Florida Solar Initiative Moving Forward
AG Bondi Looking to KO the Initiative
Posted July 10, 2015 06:55 am | Public News Service
TALLAHASSEE,
FL - The Floridians for Solar Choice constitutional
amendment effort is moving quickly to get on the 2016
ballot. Backers say they've gathered more than 100,000
signatures, exceeding the 10 percent necessary to submit
the language to the state Supreme Court.
Stephen
Smith, board member with Floridians for Solar Choice and
executive director of the nonprofit Southern Alliance
for Clean Energy, says the amendment would invalidate a
law that gives utility companies a monopoly on the sale
of solar electricity.
"Florida is one of only four states that explicitly
prohibits what are called third-party sales, or allows
somebody besides the monopoly utility to sell you
electricity generated from solar power," he says. "This
would correct that barrier by removing it."
Florida Power and Light and several other utilities have
come out against the amendment. Last week, state
Attorney General Pam Bondi
filed a brief with the court in opposition,
saying the proposal lacks consumer protections and
contains unclear language.
Smith says the amendment would make it possible for
small solar companies to offer homeowners financing
packages, so consumers could get rooftop solar with
little to no upfront costs.
"The monopoly utilities in the state really don't want
to see that much rooftop solar, because that means
people aren't buying more power from them," she says.
"They have done nothing to really encourage and
stimulate that segment of the market."
The Florida Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on
the initiative September 1.
Photos/graphics; links; added and updated by the Observer
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