Florida residents voted to protect the solar energy industry Tuesday, shutting down a utility-backed amendment to the state’s constitution that would have imposed higher fees on solar users and stopped expansion of the the renewable resource.
“By voting to stop an amendment funded by the state’s wealthy utilities, Floridians made clear that they care about their rights — their property rights, their right to competitive markets and their right to go solar,” said Tom Kimbis, interim president of the Solar Energy Industries Association, the rooftop solar industry’s national lobbying group.
“The resounding rejection of Amendment 1 should send a message across not just Florida but all states not to curtail solar choice.”
The votes on the Amendment 1 change were nearly evenly split as of 8:30 p.m., with three-quarters of precincts reporting. That means the measure lacks the 60 percent approval needed to gain acceptance to change the Constitution, the Miami Herald reported.
The Solar Energy Industry Association, the rooftop solar industry’s national lobbying group, tweeted “HUGE victory for #solar in Florida! Sunshine State voters have said No on Amendment 1!”
The newspaper called the victory for the industry a David and Goliath tale of small businesses and consumers standing up against the powerful and well-funded investor-owned utility industry. The power utilities, who view the rooftop solar industry as a threat to their market share, pumped $20 million into a lobbying push to change the Florida Constitution.
Amendment 1 would have changed language in the constitution to create a legal barrier for new solar companies looking to compete with big utility firms’ solar power resources. It also would have allowed utility companies to exact fees from rooftop solar panel users.
“Florida is now at a crossroads: it can embrace rooftop solar as a secure power source or allow the current electricity monopolies to keep playing games with homeowners,” Kimbis said.
