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Florida Solar Energy Center collection, 1974-2012, bulk 1977-2009

 

Summary

Creator:
Florida Solar Energy Center
University of Central Florida
Abstract:
This collection of records contains the findings of FSEC's many research projects as well as grant proposals, yearly and mid-term reports, newsletters, newspapers, printed PowerPoint presentations, emails, and memos. This collection is useful to research on the activities of the Florida Solar Energy Center. Series I: Reports, 1974-2009 contains reports sanctioned by FSEC and includes proposals, test methods, assessments, projects, annual performances, mid-term performances, et al. Series II: Other Publications, 1977-2012 contains publications (no report/control number) both sanctioned by and not sanctioned about FSEC and includes newsletters, news reports, programs, products, directories, et al. Series III: Miscellaneous, 2001-2010 contains documents both sanctioned and not sanctioned by FSEC and includes powerpoint presentations, lists, and workshops. The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) is a research institute of the University of Central Florida that serves as the epicenter for Florida's solar activity. As said by the UCF Report December 3, 1986 issue, the creation of FSEC by the Florida State Legislature in 1974 was a direct result of a shortage of oil that had been plaguing the world since the previous year. The initial plan for the newly minted institute was to research alternative power sources in order increase the use of clean energy sources. According to FSEC's Public Information Office, their activities and goals now broadly include the Commercialization of Solar Energy, programs for solar equipment testing, certification and standards, educational services, dissemination of information about solar energy, solar demonstration projects, and lastly the advancement of research and development. Since becoming fully operational in 1975, FSEC has had main great strides in the fields of photovoltaic (PV) applications, building designs, education, and training programs, all of which has allowed the center to become nationally recognized as stated by the UCF Report September 18, 1985 issue.
Extent:
35.25 Linear Feet 36 boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Florida Solar Energy Center collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Background

Scope and content:

Series I: Reports, 1974-2009 contains reports sanctioned by FSEC and includes proposals, test methods, assessments, projects, annual performances, mid-term performances, et al.

Series II: Other Publications, 1977-2012 contains publications (no report/control number) both sanctioned by and not sanctioned about FSEC and includes newsletters, news reports, programs, products, directories, et al.

Series III: Miscellaneous, 2001-2010 contains documents both sanctioned and not sanctioned by FSEC and includes powerpoint presentations, lists, and workshops.

Biographical / historical:

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) is a research institute of the University of Central Florida that serves as the epicenter for Florida's solar activity. As said by the UCF Report December 3, 1986 issue, the creation of FSEC by the Florida State Legislature in 1974 was a direct result of a shortage of oil that had been plaguing the world since the previous year. The initial plan for the newly minted institute was to research alternative power sources in order increase the use of clean energy sources. According to FSEC's Public Information Office, their activities and goals now broadly include the Commercialization of Solar Energy, programs for solar equipment testing, certification and standards, educational services, dissemination of information about solar energy, solar demonstration projects, and lastly the advancement of research and development. Since becoming fully operational in 1975, FSEC has had main great strides in the fields of photovoltaic (PV) applications, building designs, education, and training programs, all of which has allowed the center to become nationally recognized as stated by the UCF Report September 18, 1985 issue.

The FSEC website states distinct areas in which the center put their focus in the decades since its creation. During the 1970s, their programs were a part of and surrounded Florida's activities. In the 1980s, the PV program was established and building designs into daylighting and solar cooling research began. The building and photovoltaic program grew even more in the 1990s with the former looking into health issues including indoor air quality and the latter becoming widely accepted. During the 2000s, FSEC's hydrogen program began a rapid expansion, exploring production, and storage and usage techniques. The Florida Solar Energy Center's operations has incorporated all of their research areas into six research divisions: Buildings, Environment, Hydrogen, Photovoltaics, Transportation and Solar Thermal. Along with research, FSEC also invests in consumer needs as well as educating the younger generations to help interest them in the future.

Throughout the years, FSEC's initiative has resulted in numerous grants, some of which include a $50,000 grant from Florida Power & Light Company to identify more efficient ways to operate electric motors in air conditioning systems, a $7.2 million grant to develop materials (the UCF Report August 27, 1986), construction methods, building designs and mechanical systems that cool and dehumidify by using solar energy (the UCF Report March 25, 1987), a $380,000 grant to study the passive solar and low energy building design, a $206,000 grant to investigate the pros and cons of a variety of water heating devices (the UCF Report September 9, 1981), et al.

The UCF Report May 14, 1980 issue explains how the Florida Solar Energy Center would remain under the administration of the University of Central Florida, but their activities would be coordinated by a Solar Research Coordination Council made up of representatives of state universities, the energy industry, home building industry, electrical utilities, et al. A few years later, the UCF Report April 8, 1987 issue explained how FSEC's original home at Cape Canaveral was not sufficient enough to withstand not only their growth, but also keep up with the demands of the military. The state legislature provided funds for FSEC to relocate and in 1987 it was decided the center would move onto 20 acres at the Brevard Community College campus along with an additional 10 acres being acquired in a nearby industrial park. FSEC facilities include their main office, the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Laboratory, the Photovoltaic Materials Laboratory, the Solar Thermal Test Laboratories, the Manufactured Science Laboratory, the Flexible Residential Test Facility, the Flexible Roof Facility, and the Climate-Controlled A/C Laboratory.

Other accomplishments include NASA funded research into the effectiveness of producing hydrogen through electrolysis to promote development and application of space age technologies (the UCF Report June 15, 1983), a $405,000 contract from U.S. Department of Energy to research into the cooling of homes by natural ventilation (the UCF Report October 29, 1980), a $7,500 contract from a California solar energy products manufacturer to check the performance of a solar water heater equipped with photovoltaic cells to power its pump (the UCF Report March 19, 2980), developing a sea based electronic system for training Navy pilots in simulated combat conditions (the UCF Report April 9, 1986), and the building of the first ocean thermal energy conversion (the UCF Report April 17, 1985).

Acquisition information:
Florida Solar Energy Center transferred these materials to the University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives in 2013 (CFU2013_J).
Processing information:

The Florida Solar Energy Center Collection was processed by and finding aid prepared by Kryslynn Collazo in 2018. Staples and paperclips were removed from documents and replaced with plastic clips. All materials were placed into acid free folders and in an acid free box.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged in three series. Series I contains a variety of reports written by researchers at the Florida Solar Energy Center and is arranged by report number (control number). Series II contains other publications written by researchers of the Florida Solar Energy Center and those not directly connected with the Florida Solar Energy Center. Series III contains miscellaneous documents mostly regarding workshops done by the Florida Solar Energy Center.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The entire collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

Florida Solar Energy Center collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Location of this collection:
John C. Hitt Library
12701 Pegasus Drive, Building 2
Orlando
FL
32816-8030
USA