The grassroots coalition of Floridians for Solar Choice, comprising over 65 diverse organizations and thousands of Floridian supporters, is strong and advancing in their effort to remove and limit barriers to solar power that currently exist in the Sunshine State. The initiative’s vast network of petitioners across the state is steadily gaining momentum as the remaining needed petitions are collected, even in the face of high-dollar opposition from monopoly utilities and their supporters.
“We continue to aggressively move to secure the required signatures, and we call on all Florida citizens who believe in Solar Choice and clean energy to join our effort.” said Dr. Stephen Smith, Executive Director, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and founding member of Floridians for Solar Choice. “It is clear that FPL and the other utility monopolies with their proxy groups are having to spend a significant amount of money to recruit people in order to intentionally mislead voters about their “dumb” petition which does nothing to advance solar in the Sunshine State.”
It is evident that the Solar Choice initiative would upset the monopoly utilities’ status quo: the utility-sponsored amendment received hefty campaign donations totaling more than $2.3 million in October.
Following a positive ruling from the Florida Supreme Court in October, the Solar Choice campaign’s total number of verified signatures continues to grow with more than 207,000 already verified by Florida’s Division of Elections and another 200,000 signed and awaiting verification. The ballot proposal – designed to expand solar choice by removing barriers that limit solar ownership models – continues to gain wide support as more than 65 businesses, associations, conservative groups, faith communities, clean energy and environmental organizations now comprise this diverse coalition.
