The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) has received a contract from the U.S. Marine 
Mammal Commission to study ways in which Florida manatee populations can be best 
protected from cold stress.  Many Florida manatees rely heavily on the outfalls of 
warm water from power plants for warm water refuges in the winter, but many of these 
plants are reaching the end of their useful life.  The Marine Mammal Commission is 
looking at alternative means of protecting the state's manatee population from cold 
stress during the winter months.

FSEC has been contracted to conduct detailed hourly simulations and analysis of 
heat- loss mechanisms in hypothetical warm water refuges located in the northern, 
central and southern regions of the Florida manatee's current range.   The strategy 
being investigated is the creation of semi-enclosed refuges that would provide 
access to manatees but limit heat losses in winter.  Strategies for providing warm 
water to these refuges include the use of solar systems and part of FSEC's job will 
be to determine the engineering requirements and most cost-effective technologies to 
meet these goals.

The solar center is involved in a number of research studies involving simulations 
and monitoring around the United States.  The center's Buildings Research division 
possesses a wide range of analytical services capabilities that have been built and 
refined over the last quarter century. Capabilities range from development of 
sophisticated numerical models for heat, mass and contaminant transport, validation 
and benchmark, and analysis of complex phenomena in buildings and energy systems. 
Additional capabilities include software, application and web services development 
on an individual and enterprise-wide basis. Particular specializations include 
analytical services in building and air quality issues.

Florida Power & Light Co., the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish 
and Wildlife Conservation Commission are assisting in the project.

For more information on FSEC's simulation activities and capabilities, visit 
our analytical site.


The Florida Solar Energy Center, a research institute of the University of Central 
Florida, is the largest and most active state-supported energy research center in 
the country.  Current research activities include solar water and pool heating, 
solar electric and distributed generation systems, energy-efficient buildings, 
alternative transportation systems, hydrogen fuel, and other energy areas. For more 
information, call the FSEC Public Information Office at (321) 638-1015 or go to 
www.fsec.ucf.edu

To view click on:
      
Photo

Photo caption: 
Jim Valade (left), Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and David 
Laist, Senior Policy and Program Analyst, Marine Mammal Commission, watch several 
manatees from the strip of land that separates intake and outtake at Florida Power 
and Light's Cape Canaveral Plant. Biologists estimated that 50 manatees are present 
in the Indian River Lagoon during a typical winter day, with hundreds stationed by 
the warm water discharge on the coldest winter nights.