SOLAR’S FLORIDA AND TEXAS PROBLEMS

Cloudy Prospects for Rooftop Solar’s Growth in Florida: Energy

Mark Chediak, February 16, 2015 (Bloomberg News)

“…Florida ranks near the top for the amount of solar potential, yet comes in 15th for home solar systems. Texas, which rivals California for most sun resources, comes in 11th in installed residential panels…What makes them different from California, the top market for solar power, is cheaper utility rates and the lack of policies to encourage rooftop panels…The average cost of a home solar system has dropped about 70 percent since 1988, and they are now cost competitive with grid-supplied power in 42 U.S. cities including Dallas and Miami…Many utilities, meanwhile, have been cautious about encouraging residential solar because they lose revenue when customers start producing their own power…Under Florida law, only utilities can sell power to retail customers…[That shuts out] solar leasing, the no-money-down model that’s made residential the fastest-growing part of the U.S. solar market…Solar advocates point to the state’s lack of a renewable power standard as another impediment...Texas has such a mandate…[but] is one of seven states that doesn’t require utilities to [net meter and] buy power from consumers’ home-solar systems…[making] home solar is far less economical…” click here for more

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