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More than 150 participants proved that solar energy is a booming market in Florida and brought the 3rd German American Solar Energy Conference to a huge success. Key note speakers from Germany and the U.S. gave a detailed overview of the solar energy markets of both countries as well as presentations about newest cutting-edge technologies. Opening remarks were held by Klaus H. D. Ranner, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany to Florida, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands in Miami.
Representative Steve Precourt, House District 41, Chair of the Energy & Utilities Policy Committee, presented the current incentive programs in Florida for solar energy and gave a brief overview of the upcoming legislation.
Scott Hennessey, Manager Climate and Energy Markets with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) in Washington, DC, talked about the current situation of the solar energy market in the U.S. as well as recent changes in federal regulations. With a map comparing the annual average solar resources of Germany and Spain with the USA, he made clear that there is a huge potential for the market.
John Crider, Strategic Planning Engineer, Gainesville Regional Utilities raved about their current local feed-in-tariff program which has been passed by Gainesville Regional Utilities in February 2009. Early results have exceeded their expectations: GRU’s annual capacity limit has been hit in one week and they have received seven years of applications in only four months. The total amount of solar PV installed in Gainesville from 1980-2008 was 302kW, whereas 438kW have already been installed in the first 6 months of the feed-in-tariff.
The German key note speakers Dr. Andreas Hermelink with Ecofys Germany, Markus Hoehner with EuPD Research and Dr. Christine Wörlen with Arepo Consult gave an overview of the German solar energy market, of research, development and technology, solar thermal applications as well as the current political framework in Europe and Germany.
After these presentations Bruce Kershner, Executive Director, Florida Solar Energy Industries Association (FlaSEIA), moderated a panel discussion. Panellists were Representative Mike Horner, House District 79, Vice Chair of the Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee and a member of the Energy & Utilities Policy Committee, Scott Hennessey, Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA), John Crider, Gainesville Regional Utility (GRU), Peter Laughlin, Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy (FARE), and Dr. Christine Wörlen, Arepo Consult. They answered questions from the audience and a heated debate on the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and current developments in Florida’s solar legislation arose.
In the afternoon 8 German solar energy companies that attended for the purpose of establishing business relationships with Florida’s solar companies, presented their products and services. After the conference these companies went on a 3 day business trip to meet with decision makers from solar companies in Florida, representatives from leading research institutes and organizations as well as representatives from Florida’s leading industry associations.
This conference was organized by the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern United States (GACC South), in conjunction with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association (FlaSEIA) as well as Enterprise Florida. It was held on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at the Embassy Suites Orlando Downtown in Orlando, Florida and was sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.
Location: Embassy Suites Orlando Downtown, 191 East Pine Street, Orlando, FL 32801
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time: 9.00 am - 5:30 pm
Entrance fee: complimentary
Speaker Presentations
Please download the speaker presentations and the presentations of the company representatives here:
John Crider, Strategic Planning Engineer, Gainesville Regional Utilities Scott Hennessey, Manager Climate and Energy Markets, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) Bruce Kershner, Executive Director, Florida Solar Energy Industries Association (FlaSEIA) (not available) RepresentativeSteve Precourt, House District 41, Chair of the Energy & Utilities Policy Committee (not available)
Pictures of the conference
Please click here to view some pictures of the conference.
Program
Please click here to
download the program.
For more information please contact Julia Zimmermann via e-mail at
jzimmermann(at)gaccsouth.com or call (832) 384-1202.
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