Twenty-nine states across the nation
have mandatory renewables portfolio standards in place. These require that a certain percentage of electricity consumed in the state be generated by renewables—solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, tidal, hydropower—by a certain date. Seven other states have non-binding standards.
Some of these RPS are aggressive, so much so that they were ridiculed when they were first passed. At the top of the heap: Maine—40 percent by 2017; New York—30 percent by 2015; California—33 percent by 2020; Colorado—30 percent by 2020; Hawaii—40 percent by 2030. Some of these standards are lame and most of them were imposed long after they should have been. But at least they've got them. And deadlines for meeting the standards can always be set for an earlier date.
Most of those states also have active energy-efficiency programs in place. Not surprisingly, those with the best RPS also have the best energy-efficiency programs.
But not Florida. Not only does the Sunshine State not have an RPS and not permit leasing and power purchase agreements, its Public Service Commission also just voted 3-to-2 to let Florida's solar rebate expire at the end of 2015 and "cut the energy efficiency goals of the state’s utility companies by more than 90 percent, a move that was based off of proposals from Duke Energy Florida, Tampa Electric, and Florida Power & Light." Here's Katie Valentine at Climate Progress:
And environmentalists and renewable energy advocates in Florida also aren’t happy about the PSC’s vote. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, a group that’s pushed for more solar-friendly policies in Florida, said in a statement that the PSC’s vote represents an “abdication of its responsibility as stewards for energy consumers.”
“Instead of siding with customers, the PSC sided with monopoly utility shareholders, once again, by setting meager goals that promote the construction of new power plants — which earn the companies a hefty profit, while leaving fewer opportunities for customers to lower energy use and save money on bills,” SACE said in the statement. “The line between the PSC and the monopoly utilities they are charged with regulating has become increasingly blurred.”
Even though Florida is ranked third in solar potential among the states, it ranks only 12th in accumulated solar installations, and it was only 18th in new solar installations added last year.
As far as is known, the PSC majority didn't ask what Duke, Tampa Electric, and Florida Power & Light plan to do about the ongoing global warming that makes South Florida, in the words of Sen. Bill Nelson: "ground zero for sea level rise."
Perhaps they take the view that whatever Florida does to boost renewable energy and improve energy efficiency won't make a dent in curtailing the global emission of greenhouse gas. Therefore, why bother? So much easier just to meet the needs of Duke and other providers of conventional power by following their antediluvian advice.