.
TIM WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
>>THANK YOU VERY MUCH
>>WHAT'S THE BIGGEST
ENERGY DRAINER IN
THE AVERAGE HOME?
>>WELL TYPICALLY IN FLORIDA,
ALTHOUGH RIGHT NOW WE'RE
IN A BIT OF A COLD SNAP,
BUT WE'VE SEEN A
TRADITIONALLY WHERE YOUR
AIR CONDITIONING OBVIOUSLY
IS THE BIGGEST CONSUMER OF
ELECTRICITY, ABOUT 50% OR
SO. WE RECOMMEND TO OUR
CUSTOMERS YOU TRY TO KEEP
THAT AT 78 DEGREES MAXED
OUT WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME
AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE
GONE ABOUT 85 DEGREES.
PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTATS
HAVE MADE THAT A LITTLE
BIT EASIER TO MANAGE. BUT
ABSOLUTELY YOUR AIR
CONDITIONING UNIT IS
NUMBER ONE.
>>SO THE EASIEST WAY TO FIX THAT
YOU'RE SAYING IS TO
ALTER YOUR TEMPERATURE.
NOT NECESSARILY MORE
INSULATION OR ANYTHING BUT
ALTER YOUR TEMPERATURE
>>WELL INSULATION'S
ANOTHER FACTOR BUT
ABSOLUTELY IF YOU CAN USE
A CEILING FAN WHEN
YOU'RE IN THE ROOM
BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE NOT
IN THE ROOM IT DOESN'T
MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE
WHATSOEVER. YOU'RE JUST
WASTING POWER THAT WAY.
BUT IF YOU COULD REALLY
START THINKING OF THAT
THERMOSTAT IN TERMS OF
DOLLARS BECAUSE WHAT WE
SEE IS, SAY YOU GO 78
DEGREES, IF YOU GO 77, 76,
EACH TIME YOU DO THAT,
EACH DEGREE IS ABOUT A SIX
TO EIGHT PERCENT ADDITION
TO YOUR BILL. SO START
THINKING ABOUT THAT IN
TERMS OF DOLLARS. AND BY
JUST CHANGING THAT BUTTON
A LITTLE BIT YOU'RE
GONNA BE SAVING MONEY EACH MONTH
>>WHAT ARE SOME
OTHER SIMPLE MONEY SAVING
TECHNIQUES THAT PEOPLE CAN
DO AROUND THE HOUSE TO
SAVE SOME ENERGY?
>>FIRST THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT
NOW IS JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT
YOU'RE DOING INSIDE YOUR
HOME. JUST REALLY THINK
ABOUT IT. THINK ABOUT THE
T-V THAT ARE ON WHEN MAYBE
YOU'RE NOT IN THE ROOM.
THINK ABOUT WASHING
CLOTHES. THERE'S A HUGE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN USING
COLD WATER AND HOT WATER.
IT'S ABOUT 14 TIMES MORE
EXPENSIVE TO USE HOT WATER
VERSUS COLD WATER
>>BECAUSE YOUR ELECTRICITY
HEATS THE HOT WATER
>>THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
AND YOUR HOT WATER HEATER
IS A HUGE CONSUMER OF
ELECTRICITY AS WELL.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF
REBATES AND INCENTIVES
THAT DIFFERENT UTILITY
COMPANIES HAVE OUT THERE.
IT'S GOOD TO CONTACT
YOUR PROVIDER AND SEE WHAT
YOU MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR
BECAUSE THERE IS A REAL
COST SAVINGS IN BECOMING
MORE EFFICIENT INSIDE YOUR HOME
>>YOU TALK ABOUT
ENERGY SAVINGS. MOST
COMPANIES DON'T
ENCOURAGE THEIR CONSUMERS
TO USE LESS OF A PRODUCT. WHY
DOES O-U-C TAKE THAT APPROACH?
>>YEAH WE'RE
PRETTY UNIQUE IN THAT? YOU
DON'T HEAR THAT A LOT.
PEOPLE ARE SAYING WELL WHY
DON'T YOU USE LESS AND
WE'LL MAKE LESS.
