Sunshine State must act now to increase its production of solar energy
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently reported that 2023 was the hottest year globally since record-keeping began, and that the temperature limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius set by the 2015 UN International Paris Agreement had been breached throughout the entire year.
Climate scientists have speculated for years about the ripple effects of the 1.5-degree Celsius breach. In addition to strong evidence that such a breach occurred locally in Sarasota as early as 2020, there is also a four-year record of the following regional consequences:
An increase in the threat of stronger tropical storms and the intensity of hurricanes.
A noticeable rise in yearly atmospheric and Gulf of Mexico water temperatures.
A substantial year-to-year increase in the summer heat index, with the summer of 2023 experiencing record-high indices from June through September.
The Gulf of Mexico has warmed twice as fast due to increased coastal erosion.
In 2023, Florida had the highest number of “hot car” deaths in America, with five children losing their lives in unventilated vehicles. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor cited some Florida businesses for the heat-related deaths of outdoor workers.
Meanwhile, Florida’s lawmakers have been working to remove the phrase “climate change” from existing legislation, including sections addressing greenhouse gas emissions reduction programs and the state’s mission regarding energy and environmental concerns. But taking out words won’t change actual facts: climate change is real, and our climate is changing. So what can Florida do about it?
One approach, taken by the Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL) is to make solar represent at least 35% of its energy mix by 2032. But this is a “too little, too late” approach: FPL currently operates 78 solar centers across 31 of Florida’s 67 counties, generating approximately 5,700 megawatts of power. While this may seem significant, it does not adequately address our current climate crisis.
According to Forbes, Florida still ranks poorly among states in terms of producing solar energy (a mere 5.3%). In all, 15 states produce higher percentages of solar energy than Florida, including California (27.3%), Nevada (22.9%) and Massachusetts (19.4%).
In addition to FPL, the Florida Legislature has also failed to aggressively address climate change – and its inaction is particularly shortsighted and foolish given the clear threats created by climate change across our state.
Our lawmakers need to focus on what we can do now; they need to do more to push the state to work with FPL and its parent company, NextEra, to accelerate the generation of solar energy in Florida. It’s time to make the Sunshine State the No.1 state in America for generating solar energy.
Roy Wysnewski is a certified skywarm spotter for the National Weather Service’s Tampa Bay area office. Margaret Jean Cannon is an environmental advocate and the founder and president of MyStartup Suncoast.com.