Feb 21, 2022
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried voiced her opposition of HB 741, legislation to end net metering, which would cause severe harm to the solar industry and clean energy future, ahead of its consideration by the Florida House State Administration and Technology Appropriations Subcommittee this afternoon. A recent poll found that 84 percent of Floridians support net metering that is seen as key to the continued growth of solar in the Sunshine State.
“This bill would effectively pull the plug on the competitive solar market in our state and the 40,000 jobs it supports. It’s bad for consumers, bad for the environment, and bad for our economy. In the Sunshine State, we should be doing everything we can to support the solar industry, not handicapping it with bad bills like this.”
Background: Commissioner Fried has been a strong advocate for solar and clean energy during her time in office. She worked with State Senator Tina Polsky and Representative Kelly Skidmore to introduce legislation that would create an aggressive, statewide climate change mitigation strategy which would phase out state greenhouse gas emissions 100 percent by 2055, implement new standards for solar panel installations and consumer protections, and allow for a method called “floating solar” in which solar panels can be installed in retention pond systems.