WELL I THINK THE BIGGEST THING
IS WE'RE CONSCIENCE ABOUT
OUR CONSUMER BASE. WE'RE
A PUBLIC SERVICE AND WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
CUSTOMERS GET WHAT THEY
NEED NOT JUST WITH A
RELIABLE SERVICE BUT ALSO
ONE WHERE WE TRULY CARE
ABOUT OUR CUSTOMERS. IF
THEY START GETTING THESE
HUGE BILLS, WE'RE GONNA
HEAR FROM THEM AND WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE AND PROTECT
THEM. SO ONE OF THE WAYS
THAT WE DO THAT IS OFFER
AN INNOVATIVE AND UNIQUE
SET OF PROGRAMS THAT
REALLY MAKE THEIR LIVES A
LITTLE EASIER IF THEY TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THEM
>>I SAW YOUR WEBSITE HAS AN
EXTENSIVE LIST OF
DIFFERENT WAYS AND AVENUES
TO TAKE FOR CONSERVATION
LIKE THAT. YOU HAVE A GOLD
LEED CERTIFIED BUILDING
DOWNTOWN. IS THAT AN EASY
THING TO DO? CAN OTHER
BUSINESSES FOLLOW THAT EXAMPLE?
>>WELL IT'S NOT
AN EASY THING TO DO AND IT
WASN'T EASY FOR US BUT
WE WANTED TO KIND OF SET
THE TONE. AND BY HAVING
THAT HEADQUARTERS BUILDING
KIND OF AT THE
INTERSECTION OF THE 408
I-4, IT REALLY BECOMES A
HEY THEY'RE DOING IT
MAYBE WE CAN DO THAT TOO.
AND IF WE CAN GET SOME OF
OUR CUSTOMERS TO EMULATE
THAT NOT JUST IN THEIR
BUSINESSES BUT ALSO IN
THEIR OWN HOMES.
I MEAN WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE A
BUNCH OF LEED CERTIFIED
HOMES ALL OVER THE PLACE,
BUT WE ARE STARTING TO SEE
NEW HOMES BEING BUILT THAT
ARE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT
AND THAT'S GONNA MAKE A
BIG DIFFERENCE MOVING INTO
THE FUTURE >>HOW DID SOLAR
ENERGY COME INTO THE MIX
FOR O-U-C?
>>IT'S BEEN, WE'VE GOT A REALLY
GOOD SOLAR TEAM THAT'S BEEN
WORKING FOR SOME TIME AT
OUR STANTON ENERGY CENTER
IN EAST ORANGE COUNTY ONTO
408. WE HAVE A HUGE SOLAR
FARM, YOU CAN SEE IT FROM
INNOVATION WAY. YOU CAN
SEE IT WHEN YOU'RE
FLYING INTO ORLANDO TOO.
YOU MIGHT SEE THE POWER
PLANT, YOU'LL SEE THE
25, 172 SOLAR PANELS
THERE, IT'S HUGE.
WE'RE ALSO OFFERING A
COMMUNITY SOLAR FARM WHICH
WE'VE SOLD OUT IN SIX
DAYS, WHICH IS OVER OFF
I-4 WHERE WE GAVE A CHANCE
FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO BUY A
SOLAR POWER, WHICH WAS
REALLY COOL. SO WE'RE
SEEING A LOT OF INTEREST,
ESPECIALLY, AND I THINK WE
MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT
ONE OF THE DYNAMICS OF
ORLANDO IS MOST OF, A
LARGE CHUNK OF OUR
CUSTOMERS, ABOUT 50% OR SO
ARE IN MULTIFAMILY
HOUSING. SO THEY MIGHT
WANT SOLAR ON THEIR ROOFS
BUT THEY DON'T OWN THE
HOMES SO WHAT DO THEY DO.
WELL WE'RE GIVING THEM
AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE WITH
THE COMMUNITY SOLAR FARM,
WHERE THEY CAN PURCHASE A
PIECE OF SOLAR POWER
WITHOUT HAVING THE COST
ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
>>ARE YOU OR DO YOU THINK
IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE
WITH PEOPLE, THE
AWARENESS? ARE YOU SEEING
A DIFFERNCE IN
CONSERVATION EFFORTS?
>>YEAH WE ARE. OUR
CUSTOMERS ARE MORE
EFFICIENT. FOR A VARIETY
OF REASONS. I MEAN
CERTAINLY THERE'S
ECONOMIC REASONS WHERE
PEOPLE ARE SAYING I WANT
TO MAKE DECISIONS SOLELY
BASED ON MONEY. AND
YOU'RE ALSO SEEING
ENVIRONMENTAL THINGS WHERE
PEOPLE ARE SAYING I WANNA
MAKE DECISIONS AND I WANNA
DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR A
CERTAINLY A FINITE
RESOURCE. SO WE'RE
SEEING BOTH OF THAT. BOTH
OF THOSE THINGS ARE
IMPORTANT AND THEY'RE
BOTH CORRECT, WE WANT OUR
CUSTOMERS TO REALIZE THAT
THEY'RE, THAT THESE
RESOURCES ARE THERE BUT WE
WANT TO TRY AND PROTECT
THEM AND I THINK AS WITH
THE LEED BUILDING AND SOME
OF THE OTHER EXAMPLES
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
WE'VE GOT SOLAR PANELS
BY THE WAY ON THE
CONVENTION CENTER AS WELL.
