Florida Solar Energy Center
Encyclopedia
The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) is a research institute of the University of Central Florida
, located on a 20 acre (.08 km2) research complex on Florida's Space Coast
at UCF's Cocoa
satellite campus. FSEC is the largest and most active state-supported renewable energy and energy efficiency research, training, testing and certification institute in the United States
. The director of the institute is James M. Fenton, Ph.D.
FSEC's mission is to research and develop energy technologies that enhance Florida's and the nation's economy and environment, and to educate the public, students and practitioners on the results of the research. The Center has gained national and international recognition for its wide range of research, education, training and certification activities.
provided a $2.8 million grant to Solar Energy Center to help lead efforts to create and manage the newly created Solar Installer Instructor Training Network. "The training network is a five-year effort intended to create a geographic blanket of training opportunities in solar installations across the United States. Its goals are to accelerate market adoption of solar technologies by ensuring that high-quality installations are standard and to create sustainable jobs within the solar installation industry. FSEC will operate the Southeast region of the seven-region network."
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
, located on a 20 acre (.08 km2) research complex on Florida's Space Coast
Space Coast
The Space Coast is a region in the U.S. state of Florida around Kennedy Space Center , where NASA launched space shuttles until the last one on July 8th, 2011 at 11:29am; and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, site of unmanned civilian and military space launches...
at UCF's Cocoa
Cocoa, Florida
Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 16,412 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 16,478. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Cocoa was...
satellite campus. FSEC is the largest and most active state-supported renewable energy and energy efficiency research, training, testing and certification institute in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The director of the institute is James M. Fenton, Ph.D.
FSEC's mission is to research and develop energy technologies that enhance Florida's and the nation's economy and environment, and to educate the public, students and practitioners on the results of the research. The Center has gained national and international recognition for its wide range of research, education, training and certification activities.
Operations
The Center's 150-member staff includes 95 professionals with expertise in engineering, energy research, building science, energy and policy analysis, and education and training. The remainder of the staff consists of technical and administrative support personnel and university student assistants. Research at FSEC is based on field monitoring, computer simulations and controlled experiments in highly-instrumented laboratories. These research efforts are developed in partnership with industry, nonprofit organizations, private sponsors and national laboratories.Research and grants
In October 2009, the United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
provided a $2.8 million grant to Solar Energy Center to help lead efforts to create and manage the newly created Solar Installer Instructor Training Network. "The training network is a five-year effort intended to create a geographic blanket of training opportunities in solar installations across the United States. Its goals are to accelerate market adoption of solar technologies by ensuring that high-quality installations are standard and to create sustainable jobs within the solar installation industry. FSEC will operate the Southeast region of the seven-region network."
See also
- Zero-energy building
- United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
- University of Central Florida research centersUniversity of Central Florida research centersThe University of Central Florida is a space-grant university located on a campus in Orlando, Florida. UCF is a member institution of the State University System of Florida and is the third-largest university in the United States....