Solar Energy in the Sunshine State: An Energy Freedom Act for Florida

PRESENTATION
Click here to see online video of Burges's talk, hosted at the St. Lucie County website, video on demand page (http://stluciefl.iqm2.com/citizens/).

Download PDF file (17.4 MB) of presentation: BurgesSolarFlorida.pdf
No part of the presentation may be used without advance permission from John Burges.

PRESENTATION SUMMARY
John Burges, a Sarasota-based investor who has financed energy projects worldwide, reviewed the tremendous potential for solar energy in the sunshine state. Using examples like Germany, the largest solar producer in the world, John highlighted how renewables can become a ‘job machine’ to create a strong economy in the state through appropriate public policy, including the use of renewal energy payments (aka feed-in tariffs) and making the development industry aware of opportunities in renewable energy.

SPEAKER BACKGROUND
John Burges has been a banker and an investor in the energy sector for over fifteen years, with experience in financing, advising and acquiring companies and project assets. He is Managing Director and Head of Energy Banking at Knight Capital Markets, the largest market maker in North America, where he is responsible for energy, alternative energy and clean technology.

Burges started his career in investment banking working for Deutsche Bank and then Merrill Lynch as a Director. He subsequently was Chairman of a private equity-backed independent power company which owned approximately 450 MW of gas fired power generation in the US. He then became a senior officer in a private equity investment company based in the Middle East that invested across the energy spectrum including in the solar sector.

Burges is on the Steering Committee for the Alliance for Renewable Energy and a founder of the Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy, organizations advocating policies to promote renewable power generation. John has an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA (Hons) from Bristol University, England.