The City of Melbourne received a $108,529 rebate from Florida Power and Light on March 25 for upgrading its Joseph Pellicano Law Enforcement Center with an energy-efficient thermal air conditioning system. Police Chief David Gillespie and City Manager Jenni Lamb accepted the check during a ceremony at the facility. The rebate recognizes the city’s investment in technology that reduces peak-hour electricity use.
The system uses chillers to produce ice overnight when electricity rates are lower. The ice is then used to cool the building during the day, cutting reliance on expensive daytime power. Florida Power and Light offers incentives for such systems to shift energy demand to off-peak hours.
The law enforcement center operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making its cooling system one of the city’s largest electricity consumers. The new technology is expected to lower long-term energy costs while reducing strain on the power grid.
City officials said the rebate will help fund other sustainability projects. The system was installed last year as part of broader efforts to modernize city infrastructure. No specific timeline was given for future upgrades, but officials emphasized the importance of energy efficiency in public buildings.