Florida’s potential as a industry leader in algal biofuel is huge. The Center for Marine Bioenergy Research was just established in March at Florida State University through a grant from the U.S. Dept. of Energy.   Mike Wetz heads up the center, which is under the umbrella of our friend Dave Cartes‘ Institute of  Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainabilty (IESES).

With our coastline, it only stands to REASON that Florida should be be a leader [in algae biofuel production] in the eastern U.S., Cartes said.

Of course FSU isn’t the only state university in Florida involved in bioenergy research (although news from  University of Gators Florida hasn’t been fully explored).  All eleven state universities make up the Florida Energy Systems Consortium - collaborative  energy research among the universities. They met in May with industry leaders for a Florida overview of the “Algal Industry Survey” conducted in association with the Centre for Management Technology.

Algae culivation ~ PetroAlgae

The reports’ findings – less than perfect:

1. Secrecy amongst companies in the field that leads to a lack of information sharing between affiliated scientists
2. Lack of rigorous assessments of the entire algal biofuel value chain (i.e., from production to distribution
3. Lack of trained workforce.

[As a guest blogger for the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy's blog, Clean, Mike Wetz posts this overview of marine algae biofuels].

FSU researchers are developing a state-of-the-art algal cultivation operation at a site on the North Florida coast, which includes an off-grid, zero emissions facility that utilizes recycled CO2 (from the processing of algal biomass) and nutrients (from local wastewater sources) to support algal growth.  Since this unique operation will be run by an academic institution, a major goal will be to work towards overcoming problems noted in the aforementioned state of the industry report.

[NOTE:  Not all details of next month's meeting are solified - a team of industry and state university academia is being put together now - UPDATE later]

Although the state of the industry report may seem mediocre,  Florida does have a number of established algal biofuels companies. Melbourne, Fla.-based PetroAlgae, for example, is a publicly-traded biofuels industry leader. The company received the Sustainable Energy Technology award  at the international Green Power Conference held in Brussels, Belgium this past March.

PetroAlgae is an important player in the state,  said Wetz. I have good interactions with them.

BUT OF COURSE – California also has plenty of coastline AND top-notch research universities …

Asked about California’s progress in algal biofuels, CARTES REPLIED:

We have unique capabilities in FLORIDA. We don’t NEED to go to California to find our expertise.

GAME ON!!

- k. a.gardner

The Institute for Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainability‘s  David Cartes is annoyed.

He had sincerely hoped that Sen. Jim King, Chairman of  Florida’s Senate Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Committee, would  deliver a clean energy strategy and not simply a renewable portfolio standard. Cartes clearly mentioned this in an April 4 Letters to the Editor in the Florida Times-Union.

Prof. David Cartes

But earlier this week,  the Senate and Gov. Charlie  Crist, were suddenly attacked by H.R. 1219, the House’s off-shore drilling bill – too complicated, they said, to consider by Friday, the scheduled end of this year’s legislative session.

In all fairness, however,  Gov. Charlie Crist said on Monday that he was not willing to tie the oil-drilling proposal to his own plan which would require 20 percent of Florida’s power to come from renewable sources by 2020.

“This is pushing me over the edge,” Cartes said on Tuesday.  “We had the opportunity to drill for natural gas.” Cartes had just spoken with Energy and Utilities Policy Committee Chair Rep. Paige Kreegel and apparently was still on edge.

UPDATE: “Drilling is a necessary evil, because of our huge need for cleaner natural gas energy,” Cartes wrote in an  e-mail clarification, “… this is pushing me over the edge [towards accepting drilling].”

Cartes is a smart guy, being a mechanical engineer, which is probably why he’s director of Florida State University’s IESES. For those who might not know, FSU is in Tallahassee, just a  stone’s throw from both the Executive and Legislative branches.

It’s not like Gov. Charlie Crist or Sen. Jim King of JACKSONVILLE, weren’t able to ask Cartes for his opinion or anything.

Sen James E. "Jim" King (904) 727-3600 9485 Regency Square Blvd.

Cartes also is Associate Director of  the Center for Advanced Power Systems.   CAPS is basically “an academic-industrial consortium focused on the application of recent advances in power semiconductors, materials, advanced controls and superconductivity to advanced power system technologies.”  The Center works in co-operation with the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. CAPS also has the co-operation of the Electric Ship Research and Development Consortium. The “ESRDC brings together in a single entity the combined programs and resources of leading electric power research institutions for research on near to mid-term electric ship concepts.”

