Duke Energy Florida, Vote Solar and SACE petitions for 750-MW community solar project

A solar program petition and stipulation between Duke Energy Florida (DEF), Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), Vote Solar and Walmart, filed at the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) in support of DEF’s Clean Energy Connections community solar program will, if approved, allow DEF customers to participate in one of the largest community solar program in the United States that helps to meet the growing demand for solar in Florida.

The Clean Energy Connections program will lead to the construction of 750 MW of clean, solar power in Florida in the 2022 to 2024 timeframe. SACE is proud to be a signatory to a stipulation among several stakeholders that contain provisions ensuring a significant low-income customer allocation and economic and cleaner energy outcomes for all customers. In particular, SACE engaged on provisions that will help eliminate future proposed gas plants with solar plus storage installations and continue to protect the rights of rooftop solar net metering customers.

Both utility-scale and rooftop solar installations continue to grow in Florida, as highlighted in SACE’s recently released “Solar in the Southeast” report, and solar program designs, such as Clean Energy Connections, are helping to accelerate solar development in the Sunshine State.

The Clean Energy Connections program will share cost savings with all customers and maximize the customer experience by allowing participation with no upfront subscription fees, allowing flexible subscription amounts, no cancellation fees, and allow the subscription to stay with the customer if they move within DEF’s service territory.

“Clean Energy Connections will not only help meet the growing demand for solar power in Florida but also increase access to the economic benefits of solar to even more hard-working families, including low-income customers,” said Stephen Smith, executive director of SACE. “We appreciate Duke Energy’s openness to allowing more cost-effective solar power to reduce the need for additional fossil fuel assets and provide a cleaner energy mix to Florida customers. Clean Energy Connections is critical to making Florida a leader in solar power development and capturing the economic benefits of solar power – including job creation. We believe the stipulation strengthens the program and clean energy outcomes for the state and urge the commission to approve it.”

News item from Duke Energy Florida

Original Source: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2020/07/duke-energy-florida-vote-solar-and-sace-petitions-for-community-solar-project/