Give renewable energy providers a chance, Florida

[jpak]

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/give-renewable-energy-providers-a-chance-florida/1118732

It can be easily demonstrated that Florida could be a major producer of renewable energy. This would be a significant economic boon for our state, stimulating millions of dollars in new capital investment, catalyzing thousands of permanent new jobs and easing our overreliance on imported sources of fuel to generate electricity

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The truth is that renewable energy in Florida is shackled by outdated rules that protect established interests and prevent independent power entrepreneurs from competing fairly in the marketplace. Here's how:

The supply of electricity in Florida is dominated by the state's investor-owned utilities, which control nearly 90 percent of the market for generation and distribution. The rest of the state's electric power — about 10 percent — is supplied by local government-owned municipal utilities, electric cooperatives and by a small number of independent power producers.

For fuel, the investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities and the co-ops rely virtually 100 percent on sources that lie beyond Florida's borders: coal, natural gas, oil and uranium.

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