Solar is the enemy to Florida’s investor-owned utilities, a technology that threatens their bottom line.
Publicly, the state’s utilities argue that solar is unsuitable for the Sunshine State’s energy needs: Too costly. Too unreliable. Too inefficient to overcome Florida’s cloud cover by day and lack of solar power generation at night. (Tampa Bay Times, Jan. 30, 2015)
They are so wrong! Read on:
Clay Electric’s newsletter, “Kilowatt” has the following article in the September issue. Oddly, this page five does not appear in the on line version. The message is totally and absolutely misleading, so we felt compelled to reproduce it here to make that clear.
The solar issue has been very confusing, with Amendment 4 in August, which passed overwhelmingly, and the deceptive and counter-productive Amendment 1, backed by the utilities and to be voted on in November.
The deception has been intentional by the utilities, who will profit from Amendment 1 at the expense of the consumer, the very opposite of what the following article says.
So, if you want solar to prosper in Florida instead of dirty fossil fuel companies, be sure to vote against Amendment 1 in November.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
-A river is like a life: once taken, it cannot be brought back-
Amendment 1 promotes solar & protects consumers
Solar power is an emerging energy option in Florida and we want to make sure that it’s developed the right way in our state. Unfortunately, big, for-profit, out-of-state companies have come to Florida looking to make big bucks by leasing rooftop panels using contracts that may be misleading or even fraudulent.
Thankfully, standards are in placed to protect you and our family from businesses driven only by high profit margins. These protections help ensure the safety of your family, our linemen, and first responders. However, big solar companies are lobbying the legislature and are working on a constitutional amendment for the 2018 ballot that would prevent the government from protecting you from shady solar business practices. One sway to stop the is proposed amendment 1 to Florida’s Constitution.
Protection 1: Your right to own, rent, and use solar generation and solar electricity.
Currently, your right to have and use solar is not in Florida’s Constitution. Amendment 1 fixes this problem by cementing into Florida’s Constitution your right to have solar generators and to use solar power. Amendment 1 would guarantee your ability to purchase solar equipment for your home or office, or rent it if you prefer, and to use the electricity it generates.
Protection 2: The right to be protected from fraudulent or unsafe solar providers.
Solar power is a great resource, but unfortunately, there are some bad actors in the solar industry, and as with all electric generation there is a safety risk. Amendment 1 ensures that necessary standards can protect you and your family from substandard installations and unsafe solar equipment. It also allows the government to protect you from predatory solar companies that are only focused on their profits.
Protection 3: Treat all Floridians fairly.
Even when a home has solar panels, it almost always has to be connected to the grid – because electricity can’t be stored affordably. If solar users expect reliable power even when the sun doesn’t shine, they will have to rely on their electric utility every day. Amendment 1 ensure that those who do not have solar generators are not required to pay more than their fair share of the cost of maintaining the electric grid, and will not be forced to subsidize the electric rates of those who choose to use solar.
Here at Clay Electric, we believe in providing safe, affordable, and reliable electricity. Amendment 1 will help solar meet those criteria, and that’s good news for all of our consumer-owners. As always, if you’d like to know more about Amendment 1 or solar power in general, please contact us.
