What does the future hold for solar electrical jobs?

FLORIDA–Legislation allowing Florida’s big investor-owned electric companies to raise customer rates to build large-scale renewable energy projects passed its first committee in the Florida House Monday, but an amendment that would have carved out a place for rooftop solar projects, biomass plants and other small energy producers was withdrawn after facing opposition.

Small solar company owners from across the state packed the committee chamber to plead for the carve out. Many of the company owners said they have laid off most of their employees over the last two years after the state ran out of rebate funds for small solar projects and business declined dramatically.

“My rooftop construction company will be able to create jobs once again,” if the amendment passes said Monica Kennedy, owner of Elite Solar Services in Sarasota.

But representatives from large electric companies like Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy said the smaller companies are unregulated and unreliable, and allowing them to participate would make the energy more expensive. The large utilities have fought hard in the Legislature in recent years against allowing smaller companies to share in electricity generation.

In introducing his amendment, Rep. Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, acknowledged “it is a significant change in the way we do policy and the way that we manage our utility needs now and in the future in this state.”

Most representatives said they supported the concept of smaller, distributed energy projects. A similar program in New Jersey has created thousands of solar jobs and one in Gainesville has roughly 100 individuals selling solar energy to the city’s electric company.

Bill sponsor Rep. Clay Ford, R-Gulf Breeze, said he sympathized with what Albritton was trying to do but called the amendment “premature” and implied that opposition from the large electric companies to the bill with the amendment attached would “slow the entire process down.”

Ford promised to work with Albritton and proponents of small-scale energy projects to see if a deal can be reached as the bill moves forward. Albritton withdrew his amendment and the bill passed the House Energy & Utilities Subcommittee unanimously.

This article was originally published here.