By MICHAEL PELTIER
Naples Daily News
05/19/08

TALLAHASSEE — Barring any political flares, Florida Gulf Coast University will become a worldwide showcase for solar power, thanks in large part to an $8.5 million boost from the state.

Despite a lean budget year, lawmakers saw fit to help the Southwest Florida institution on its quest to become more energy independent by building a $17 million solar array that will provide up to a third of its electrical power.

“Florida and the governor have indicated that we would lead by example in the use of alternative energy,” said Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Naples. “This project backs up that promise.”

Gov. Charlie Crist has yet to sign the budget and has the authority to veto particular items. But Crist has made alternative energy production a priority during his first term in office.

Crist announced proudly earlier this year that the pool at the governor’s mansion is now heated by solar panels. Such a stance bodes well for the FGCU project’s success.

“I’ve met with the governor, and he is 100 percent behind it,” said Saunders, the Senate sponsor of Crist’s energy package approved by lawmakers earlier this month.

Joe Shepard, FGCU vice president for administrative services and finance, said Monday that plans call for the university to send out bid requests to the private sector in July with the hopes of signing a contract in September. The state dollars are contingent on a private match.

Groundbreaking could come as early as October with completion of the project slated for May 2009.

“We’ve talked to some people,” Shepard said. “The (bid winner) will have to be someone with experience and the financial backing to put up ($8.5 million).”

Once complete, the solar array will provide about 33 percent of the university’s power needs, saving the institution nearly $1 million a year in fuel costs. During down times, the institution also will be able to sell power back to Florida Power & Light Co., Saunders said.

“This will be the largest university solar project probably in the world,” Saunders said. “(FGCU) is an environmentally sensitive university and having this project there is part of their mission.”

The solar array will need about 16 acres to produce 2 megawatts of power. Of the university’s about 750 acres, about 340 is available for construction.

Plans are to place some of the panels on building roofs, but there isn’t enough square footage atop buildings to accomplish the entire task.

Shepard said the remainder of the array would be placed in the least intrusive portions of the campus.

“We’re not going to be building on any wetlands or other environmentally sensitive areas,” Shepard said.

 

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