Florida Senate Bill 1024 and House Bill 741 are making their way through the Florida Legislature.  While these bills purport to be for the benefit of public utility customers, as reported by the Miami Herald, SB 1024 was actually drafted by Florida Power and Light and will neither benefit Florida citizens or the State of Florida as a whole.  If passed, this legislation would largely destroy Florida’s rooftop solar industry, which supports over 40,000 jobs and is largely comprised of small businesses (that are already facing severe economic challenges due to the current supply chain issues).  Without rooftop solar businesses, Florida residents will lose any meaningful ability to make a free choice as to whether to go solar to reduce their electric bills.   

While some proponents of this legislation contend that Florida’s current solar users are somehow being subsidized by other utility rate-payers, this argument ignores the fact that residential solar users (who account for less than 1% of Florida’s population) pay connection fees and pay for the power that they consume just like everyone else.  

Passage of this legislation also would constitute a dramatic shift in Florida’s long history of supporting renewable energy such as solar.  According to Florida’s Solar Energy Industries Association, 93% of voters support net metering, and solar adds $18.3 billion in economic value to the state, provides $3.2 billion in household income and generates $3.3 billion in total tax revenues.   

We stand against big power and in favor of small businesses, renewable energy, the financial and environmental well-being of the State of Florida and the freedom of Floridians to choose solar. 

We encourage you to reach out to your State Representative and State Senator to express your opposition to these bills. You can find your Representatives by following these links:

https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/findyourrepresentative

https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators