Harnessing clean power through free enterprise

From Sun Papers (Englewood, Port Charlotte, Northport) February 27, 2017

Guest Column

‘Coty’ Keller

The Sun’s front page article on Feb. 19, "Solar Energy Surging," might make it seem like great things are happening with solar power in Florida. I am of the opinion that what is in the works is only a drop in the bucket compared to what we need.

The Union of Concerned Scientists and the U.N. Panel on Climate advise that we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent right away (by 2025), with 80 percent reductions by mid-century.

Generating electricity is a large part of our emissions problem — it emits more carbon dioxide than our cars, planes and homes combined. By boasting that they are

tripling their solar production, when solar represents less than 1 percent of their generation capability, FPL is saying they are not up to really solving the problem.

So how can we achieve real reductions in emissions, while creating jobs, boosting the economy and having Florida become the real Sunshine State? Here is what I think we need to do:

Congress should enact Carbon Fee and Dividend legislation. The fee is imposed at the mine, well or port of entry. It starts at $15 for every ton of CO2 the fuels will emit. Every year the fee is increased another $10.

Money collected from the carbon fee are returned directly to households as a monthly dividend. About two-thirds of households will break even or receive more than they would pay in higher prices. This proposal is supported by energy companies such as Exxon-Mobil because they will be able to plan and reduce risk.

Electric utilities should upgrade business models so they will be generating less power even with inevitable population growth. This can be achieved by expanding distributed power (rooftop solar in particular) and helping customers conserve power by making their homes and businesses more efficient.

Utilities also will be shifting from heat trapping gas-emitting sources of energy to non-emitters (solar, wind, hydro, nuclear) and making money doing so because of the steadily increasing price of carbon. Monthly statements to customers will make it clear how much (and what kind of) power everyone is using and how much each of us is responsible for emitting. These sorts of statements also will let everyone know what progress we are making toward our goals of 50 percent reductions by 2025, 80 percent by mid-century.

Local governments should tighten up building codes so all new construction and renovated buildings conserve energy. The 90-plus percent savings that can be achieved (with LEED and Service Star standards) in energy bills will pay handsome economic returns to home/building owners. Meanwhile, utilities won’t have to generate so much power.

State government must require electrical utilities to produce at least 50 percent of their output from non-emitting sources (solar, wind, hydro, nuclear) by 2025 and 80 percent by 2050. Because of the steadily increasing price of carbon, this transition will happen more by choice than by mandate. Because the revenues will be returned to households in the form of monthly dividends, family budgets will be bolstered and the economy will be stimulated.

Florida also must upgrade the energy conservation program (free energy audits, etc.) to help people use less energy. We also must make Virtual Net Metering into law. Also called Group or Neighborhood Metering, this allows utility customers to share the electricity output from a single solar power generator. Folks in a condominium or apartment building, for example, could share the benefits from a common, larger photo-voltaic system.

With these kinds of solutions, Florida will quickly begin to look like the Sunshine State, with solar panels on rooftops and in large power plants —everywhere you look. The power of free enterprise will assure not only a stable climate, but a robust economy, more jobs, better health and more secure household income.

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A Vietnam veteran, William "Coty" Keller is an ecologist, working to conserve and restore the natural relationships among living things and the environment. He lives and works in Port Charlotte. Current projects include leading the local chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, eradicating invasive species from the mangroves in the Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve, and promoting action on Climate Change with Florida Veterans for Common Sense.