We need your help to save net metering in Florida!

In a move that surprised absolutely no one (sadly), the Senate Regulated Industries Committee voted 7-2 on the very first day of the annual legislative session to approve SB 1024, which would limit the ability of homeowners and businesses to offset costs of rooftop solar installations by selling excess power back to the company, an arrangement known as net metering. 

In short, SB 1024 will: price excess energy generation at avoided cost (~$0.03/kWh) instead of retail price (~$0.11/kWh); allow Investor-Owned Utilities to add monthly fixed charges, access fees, or minimum bills as they see fit for solar customers; and grandfather current net metering customers for only 10 years at their current rate structure. 

This regressive and anti-consumer choice legislation has the potential to set Florida’s rooftop solar industry back for nearly a decade, if not decimate it entirely.

As news reporting has shown, FPL crafted this legislation, bolstered by push-polling that spread disinformation about the costs and benefits of solar energy. Here are the facts: more than 90% of Floridians support solar net metering; the rooftop solar market supports more than 40,000 jobs, adds $18.3 billion in economic value, provides $3.2 billion in household income (through good-paying local jobs), and generates $3.3 billion in total tax revenues; and, NO, net metering does not shift the financial burden of operating the grid to non-solar customers. 

FPL (and the legislators whose campaign coffers the utility has generously padded over the years) simply doesn’t want any competition in the distributed energy arena. We ask that you join us in speaking out against SB 1024 NOW so that our industry – and consumer choice – can be preserved.

Our president, Bill Johnson, has just recently returned from a trip to Tallahassee, to meet and speak with lawmakers; from his discussions, it is very clear that we must make our state legislature understand how widespread and strong the opposition is to this bill by encouraging hundreds – if not thousands – of people to call and write their elected officials.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Donate to the Florida Solar Industries Association Net Metering Defense Fund

Write to Governor DeSantis 

Write to your state Senator 

Write to your state Representative 

Please consider personalizing your message, mentioning your connection to the cause. (Do you already use solar to power your home and/or business? Do you work in the solar industry? Have you considered solar but, with the reduction or elimination of net metering, it would be financially impossible for you?)

Thank you for your support as we work to save the solar industry in Florida!