Solar Choice group aims at 2018
Coalition falls behind in getting enough backing for ballot spot this year.
TALLAHASSEE — A coalition trying to expand who can provide solar energy in Florida formally shifted its focus Monday toward trying to pass a ballot initiative in 2018.
Members of the group Floridians for Solar Choice, which had fallen behind in qualifying for the November 2016 ballot and remains in the midst of a contract dispute with a petition-gathering firm, announced the change during a news conference at the Florida Press Center in Tallahassee.
“Our coalition, at the onset, was committed to building a broad set of solar polices that could grow the solar industry. And we remain committed to that,” said Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, a key supporter of the coalition. “Our coalition is not going away.”
The proposal has drawn opposition — and a rival solar-energy initiative — from a group backed by major Florida utilities.
When asked Monday if it would also shift its focus to 2018, that utility-backed group, known as Consumers for Smart Solar, said in an email that it is “committed to promoting solar in a way that protects consumers.”
“Our opponent’s failure to make the ballot does not affect our commitment to do what’s right for the people of Florida,” Consumers for Smart Solar spokeswoman Sarah Bas- com said.
With support from Duke Energy, Florida Power & Light Co., Gulf Power and Tampa Electric, Consumers for Smart Solar has raised far more money than Floridians for Solar Choice. As of Nov. 30, Consumers for Smart Solar had raised $5.9 million, while Floridians for Solar Choice had raised $1.49 million.
The move by Floridians for Solar Choice gives the coalition more time to collect the needed petition signatures to qualify for the ballot. However, it would also put the issue before voters in a non-presidential election, when Democratic turnout is generally lower.
The Floridians for Solar Choice initiative would allow businesses to generate and sell up to 2 megawatts of solar power to customers on the same or neighboring properties. The group’s supporters also announced plans Monday to file a brief in the Florida Supreme Court opposing the Consumers for Smart Solar proposal, which still needs court approval of its ballot wording.
“This misleading ballot amendment is bad for consumers, bad for the environment and bad for Florida,” said Bradley Marshall, an attorney for the environmental law firm Earthjustice, a Floridians for Solar Choice coalition member.
Smith said the Consum- ers for Smart Solar proposal is aimed at confusing voters in an effort to keep the Floridians for Solar Choice proposal from getting approved.
The Consumers for Smart Solar measure, which would generally maintain the status quo in allowing Floridians with solar equipment on their property to sell energy to power companies, is close to submitting the required number of valid signatures to appear on the ballot. It had submitted 582,155 signatures as of Monday morning.
Initiatives face a Feb. 1 deadline to submit 683,149 petition signatures to the state. As of Monday morning, Floridians for Solar Choice had submitted 274,582 valid signatures.