Renewable or green? A showdown in Florida

[kristopher]

State's green-energy future down to one choice: Renewable or clean

By CHRISTINE STAPLETON

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Monday, December 22, 2008

The future of green energy in Florida and the fate of your electric bill rest in the state's choice between two words: renewable or clean.

Five months of public hearings ended this month, and Florida's utility regulators now must decide whether the state should have "renewable" energy rules or "clean" energy rules. The seemingly insignificant choice of an adjective is actually a billion-dollar decision that will put nuclear power in its place in Florida's energy future.

Because nuclear energy produces no greenhouse gases, Florida Power & Light - the state's largest utility and operator of nuclear plants in St. Lucie County and Turkey Point near Florida City - says nuclear is green. The governor agrees. FPL has proposed changing the name and eligible fuel sources allowed in the state's green energy rules from "renewable" to "clean."

"To be clear, we have advocated the inclusion of new nuclear power as part of a Clean Energy Portfolio Standard, and have not argued that nuclear power is a renewable source of energy," FPL spokesman Mayco Villafana wrote in an e-mail response to questions from The Palm Beach Post.

The controversial rules, called a Renewable Portfolio Standard, will require power companies to meet deadlines for generating a set amount of energy from renewable or clean energy sources. Proposals range from 20 percent of retail sales from renewable by 2020, to 2030 or 2041.

Changing from renewable to clean would allow FPL to count energy from its new nuclear power plants toward its obligation to generate green energy. Today, 19 percent of the power FPL generates in Florida comes from nuclear power. None comes from green sources, such as solar, wind, biofuels or geothermal.

However, a commission created to advise the legislature and a consultant for the regulators say Florida needs a Renewable Portfolio Standard and that nuclear power is not renewable.

"We did not...

continued at: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/state/epaper/2008/12/22/renew1222.html

[comtec]

1. IF Florida wants to nuke themselves I really can't care anymore

they;'re such fucking mutants to begin with, let them have their nuclear plant.
Im so exhausted with the while green or clean.
IF people are so hot for nuclear plants, then let them live near the damned things.
I don't care anymore!
I'm a NUMBY, if it isn't solar, wind, or hydro, I don't want it in my back yard!
I'd GLADLY put up a wind turbine, lord knows we get enough hot air from THIS board and all the nuke humpers!

I also accept that a nuclear plant will shut down MANY more coal plants, a hell of a lot faster than solar farms will.
Here's the thing... the licenses to BUILD nuclear plants have been around, as well as licenses to drill IN THE USA...
but they haven't been acted upon!

that's not the eco nuts' fault (ok some NIMBYs are at fault for the dirth of nuke plants, but if 'they' wanted it, it would have happened) it's the energy companys'!

'Sides, florida is a great place, who'd notice MORE mutants anyway? hell they probably will vote rethuglican't too.