The Sunshine State isn’t doing so well when it comes to solar energy, according to one advocacy group.
Floridians for Solar Choice claims Florida is one of a handful of states that stands in the way of consumers using solar power. The group’s website claims this:
"Currently, Florida is one of only five states in the nation that prohibit citizens from buying electricity from companies that will put solar panels on your home or business.”
PolitiFact Florida rated the claim for its truthfulness, and reporter Joshua Gillin said the claim rates MOSTLY TRUE. According to Gillin, solar power is still pretty hard to get in Florida.
“In the state of Florida, you have to buy electricity from an established utility, it’s kind of a monopoly that way,” Gillin said.
The statistic comes from map published by the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy. The map labels states that allow third-party solar power agreements. Those agreements allow an installer to build a solar system on a customer’s property for free and then the developer sells the power to the customer.
According to that map, 24 states allow third-party agreements. Five states, including Florida, don’t allow them at all. It’s unclear about the rules in the 21 other states.
A spokesperson for the Public Service Commission did note that Florida law allows for leases in regards to solar energy. It would allow a developer to install the solar energy system and the customer pays for it over years rather than paying for the power produced.
Still, because Florida law prohibits third party-solar power agreements, PolitiFact Florida rated the claim MOSTLY TRUE.
SOURCES: SOLAR POWER IN FLORIDA
- PolitiFact's rating
- Floridians for Solar Choice, Website and petition, Accessed Jan. 14, 2015
- Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency, 3rd party solar PV power purchase agreements map, November 2014
- Solar Power Rocks, 2015 United States solar power rankings, Accessed Jan. 15, 2015
- Des Moines Register, "Ruling is a victory for solar energy," July 11, 2014
- Tampa Bay Times, "State dumps energy goals," Nov. 26, 2014
- Tampa Bay Times, "Solar generates smiles," Dec. 28, 2014
- Tampa Bay Times, "Coalition of liberals, conservatives fight for more solar," Jan. 13, 2015
- Tampa Bay Times The Buzz blog, "PAC launches to push solar power amendment," Jan. 14, 2015
- PolitiFact, "Obama says every four minutes another home or business goes solar," Jan. 29, 2014
- PolitiFact Florida, "Charlie Crist says Florida is the Sunshine State and we’re hardly doing any solar energy production," Dec. 3, 2013
- PolitiFact Florida Scott-O-Meter, "Scott approved nuclear power plants, but not much focus on other alternatives," Sept. 4, 2014
- Interview, Jennifer S. Rennicks, Director of Policy & Communications, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Jan. 14, 2015
- Interview, Charlie Coggeshall, Renewable Energy Manager, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
- Interview, George Cavros, treasurer for Floridians for Solar Choice and attorney for Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Jan. 14, 2015
- Interview, Dan Hahn, co-founder of Solar Power Rocks, Jan. 15, 2015
- Interview, Randy Wheeless, Duke Energy spokesman, Jan. 14, 2015
- Interview, Cindy Muir, Florida Public Service Commission spokeswoman, Jan. 14, 2015
- Interview, Bob Gibson, Solar Electric Power Association spokesman, Jan. 16, 2015