BlackboardEnergy Bill Allots $8.75M to FSU
As Americans drained their wallets to fill their gas tanks this summer, politicians and environmentalists were abuzz with talk of wind, solar and biomass energy technology. But the promise of sustainable energy sources could fizzle if the country doesn’t upgrade its woefully outdated power grids, experts in the field have said.
Ninety-four percent of power outages—including the paralyzing blackout of 2003 in the nation’s northeast—are caused by problems with grids, which is not surprising considering the majority of transmission lines are more than 20 years old, the Edison Electric Institute has found. In February, more than 2 million residents in South Florida went powerless when a Miami-based grid failed.
To address grid failings in Florida, FSU researchers will use their share of a new $50 million effort in Florida to help build smarter, more efficient and secure grids. In June, Gov. Charlie Crist signed the 2008 Florida Energy Bill that created a collaboration of Florida universities to lead the state’s march toward a greener, safer—and less costly—energy future.
Called the Florida Energy Systems Consortium, the initiative unites Florida State University with the University of Florida, Florida Atlantic University, the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida. UF was allotted the largest portion of funds, $15 million, for administration plus research efforts. FSU and the other member institutions each received $8.75 million to build on existing strengths in energy-related research.
A new group, called the Institute for Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainability, represents Florida State’s component of the statewide consortium, and its central focus is an all-new, multi-disciplinary research group made up of campus specialists in law, engineering, economics, geography and urban planning. Also added to the Institute’s mix is FSU’s expertise in designing better power grids, a top pursuit of its Center for Advanced Power Systems.
David Cartes, associate professor of mechanical engineering, serves as interim head of the institute. Aside from developing smarter, more reliable power grids, Cartes said FSU will work to develop Florida’s first comprehensive energy policy and an interdisciplinary academic program for students who want to become leaders for a more Earth- and wallet-friendly future.
