Bill would have ended net metering Florida.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Florida Governor. Ron DeSantis vetoed Wednesday HB741, a bill that would have ended net metering for Florida. Net metering is a policy that compensates solar owners who generate excess electricity and then sell it back to the grid.
Florida has a lot of rooftop solar potential. If it is tapped, it will bring cleaner air to Florida, and the surrounding states, and make communities healthier. Johanna NeumannSenior director of the Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy in Environment Florida. Florida ranks #8 in the world thanks to smart solar policies like net metering. Fifth in the countryThe last decade has seen a lot of solar growth. It is great to see Governor DeSantis acknowledge the value of solar energy in Florida and veto legislation which would have stopped rooftop solar power generation in Florida.
Environment Florida and affiliated organizations have been fighting for years to defend policies that support solar development in the Sunshine State. Environment America teamed up with Alianza and the Florida Solar Coalition to generate over 1,000 calls from Floridians for Gov. DeSantis to urge Gov. Rick Scott to veto the bill. Governor was also emailed by more than 250 Environment Florida members. DeSantis also received the same message.
As detailed in Environment America Research and Policy Centers 20,21 report Rooftop Solar is a RiskRooftop solar panels can be a very powerful and useful way to harness clean energy. Rooftop solar panels reduce conflicts between land preservation, renewable energy production, and reduce the need for costly long-distance transmission infrastructure. They also help to build a more resilient electricity system to wildfires, and other climate-related disasters.
Experiments in other states proved that Florida’s solar adoption would have been significantly lower if net meters were ended, as was the case with HB741. Take, for example:
-
The Salt River Project in Arizona introduced new fees and policies to rooftop solar. This nearly doubled the time it took for people to install solar panels to get their money back. After these changes, solar adoption fell between 50% to 95%.
-
The 2016 Nevada cut to net-metering compensation was followed in 2016 by a 47% decrease in residential solar installations over a year. Nevada eventually restored net metering.
-
In July 2016, the Imperial Irrigation District of California discontinued net metering, causing residential solar installations in California to drop by 88%.
Rooftop solar is now more affordable, more efficient, accessible to more Floridians than ever, it was said. Susan McGrath is the Executive Director of Florida Consumer Action Network, FCAN.. Florida has so many benefits from rooftop solar for our homes, schools, and businesses. We thank Governor DeSantis, who rejected attempts to drive rooftop solar out of Florida’s market.
The California Public Utilities Commission, (CPUC), is currently reviewing the state’s net-metering policy. The CPUC rescinded a controversial policy earlier this year that was criticized as a solar tax. The proposed policy change would have made solar customers pay high monthly fees and cut net metering credits by up to 80%. The CPUC is expected to issue a revised version of its net metering proposal in the spring.
Rooftop solar is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to generate clean, renewable energy. We don’t have the time to mess about, said Neumann. Florida should do everything possible to accelerate rooftop solar. Not slow it down. Florida’s today’s action sends a clear message that America’s future is bright. For defending rooftop solar’s future in Florida, Governor DeSantis deserves credit.