Sustainability

GRU is committed to providing sustainable and cost-effective energy.  GRU’s energy profile includes biomass fuel from the Deerhaven Renewable Generating Station (DHR) and solar power generated through a solar feed-in tariff and net metering programs.  GRU has the second largest percentage of solar use per capita in all of Florida and continues to explore new ways to provide its customers with affordable solar. Nearly 40 percent of GRU’s energy may come from DHR throughout the year.

GRU cares about the future of energy and our planet. The Deerhaven Renewable Generating Station was certified as a carbon neutral facility in 2018 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

GRU offers tools to empower our customers to save energy at home or in their business. Customers can contact the Energy and Business Services team for a free energy and water survey, and our team participates in outreach activities throughout the year to educate customers on ways to save energy.

GRU has the best-tasting water in North Central Florida, as voted by the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA).  GRU meets and surpasses all water quality requirements. Our water is safe, clean and reliable. Our water is continuously monitored and tested for more than 100 components, including lead and copper. Murphree Water Treatment Plant has been recognized by AWWA as the “Best Water Treatment Plant in Florida” and the “Best Operated Plant” by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

GRU and the Gainesville Public Works Department partnered to develop Sweetwater Wetlands Park. Completed in 2014, the park offers a unique and innovative approach to achieving new water quality regulatory standards, while providing additional environmental benefits. The facility filters water from Sweetwater Branch, reducing nutrient loading. It then releases clean water into Paynes Prairie while protecting the Floridan aquifer, enhancing wildlife habitats and providing public recreation.

GRU and the City of Gainesville partnered to develop Depot Park. In 2000, the brownfield site, located in the vicinity of the former railroad depot on Depot Avenue in downtown Gainesville, was planned for remediation. GRU began remediation, excavating 147,000 tons of contaminated soil and treated over 40 million gallons of contaminated water. The design of the park consists of a stormwater treatment system to capture urban runoff, diverting it from the adjacent Sweetwater Branch Creek. Completed in 2016, the park is now a wonderful amenity for residents and visitors of Gainesville.

GRU uses a net-metering program to make it easy for customers to adopt solar energy in their home. Customers who invest in renewable energy by installing photovoltaic (PV) systems for their home or business can interconnect with the GRU electric system and receive credit for the energy they do not use.

GRU began a mass change out of street lights in Gainesville and Alachua County in 2018.  This phased program gradually replaces the community’s street lights with LEDs, saving energy and making our neighborhoods safer. The carbon emissions diverted by the LED changeover is equal to planting 347,000 trees.