The Office of Naval Research manages the ESRDC. And as EVERYONE knows, the U.S. Navy is especially well-liked in Jacksonville.

Cartes is absolutely convinced Florida needs a “smart” energy grid. This means a diversified energy portfolio. In his opinion,  SOLAR is a key player of that portfoliolio. He’d like to see SOLAR PANELS on Florida rooftops.

Much like what JACKSONVILLE ELECTRIC AUTHORITY,  the “largest community-owned utility in Florida,”  is attempting to do with it’s Solar Incentive Program.

The environmental performance of the GE units burning natural gas makes JEA's Brandy Branch one of the cleanest electric generation plants in the world. courtesy JEA

Cartes said a combination of NUCLEAR and solar should play a strategic roll in Florida’s DIVERSFIED energy mix to include NATURAL GAS because (of something extremely complicated) – no energy storage capacity and peak operating times.

For those who don’t have a doctorate in mechanical engineering or run an electric system serving more than 360,000 418,000 customers, like the Florida Executive and Legislative branches,  OFF-SHORE DRILLING FOR NATURAL GAS  might be taken up for consideration in the next legislative session.

– k. a. gardner

In remembrance: Florida State Senator Jim King,  1939 – 2009

bowden.jpg 396 x 494 px Image may be subject to copyright. http://floridastate.scout.com/2/213664.html

NORTHEAST FLORIDA – This past weekend, which dates were Sat. Morning, April 4, 2009 through  Sun. Evening, April 5, 2009, Florida’s First Coast awoke to a contradictory (only in the) Florida Times-Union (Morris Publishing Group) mess. The leading story in Sports featured who-else-but  Gene Frenette. His sources said Driscoll, 44, is the favorite for the Osprey’s top job.

Basketball coach?

Stale news!

NCAA Final Four in Ford Field was already wondering who would be in the Top 2. As usual, any news of FSU was buried on page C-4, with no mention of Wed., April 8, 2009′s baseball game at the Sun’s Baseball Stadium against the Ospreys.

James Lamar Rhodes (born May 13, 1927 in Matthews, Alabama) was an outfielder with a 7 year career from 1952-1957, 1959. He played for the New York Giants and San Francisco Giants, both of the National League. Of him, the great manager Leo Durocher said "a buffoon is a drunk on a hitting spree." In the 1954 season, he was often used as a pinch-hitter for Monte Irvin, and came through with an incredible number of clutch hits. -wiki image courtesy grandstandsports.com

Over in Metro, in a featured LETTERS FROM READERS, DAVID CARTES, director, Institute for Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainability, Florida State University, Tallahassee,  sincerely hoped that “Sen. Jim King’s Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Committee deliver[ed] a clean energy strategy and not simply a renewable portfolio standard.”

However, as we’ll read the very next day, which was Sunday, Sen. Jim King wants to be [revealed by Ron Littlepage]  state university chancellor, a job the boss of the Ospreys already has!

Cartes had already said on Sat. that “Any business person will tell you that no successful business venture can start without a business plan, and energy is big business.”

But  Ron Littlepage insisted on political intrigue — he accused Republicans of believing in global warming and a generally-abominable energy policy.

As usual, the intrigue will continue on Florida’s First Coast because Duval County Mayor Jake Godbold, 1978–1987, just had to mention the Trail Ridge Landfill before the City Council meeting on Thurs.

JOHN PEMBERTON--The Times-Union--3/23/07--State-of-the art electronics and a nimble boat is the newest member of the JFRD. Former Mayor Jake Godbold finally has something named after him. A 50-foot fireboat numbered Marine 1. The new fireboat will be christened on Sunday with a display of it's capabilites for the public to see. The all aluminum boat will go 3 times as fast as the other boats and floats in 1/3 the water. Built in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, the construction took 6-months. With a top speed near 50 mph with 2 C18 Cat engines deliver 1700 HP and power for a 10 KW generator. 4 nozzles spray 6,500 gallons per minute. (The Florida Times-Union, John Pemberton)

But …

Morris Publishing Group wasn’t even paying attention because  the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal awoke to find itself as a fledgling settlement and had become a weekly newspaper.

– k. a. gardner

image courtesy of photobucket.com