Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor urged Florida legislators not to raise costs on Florida families and business through legislation that would make it harder for homeowners and small businesses to install rooftop solar. Solar power is a cost-saver for Floridians and generates almost $3.2 billion in household income across the “Sunshine State.” State legislators should not be in the business of harming job growth and making it harder for homeowners and small businesses to install rooftop solar. Rep. Castor’s letter that urges leaders to defeat this legislation and instead support efforts to grow solar energy jobs can be read here and below:
RE: Help Floridians Lower Electric Bills: Keep and Improve Solar and Net Metering
Dear President Simpson, Leader Book, Speaker Sprowls and Leader Dubose:
Florida is blessed with abundant and affordable solar energy, and all Floridians should be able to access this renewable resource to help them save money on their electric bills, avoid vulnerability to volatile fossil fuel prices, and catalyze the continued growth of an industry that creates good-paying jobs and strengthens local economies. I write to express my concerns with SB 1024 and HB 741, legislation that would effectively end net metering for rooftop solar in Florida and jeopardize over 40,000 local jobs in Florida.
Solar power is a true cost-saver for Floridians. Rooftop solar also has helped Florida reduce harmful air pollution and increase energy resilience. During extreme weather events, rooftop solar and energy storage can provide essential back-up electricity. Resilient, distributed electricity generation is increasingly critical as Florida experiences more severe extreme weather and threats to the electric grid as a result of climate change. Conventional alternatives like diesel generators only harm public health, leading to 20,000 emergency room visits and 80 fatalities annually nation-wide, and exacerbate the climate crisis.[1] Florida’s elected leaders should incentivize rapid deployment of resilient distributed solar energy generation paired with back-up energy storage.
Congress encouraged states to consider adopting net metering in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expand fuel diversity and promote renewable energy.[2] Net metering has facilitated the deployment of rooftop solar in 47 states, including Florida.[3] Under existing law, Floridians may receive credits for the excess electricity they send back to the electric grid at retail rates. Recent polling shows that 93% of Florida voters support net metering.[4]
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory concluded that net metering programs have very little impact on total electricity costs when distributed solar energy comprises less than 10% of total electricity generation; even at 10% penetration, the rate impacts are relatively modest.[5] At this time, distributed solar energy comprises less than 1% of electricity generation in Florida, so there should be very little impact on total electricity costs.[6]
SB 1024 and HB 741 aim to address a problem that does not exist. The legislation would harm consumers as well as the growing solar energy industry in Florida.
Economic Benefits of Rooftop Solar
In the State of Florida, rooftop …….
Source: https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403773