<p>By Nathan Crabbe
Sun Staff writer</p>
<p>Published: Friday, June 27, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, June 27, 2008 at 12:32 a.m.</p>
<p>A new law puts the University of Florida in the lead of a statewide effort to develop renewable energy technologies.</p>
<p>Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill Wednesday creating the Florida Energy Systems Consortium, which brings together UF and other state universities to work on new biomass, solar and other renewable energy technologies.</p>
<p>"Each university has its own area of expertise," said Eric Wachsman, a UF professor of materials science and engineering and director of the Florida Institute for Sustainable Energy. "What this does is allows us to bring that expertise together."</p>
<p>UF will head the consortium and receive the largest portion of funding, $15 million. Florida Atlantic University, Florida State University, the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida will each receive $8.75 million.</p>
<p>UF President Bernie Machen is expected to name a consortium director later this summer.</p>
<p>Wachsman said participants will start working this summer to determine what projects would have the most impact in the shortest period of time. The threat of climate change and rising energy costs make it imperative to start that effort, he said.</p>
<p>"Time is always of the essence, particularly in things like this," he said.</p>
<p>The consortium has been the focus of some controversy. Earlier this year, the Florida Board of Governors paid $200,000 to a panel of experts to rank research projects submitted by universities in a variety of areas. The panel recommended splitting $87 million among seven proposals.</p>
<p>Instead, lawmakers decided to fund just the top two projects. The remaining money was given to the consortium and a $8.5 million solar-panel array at Florida Gulf Coast University.</p>
<p>"The Legislature basically decided that given what is going on around us right now, energy should be the top priority," said Bill Edmonds, spokesman for the Board of Governors.</p>
<p>Crist signed the energy bill during his opening presentation at the second annual climate summit in Miami. In addition to creating the consortium, the law authorizes the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to develop a cap-and-trade program to reduce the state's carbon emissions.</p>
<p>The bill also directs the Public Service Commission to develop renewable energy standards for utilities.</p>
<p>Bruce Kershner of the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association said the bill establishes state priorities for using renewable energy.</p>
<p>"These are basically policies that have been lacking here in Florida," he said.</p>
<p>Kershner said consumers will benefit from a provision creating a property-tax exemption for solar equipment installed on homes. The provision, combined with an existing sales-tax exemption for solar equipment, will give more incentive to install solar panels and other devices, he said.</p>
<p>"Basically these renewable devices are tax free," Kershner said.</p>