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120 state, business, and environmental leaders are making a declaration to stop using oil and they want the state to try and do the same. The delegates are meeting in Tallahassee this week to draft a state energy policy. As Whitney Ray tells us, the gulf oil spill is increasing the appetite for alternative energy.

Florida has plenty of wind, waves, and sunshine to power the entire state and then some… but we’re not capturing enough to break our dependence on oil. Only four percent of the state’s power comes from renewable resources…

“There’s 50 states in the US and about 49 of them are leading Florida when it comes to renewable energy,” said Mike Antheil, the Executive Director with the Florida Alliance of Renewable Energy.

A 120 member clean energy Congress is meeting in Tallahassee this week, to move Florida up in the ranks.

But past efforts to go green have failed…. Like the promise to reimburse Floridians who installed solar panels on their homes. 10-thousand people are still waiting for their checks.

“If they had a way to finances it, there would be six times as many people putting in solar,” said Al Simpler, owner of Simpler Solar System.

Cutting down the gas consumption of the state’s fleet of cars is also no the agenda. In the Museum of Florida History, right next to a Model-T, there’s a Baker Electric car from 1911, proving the technology to ditch fossil fuels has been around for at least a century.”

Fran Sullivan-Fahs drove a newer electric car to capitol for the clean energy congress.

“If we had more state incentives for electric transportation, that would help people who can not afford a pricier car to be able to get one,” said Fran.

At noon Tuesday, the delegates will sign a pledge to stop using oil… they just hope they can keep their promise before the country runs out.

No matter what the 120 member delegation decides Florida’s energy policy should be, they’ll still have to get approval from legislative leaders, who have traditionally squelched progressive energy policies for more oil.