Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschNovember 2, 2016

Consider the eye-grabbing Tampa Bay Times’ front-page headline Wednesday: $43M spent to limit solar. Beyond the silliness of assuming that every dollar utilities donated this cycle is part of a plot to fight rooftop solar — as if there is nothing else they care about — the story is screwed up six ways to Sunday. If a politician were […]

Mitch PerryNovember 1, 2016

According to a poll published Monday, Florida’s Amendment 1 on solar power is on the ropes. While the St. Leo University survey shows the measure almost exactly at 60 percent — the percentage required to pass and ultimately become law — it’s down more than 24 percentage points from a similar poll conducted in September. The survey of […]

Drew WilsonOctober 31, 2016

The committee backing Amendment 1 took in $3.5 million in contributions last week, including another $3 million from utility companies. Consumers for Smart Solar received $2 million from Florida Power & Light, $1 million from Duke Energy, and $250,000 each from conservative retirement group the 60 Plus Association and from a group called “Let’s Preserve […]

Peter SchorschOctober 28, 2016

U.S. Rep. David Jolly’s re-election campaign in Florida’s 13th Congressional District took in $625,000 over the first 19 days of October, with half coming from utility companies. People for Pinellas, the committee backing the incumbent Republican, received a $250,000 check from Florida Power & Light and another $100,000 from Duke Energy, with the American Society of […]

Jim RosicaOctober 24, 2016

Democratic House candidate Loranne Ausley‘s recent ad bemoans “special interests” who “run our state government and control our legislators.” “They get the benefits,” she says in a voiceover. “We get the cuts.” But campaign finance records show Ausley also has taken thousands of dollars from special interests for a political committee (PC) that she controls. The story […]

Mitch PerryOctober 19, 2016

Critics of Amendment 1 on next month’s ballot in Florida teed off on the sponsors of that measure on Wednesday, following an explosive report in the Miami Herald quoting a policy director with the James Madison Institute as saying the utility industry is trying to deceive voters into supporting restrictions on solar power by supporting the amendment. […]

Mitch PerryOctober 4, 2016

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House Majority PAC is out with its second ad of the political cycle attacking David Jolly — this time on Florida’s controversial nuclear cost recovery law. Called “Cost,” the ad hits the Congressional District 13 Republican for taking thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Duke Energy while saying he was doing nothing to stop the utility […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterSeptember 19, 2016

The cost of installing rooftop solar systems is at a record low due in part to government and utility incentives, according to a new report. The report, commissioned by the Consumer Energy Alliance, found incentives have significantly reduced the residential customers’ costs of installing rooftop solar systems. Michael Whatley, executive vice president of the Consumer […]

Joe HendersonSeptember 16, 2016

In the Aug. 30 primary, Florida voters made it unmistakably clear how they feel about solar energy. Nearly 73 percent of them voted to approve an amendment providing a tax break for businesses that convert to solar power. That was just what backers of clean energy in Florida wanted, of course. Now they have a […]

Peter SchorschSeptember 15, 2016

Florida’s top utility is kicking its solar capacity into high gear, celebrating the halfway mark of an audacious goal of one million solar panels in operation by the end of 2016. Florida Power & Light, the state’s largest solar power generator, announced Thursday the installation of its 500,000th solar panel, part of a plan to […]

Tag: Florida Power & Light

Tampa Bay Times’ mind-boggling figures in ‘rooftop solar fight’ don’t add up

Bob Graham says passage of Amendment 1 could affect the solar initiative passed in August

Solar Amendment 1 committee takes in another $3.5M, now at $25M raised

Duke, FPL fuel pro-David Jolly super PAC

Loranne Ausley opposes special interests – while her PAC takes their money

Solar power advocates blast ‘deceptive strategy’ behind Amendment 1

Outside group hits David Jolly over nuke fees

Solar incentives the focus of new Consumer Energy Alliance report

Joe Henderson: For solar energy supporters, Amendment 1 raises red flags

FPL halfway to sunny goal of 1 million solar panels installed by year’s end