UCF Energy Experts Fuel New Florida Consortium

By Barb Abney July 7, 2008

Photo: Steven C. Spencer, FSEC

Ankur Kadam works in the photovoltaics materials lab at the Florida Solar Energy Center.

Full Photo

University of Central Florida energy efficiency experts will help Floridians struggling to contain rising fuel and energy prices by working with a new statewide consortium. 

Fueled with a $50 million state investment, the Florida Energy Systems Consortium brings together researchers, unique facilities, and technology transfer and incubation programs in energy from state universities. 

Gov. Charlie Crist signed the energy bill creating the consortium into law last month at the second-annual Serve to Preserve Summit on Global Climate Change in Miami.

“The energy future is here today,” said Jim Fenton, director of UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center. “For 35 years, we have conducted the research and established a framework for helping Floridians to become more energy independent. With this consortium we can work with other Florida universities to help the state as a whole become more energy efficient.”

The consortium will strengthen landmark efforts enacted by Crist at the inaugural summit in 2007. Crist’s plan sets firm deadlines for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, mandates that public utilities generate 20 percent of the state’s power from renewable energy sources by 2020 and increases efficiency for consumer appliances.

The consortium will address those goals by bringing together the state’s experts in several areas.

UCF will receive $8.75 million to focus on how technology can make new and existing construction projects more energy efficient, to develop advanced solar energy conversion and integration technologies, to study carbon-free fuels and to expand the use of super high-efficiency solar cells for power production.

While much of that work is done by researchers at the Florida Solar Energy Center, UCF engineers and industry partners at the UCF Florida Power Electronics Center (FloridaPEC) are developing innovative new approaches for the design and use of energy-saving devices such as solar panels and solar charges. PetraSolar, a company that has licensed power conversion technology developed by a professor at FloridaPEC, has moved to the state, bringing with it millions of dollars of venture capital funding.
 
“The research is only the beginning,” said Fenton. “Through the consortium we want to develop and attract new industries and technologies to support renewable energy and generate a solid workforce to support those industries.”     

The state’s 10 other public state universities will contribute research in areas including ocean energy; nuclear energy; power generation, transmission and distribution; fuel cells; power electronics; and building conservation and efficiency. 

The University of Florida will receive $15 million to administer the effort, and Florida State University, the University of South Florida and Florida Atlantic University each will receive $8.75 million.

UCF Stands For Opportunity: The University of Central Florida is a metropolitan research university that ranks as the 6th largest in the nation with more than 48,000 students. UCF's first classes were offered in 1968. The university offers impressive academic and research environments that power the region's economic development. UCF's culture of opportunity is driven by our diversity, Orlando environment, history of entrepreneurship and our youth, relevance and energy. For more information, visit http://news.ucf.edu.

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