Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant (EECBG): $30,401,600
Sunshine State Buildings Initiative ($8,500,000) Grant Agreement in Development with the Department of Management Services (DMS)
To achieve the goals set forth by Governor Crist in Executive Order 07-126, state buildings constructed in the future will be more energy efficient and incorporate renewable energy resources. The FECC is working with the Department of Management Services to leverage recent analyses of energy use in state facilities to prioritize deployment of energy efficiency and renewable technologies in state buildings. Projects will include building and mechanical system "tune ups" and optimization, energy management systems and equipment control automation, high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, high-efficiency lighting fixtures and lamps, and improvements in insulation.
Energy Code Compliance and Effectiveness Measurement ($600,000) Grant Agreement in Development with the Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
The FECC will work with the Department of Community Affairs and the Florida Solar Energy Center to strengthen Florida’s long running Energy Code Program by identifying measures that can be used to track Code effectiveness with more affordable and sustainable methods. Additionally, this program will be used in planning future Energy Code stringency increases. Understanding the market, construction practices and the impact of available technologies to gauge their energy conservation impact is essential to devising targets and implementation tactics for increased code stringency. This analysis will provide the base information for those determinations.
Energy Code Training and Education ($300,000) Grant Agreement in Development with the Deparment of Community Affairs (DCA)
The FECC will work with the Department of Community Affairs and the Florida Solar Energy Center to leverage both state and federal funds for the Building Code Mitigation and Outreach Program to develop and implement a building energy conservation training program. This initiative will provide training to designers, contractors, code officials and other construction industry parties through existing programs at educational institutions throughout the state. It will also instruct trainers for the State Building Officials Association’s education program and for education programs of construction industry associations.
Electric Car Conversion Rebate($500,000) Rebate Application in Development
This program will increase the affordability of hybrid plug-in electric conversion kits within the state by creating the Electric Car Conversion Rebate. Both residential vehicles and commercial fleet owners who purchase a qualifying conversion kit that converts the highway-capable hybrid to a highway-capable plug-in hybrid will be eligible to apply for a one-time $5,000 rebate from the state within 12 months of the date of conversion. Funds will be administered on a first-come, first-serve basis until funding is depleted. Cars with the conversion kits will be six times more fuel efficient than standard gasoline cars; achieving roughly 100 miles per gallon (mpg). Conversion vehicles will also reduce oil consumption by up to 70 percent over conventional, gas powered vehicles.
State Data Center Energy Initiatives ($375,000) Grant Agreement in Development
Florida data centers provide mission-critical computing functions essential to the daily operation of nearly every state agency. Florida's data centers consume large amounts of energy to run and maintain their computer systems, servers, and associated high-performance components. Furthermore, to protect these systems and their vital functions data centers also employ energy-intensive air conditioning systems, fire suppression systems, redundant/backup power supplies, redundant Internet connections, and high-security systems. Florida will leverage EECBG funds with available state and federal resources and expertise to implement an action plan for enhancing data center energy efficiency which includes demonstration and implementation of specific technologies such as virtualization, power and cooling systems, and the use of energy efficient hardware devices.
Competitive Grants to Local Governments ($18,616,424)
The State of Florida will pass through more than 60 percent of the state’s EECBG funds for energy efficiency and small scale renewable energy initiatives to cities and counties that were not eligible for direct formula grants from the Department of Energy. The FECC will distribute these funds on a competitive basis. Two-thirds ($12.3 million) of the available grant funds will be made available on a competitive basis to all eligible local governments. Requested grant funding from any single applicant may not exceed 10 percent ($1.2 million) of the available grant funds. The remaining one-third ($6.3 million) of the available grant funds will be dedicated to assist small counties and cities. A “small county” is considered to be a county with an unincorporated population of less than 50,000, while a “small city” is a municipality with a population of 15,000 or less. The maximum award amount may not exceed $250,000.