Farm to Fuel

The Farm to Fuel initiative began in 2006. Under Section 570.954, Florida Statutes, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) was tasked with:

• Deploying energy efficiency and renewable energy measures,
• Enhancing the market for biomass created from Florida-grown crops,
• Promoting production and distribution,
• Enhancing the value of these agricultural products within the state, and
• Educating the general public about the benefits of using renewable energy and alternative fuels.

Programs Funded by Farm to Fuel

Farm Renewable and Efficiency Demonstration

The Farm Renewable and Efficiency Demonstration (FRED) Program provides free energy evaluations valued up to $4,500 to Florida farmers. FRED also provides Florida farmers grant reimbursement for 80 percent of the cost to implement the recommendations from the free energy evaluation up to $25,000. Examples of eligible projects for reimbursement include energy-efficient lighting and water pumps, and small-scale renewable energy generation such as solar or biomass. Funding for the grant portion of the program will be made available to participants upon completion of the evaluation. Applications for participation are reviewed and approved based on a first-come, first-served basis.

Florida Energy Technology Cost Share Program — Efficiency and Renewable Improvements in Commercial Aquaculture (ERICA)

FDACS developed the ERICA program to increase energy efficiency, reduce energy usage, and lower operating costs at commercial aquaculture facilities in Florida.

This grant program is designed to provide grant reimbursement for technologies that significantly increase energy efficiency and renewable energy for eligible commercial aquaculture facilities and farms located in Florida.

Improvements in Energy Usage on Tropical Fish Farms in Florida

FDACS is working with the Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to ensure the continued success and growth of the tropical fish farming industry. This two-year project is exploring new and innovative ways to reduce energy costs and improve production by incorporating energy efficiency measures for commercial tropical fish farms in Florida.

Farm Energy and Water Efficiency Realization

The Farm Energy and Water Efficiency Realization Program was a pilot program in Suwannee County that provided on-site energy and water audits to farms. The pilot program provided a 75 percent cost share, up to $25,000, to area agriculture producers who participated in the audit and choose to implement some of the recommendations.

Research and Development Bioenergy Grant Program

The Research and Development Bioenergy Grant Program provided matching funds for the research, development or commercialization of bioenergy technologies or other technologies that greatly reduce consumption of fossil fuels. A total of $3.9 million was awarded through six grantees, most of whom used their matched dollars to test the development and efficiency of feedstock for biofuels in Florida.

Farm to Fuel Grant Program

In 2007, FDACS awarded 14 grants, totaling $25 million. The grants were for research and development of feedstock for the production of biofuel and for the construction of biodiesel and ethanol plants throughout the state. FDACS managed these grants to ensure the awarded monies were achieving the goals set forth by statute.

Education

Farm to Fuel Summit

FDACS hosted the annual Farm to Fuel summits from 2006 to 2010. The summits made possible the cooperation between government and private enterprises as they explored alternative energy sources to reduce dependence on foreign oil and impact on the environment. The summits allowed stakeholders to share research and best practices in an effort to establish Florida as a leader in producing energy from all types of biomass.

Florida Energy Summit

The Farm to Fuel summits have grown to include all aspects of energy in Florida. In 2011, FDACS expanded the Farm to Fuel Summit to become the Florida Energy Summit. The Florida Energy Summit provides a forum for Floridians from the private and public sectors to engage in discussions about the energy future of the state.

Partnerships

Southeast Partnership for Advanced Renewables from Carinata (SPARC)

Under the Research and Development Bioenergy Grant Program, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) studied the feasibility and best management practices for growing carinata in the southeast United States. Carinata is an inedible seed whose oil can be turned into jet fuel. Due to the success of the project, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded UF/IFAS a $15 million grant to further study carinata and develop the supply chain to commercialize the crop. FDACS serves on the SPARC advisory board.