LANDFILL GAS IS ANOTHER
PROJECT THAT WE DO, WHICH
ORANGE COUNTY HAS THE
COUNTY HAS THE LANDFILL
RIGHT THERE BY STANTON
ENERGY CENTER
>>RIGHT SO THE LANDFILL GAS IS
ANOTHER GREEN INITIATIVE
THAT YOU'RE UNDERTAKING AS WELL
>>YEAH I MEAN WHAT
WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITH
THAT GAS IS THAT THEY
WOULD JUST BURN THAT OFF
AND THAT'S IT BUT WHAT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS
CREATE ABOUT 22 MEGAWATTS
OF ENERGY INTO OUR STANTON
ENERGY CENTER WHICH WE CO
FIRE WITH OUR COAL PLANTS
TO REDUCE SOME OF THE
BURDEN THEY'RE IN. YOU
KNOW IT'S JUST ANOTHER
GREAT EXAMPLE WE'VE
WORKED WITH THE COUNTY
VERY HARD ON THAT PROJECT
SO YEAH WE'VE SEEN A LOT
OF REALLY NEAT INITIATIVES
AND WE'VE GOT A GREAT
TEAM THAT'S WORKED BEHIND THE
SCENES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
>>TIM HOME BUILDERS,
CONTRACTORS, NEW
BUSINESSES, SHOULD THEY BE
LOOKING AT THE COST
BENEFITS OF GOING GREEN BEFORE
THEY GET INTO DEVELOPMENT?
>>CERTAINLY.
I THINK THERE'S
CERTAINLY AN APPETITE FOR
THAT. WE'RE SEEING MORE
AND MORE OF THAT. PEOPLE
ARE LOOKING AT HOMES AND
BUSINESSES AND LOOKING TO
SEE WHAT THE ENERGY COSTS
ARE, WHICH IS FANTASTIC
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE DOING
THEIR HOMEWORK. ONE OTHER
THING I WANTED TO ADD IS
WE HAVE ALSO A LOT OF
HOMES AND BUSINESSES IN
OUR AREA, PRE 1980 HOMES
THAT AREN'T THAT
EFFICIENT, BUSINESSES THAT
AREN'T AND WE'RE
STARTING TO SEE MORE AND
MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN
MAKING IMPROVEMENTS. ONE
THING THAT O-U-C HAS,
WHICH IS KIND OF
INTERESTING, IS THAT WE
HAVE WE HAVE A PREFERRED
CONTRACTOR NETWORK. SO
BEFORE YOU MAKE THOSE
UPGRADES TO MAKE YOUR
OLDER HOME LIKE NEW, YOU
CAN TAKE THE GUESS WORK
OUT OF MAKING A DECISION.
WE'VE VETTED THEM AND WE
HAVE VARIOUS CATEGORIES
WHERE PEOPLE CAN FIND WHO
DOES INSULATION THE BEST?
OR WHO'S CERTIFIED TO DO
THAT? AND WE MAKE THAT
EASY FOR THEM.
>>YOUR WEBSITE HAS A PLETHORA OF
FREE SERVICES FOR PEOPLE.
ANYONE IN PARTICULAR THAT
YOU WOULD ADVISE PEOPLE TO
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF?
>>YEAH WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF
OUR WEBSITE. AND IT'S
NOT JUST FOR O-U-C
CUSTOMERS, ANY CUSTOMER,
ANYBODY OUT THERE IN THE
GENERAL PUBLIC THAT'S
WATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW
CAN LOG ON RIGHT NOW AND
DO A FREE ONLINE HOME
ENERGY AUDIT. IT WILL TAKE
YOU THROUGH THE HOME FROM
THE GROUND TO THE ROOF AND
GIVE YOU EXPLANATIONS AND
TIPS OF THINGS YOU CAN DO.
AND YOU CAN DO IT VERY
FAST. IT'S ALSO PRETTY
THOROUGH AND IT CAN MAKE A
HUGE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR
MONTHLY UTILITY BILL.
>>THANK YOU TIM
>>THANK YOU
>>THAT'S ALL FOR OUR SHOW TODAY.
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