Why Doesn't The Sunshine State Use More Solar Energy?

[flpoljunkie]

Why Doesn't The Sunshine State Use More Solar Energy?

By JULIA DUBA


A solar panel installation at FPL's Martin County Next Generation hybrid natural gas and solar energy plant.
Credit Julia Duba

As far as solar energy goes, the Sunshine State is third in the country for potential -- and 18th in actual installation.

In Florida, there’s no financial assistance for installing solar panels on your roof. Solar energy users can only take a federal tax credit.

Florida Power and Light powers the state using mostly natural gas. Out of all the energy FPL provides, only 0.06 percent comes from solar energy.

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[rdking647]

1. i can answer that easily

its florida...not the smartest state in the union

[DrDan]

5. according to this chart, Florida ranks 20th out of 51

upper half, I believe

of course, that would take some of the punch out of this insult

http://cleantechnica.com/2013/06/25/solar-power-by-state-solar-rankings-by-state/

[HooptieWagon]

2. The utilities own both parties in Fl..

And the Public Service Commission, created to serve the public interest and regulate the utilites, is nothing but political appointments of industry puppets.

[MrMickeysMom]

3. I'll have to get the real details, but basically, it's this reason...

Governor Scott's cabinet ( say, no more, eh? Scott doubles as an ex criminal) was supposed to have offered an incentive, which they sort of reneged on.

My sister and BIL put up solar (Photo Voltaic) on their rooftop. They will NEVER get back the cost of savings in their lifetime, since they are both in their 60's, but they will have their own satisfaction that they did something to reduce energy needs. It works so well for them in Seminole, FL.

Now, both of them are retired and have pensions, manage their money, so it works with someone like them, but the incentive is clearly not their for anyone else who might be a builder of multiple family dwellings, or it won't work for any young family who may wish to build and get some kind of incentive that is a reachable goal.

Florida royally screwed the one thing they could do so well UP so much.

Thank you, Rick Scott. You're a liar AND a criminal.

[Uben]

4. 'Cuz the people who make those decisions....

.....keep their head where the sun don't shine!

[hobbit709]

6. For the same reason they deny global warming is real while they're wading in the streets.

[kentauros]

7. FPL did partner with NASA-KSC to build a 10MW installation.

However, the link on NASA's page to FPL's program is a dead one.

The solar panels are still in place on NASA land, but I don't know if the power is going "offsite" or if they're using it for their needs at KSC.

You can see it on google maps

[onethatcares]

8. mainly because Duke Energy

owns the legislature by way of campaign contributions.

They (Duke) is charging us for a nuke plant that will never be built ($3.5 Billion Dollars), a plant that was damaged by the previous owner (Progress Energy) ($2 Billion Dollars more) and they want to build more plants due to conservation and energy efficient appliances cutting into their profit margin which in turn will cost the consumer more.

There is a great report on this in the July 20, 2014 edition of the Tampa Bay Times on the front page.

At one time the PSC had consumer watchdogs on it, sadly they were all fired and replaced with industry lapdogs. You can see this in the insurance side of rate increases also.

They just had a meeting and the public was not allowed to attend due to the "technical" nature of the discussion. They, Duke, has also said the sun just doesn't shine enough here.

I would love to leave, but where would one go?