Legislature Sends Anti-Rooftop Solar Bill to DeSantis

On Tuesday, the Florida Senate joined the Florida House in passing an anti-rooftop solar bill that was drafted by lobbyists working for FPL. The bill phases out incentives for rooftop solar which advocates say will greatly reduce consumers’ ability to lower their utility bills by selling excess power back to a grid, a process known as net metering. The bill passed 24-15 along partisan lines.

Environmental groups and solar advocates have been denouncing the bill since it was filed.

"Despite rising costs of living, including massive increases in monthly bills, the Florida Legislature just voted to make it harder for Floridians to install cost-saving rooftop solar panels, and to devastate an industry which provides thousands of good jobs," said Jonathan Webber of the advocacy group Florida Conservation Voters in a release issued after the Senate vote. "There is zero data or research to back up the assumptions in this bill. Its passage is nothing less than legislative malpractice. Florida's families deserve better and the climate crisis demands better. Now it's on the Governor to show he stands with families by vetoing this bad bill."

Senator Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) voted in favor of the bill on Tuesday. Manatee County representatives in the Florida House, Will Robinson and Tommy Gregory (both Republicans) had previously voted in favor of the House version of the bill.

If signed into law by Governor DeSantis, HB 741 would require customers with solar systems to have a "net metering application“ approved by their power provider. Those approved between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2025, would be offset by 75 percent of the amount credited.

Customers with applications approved from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026 would only see their bills offset to 60 percent. For applicants approved from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2028, the credit would be reduced to 50 percent.

In January of 2029, the Florida Public Service Commission would be required to draft new rules for net metering, and applications for resident-owned or leased solar credits would be approved to continue at the rate last set, for the next 20 years. After that, utility companies would be able to petition the PSC to impose new charges for customers who had made use of net metering credits and owned or leased renewable power generators, while voiding credits for those providing solar power to their utility company.

Critics point out that the changes would effectively take away any financial incentive to use rooftop solar energy, and instead allow power companies to charge all customers based on usage alone.