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METRO
ORLANDO EARNS SOLAR CITY DISTINCTION
OUC, City of Orlando, Orange County Win Solar
American Cities Grant
ORLANDO -
City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer along with Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty
and OUC Commissioner Maylen Dominguez Arlen announced today that Orlando has been
selected as one of 12 Solar American Cities by the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) and will receive a grant of $200,000 plus $250,000 in free technical
assistance for two years to increase the use of
solar technology and the amount of renewable energy.
"As 'The Reliable One,' OUC is proud to be working with the City, County and our
customers to develop reliable green energy alternatives for our community,"
Dominguez Arlen said at the press conference at the BETA Center where OUC
recently installed a solar thermal system. The City will partner with Orange County Government and OUC to develop a
strategic energy plan with a focus on sustainable urban growth strategies and
will help to achieve the goal of installing 15 Megawatts of solar by 2015 while
transforming Metro Orlando into the “Silicon Valley of the Southeast.”
The City of Orlando is the primary grant applicant, while OUC will serve as
program manager and Orange County as an alliance partner. This grant is another
product of the Green Partnership Pledge the City of Orlando, Orange County and
OUC signed in October 2007 when they promised to work together to provide a
cleaner, greener and more secure energy future for the Central Florida community
and generations to come.
The strategic energy plan will include a web-based solar resource mapping tool
and analysis to identify the region’s solar opportunities. This will be followed
by a series of collaborative sessions with key community leaders to develop a
list of solar policies and priorities to assist Metro Orlando in meeting its
aggressive solar installation goals.
The sessions will feature subject matter
experts who will provide insight into integrating solar technologies within key
sectors such as multi-family housing, new residential buildings and public
buildings. The project also will include development and implementation of solar
education programs targeting groups who are integral to the successful
development of a sustainable solar technology base in Metro Orlando. The final
outcome of the project will be a master solar plan that will lay the foundation
for a viable solar market and provide a model of sustainability for other
communities throughout the entire state of Florida.
In addition to funding, the DOE will provide $250,000 in free technical assistance to help
integrate solar technologies into energy planning, zoning and facilities;
streamline local regulations and practices that affect solar adoption by
residents and businesses; present solar financing options; and promote solar
technology among residents and local businesses through assistance with the
expansion of outreach and curriculum development efforts.
Established in 1923 by a special act of the Florida Legislature, OUC—The
Reliable One is the second largest municipal utility in Florida. OUC provides
electric and water services to more than 254,000 customers in Orlando, St. Cloud
and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties. |
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