Florida lights up solar power industry?

By: Alexandra Hackett

Tampa, Florida - The concept of solar power goes back thousands of years when the Greeks, Native Americans and Chinese warmed their buildings by orienting them to the sun.

Society has evolved and so has the demand on fossil fuels.

A local company called Solarsa is launching a unique system targeting commercial businesses. It uses the sun's energy to heat and cool the facility and to heat its water. It also allows a restaurant to recycle waste cooking oil for energy.

"What we have here is a series of mirrors and is reflecting the sun into a series of collectors and is giving us electricity and hot water at the same time," Company President Scott Jorgensen said.

Jorgensen set this up on his own home as a prototype. Crews are in the process of installing it on his restaurant Estelas in Brandon.

"If people in Florida would understand 50 percent of all energy consumed in heating cooling and hot water," he said.

The unit is installed at no cost. A business only pays for the energy it uses. Jorgensen admits it will on average save a business about $1000, but for chain restaurant the saving could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars and leaves a legacy for the future.

"Do we want to leave a series of power plants coal fired power plants or do we want to be a leader in renewable energy using solar energy?" Jorgensen said.

It's not every day you see a contraption like this on a house or your favorite restaurant, but soon that could change.

Governor Charlie Crist had a hydrogen fuel cell installed this summer to power the Governor’s mansion as well as a solar pool heating system.

He says the system will reduce carbon emissions and energy costs making the mansion more energy efficient and climate friendly.

Florida taxpayers can take advantage of rebates for the use of solar energy systems in homes and businesses.

The program paid out $2.5M to taxpayers in 2006.