2014 energy ballot proposal gets another look with new donation

2014 energy ballot proposal gets
another look with new donation
BY BRUCE RITCHIE | 01/14/2022 06:04 PM EST

TALLAHASSEE — Supporters of a solar energy ballot initiative proposed in 2014 said Friday that a $420,000 donation in December has provided new life for the dormant campaign.

The details: The Lubell Rosen law firm made the donation on Dec. 20 to Floridians for Solar Choice Inc. political committee that has proposed a constitutional amendment to remove restrictions on the sale of solar energy. State elections officials posted December donation reports this week.

The political committee had raised less than $500 since 2016.

"We are absolutely exploring and taking a solid look at the ballot amendment in the state of Florida," committee Chair Tory Perfetti said Friday.

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy has been the primary financial backer of the measure since 2014.

Stephen Smith, the group's executive director, said Friday that Gov. Ron DeSantis' call for a "free state of Florida" should include lifting restrictions on the sale of energy as proposed by the ballot measure.

"We believe nobody owns the sunshine in the free state of Florida," Smith said. "And people ought to be able to have the right to sell power to everybody they want to."

Lubell Rosen did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the donation.

Floridians for Solar Choice still likely would have to raise millions of dollars to collect signatures to place the measure on the 2024 ballot. Florida Power & Light Co. and other utilities spent more than $20 million in 2015 on a competing ballot measure.

Florida Power & Light spokesperson Chris McGrath said Friday the utility wasn't aware of the donation and renewed interest in the Floridians for Solar Choice initiative.

Background: The Floridians for Solar Choice ballot measure sparked a battle with utilities in 2015-16 that some political observers dubbed the "solar wars."

The measure would overturn state law that prevents landowners and smaller energy companies from selling power to tenants and neighbors. The Florida Supreme Court approved the measure for the ballot in 2015.

Florida Power & Light argues that solar rooftop owners force other utility customers to pay more for maintaining a reliable electrical grid and power when solar is not available.

The utilities' 2016 ballot measure would have prohibited customers without solar from subsidizing those with it.

The proposal received 51 percent voter approval with 8.4 million votes counted. The constitution requires 60 percent approval for amendments.

Floridians for Solar Choice still needs 891,589 petition signatures to put the measure on the ballot. The political committee likely would have to raise and spend millions of dollars for signature gathering.

Floridians for Solar Choice collected 291,591 signatures in 2015 but they expired. The committee had only two eligible petition signatures as of Friday.

Amendment backers denied the possible restart of the campaign is tied to legislation requested by Florida Power & Light to reduce payments to solar rooftop owners for energy they produce.

A Senate committee this week advanced the FPL legislation despite opposition from progressive and environmental groups as well as solar installers who say reducing payments would kill the rooftop solar industry.

Smith called the legislation a "power grab" by utilities but said other factors spurred a renewed interest in the ballot initiative.

What happens next: Floridians for Solar Choice must collect 891,859 signatures within two years to place the measure on the 2024 ballot.