Energy

Offshore Drilling | Clean-Coal Technology | Renewable Energy | Session Priorities Index

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Reasonably priced and reliable energy is essential to the long-term health of Florida’s economy, the prosperity of our employees and the creation of jobs. AIF was one of  the first business groups to engage in the energy debate, supporting the development of supply options that lead to diverse, reliable and reasonably priced energy resources, with a minimum of government intervention, and promoting an economically-balanced and varied mix of energy sources consistent with prudent environmental policies.
While the demand for electricity will continue to grow over the next few years, a sustainable and common sense energy mix will be critical for the success of Florida’s business community. All sources of energy — nuclear, clean coal, natural gas, oil and renewable varieties — should be supported and encouraged. The one guiding principle for evaluating these sources must continue to be affordability and reliability.

Offshore Exploration and Production of Oil and Natural Gas

AIF SUPPORTS the passage of legislation that establishes a process by which the state of Florida can begin considering proposals for safe offshore drilling in federal and state waters. Florida’s economic recovery is heavily dependent on reasonably priced and reliable sources of petroleum. Florida typically consumes more than 25 million gallons of gasoline and diesel each day for transportation and generates more than half of its electricity from clean burning natural gas. According to federal statistics, the U.S. federal offshore areas hold the equivalent of three times the oil resources of Canada and Mexico combined and almost six times the natural gas resources of these two countries. Allowing safe and environmentally-sensitive access to these resources in state and federal waters is not only in our national interest as a means of improving energy security, diversifying supply and enhancing economic development, it also can serve as an important and much-needed method for generating new revenues and jobs for the State of Florida.

Clean-Coal Technology

AIF SUPPORTS efforts to bring back clean-coal technology as a source for reliable and reasonably priced energy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “Clean Coal Technologies — the products of research and development conducted over the past 20 years — have resulted in more than 20 new, lower-cost, more efficient and environmentally compatible technologies for electric utilities, steel mills, cement plants and other industries.” The state and nation should not pass up opportunities to contribute to advancing the knowledge and science of using America’s more abundant energy source in an environmentally acceptable way. At a minimum, legislators should look at ways to accelerate and streamline permitting for coal plants and other reliable, low-cost sources of electricity.

Renewable Energy

AIF SUPPORTS energy policy that allows for the development and expansion of the renewable energy sector while maintaining reliability of services and without any mandates by government or unreasonable prices. Such a policy would attract significant investment and spur manufacturing, distribution, and cutting-edge R&D job growth in the renewable technologies and renewable fuel sector. The policy should allow willing partners to make business decisions that will develop a market and avoid unintended consequences that stem from government mandates.

AIF SUPPORTS legislation that will enable interested investor-owned utilities to develop renewable energy supply sources using the technology (solar, wind, biomass, etc.) and scale (large, medium, small) that makes the most sense for those investor-owned utilities and their customers. This would allow both the investor-owned utilities and other suppliers in the renewable sector to make market-based decisions to deploy renewable sources to meet customer needs in a cost-effective manner.

AIF will also engage in Energy issues by: Supporting efforts by the Legislature to increase incentives for energy efficiency and conservation. Opposing any legislation that establishes a “cap-and-trade” program for the reduction of greenhouse gases.

AIF Lobby Team Members Assigned to the Area of Energy Jim Rathbun