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 But a state legislator and officials of some conservation
organizations argued that electric utilities just want to eliminate
cheap, renewable energy and create an ever-increasing demand for
more power plants.
The Florida Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities,
scheduled three days of hearings this week in a five-year review of
its requirements that power companies help consumers with better
windows, insulation, air conditioning and other efficiency measures.
The companies add a few dollars per thousand kilowatt hours to fund
the incentives.
Florida Power & Light company attorney John Butler asked the
five-member commission to let the requirement of solar subsidies
expire this year. He said the kickbacks have not brought down the
cost of panels but have made everyone pay for the benefit of those
who can afford them.
"In short, the solar pilots have demonstrated only that offering a
limited pool of rebates will create a stampede of the fortunate few,
working to make the rest of our customers subsidize their rooftop
systems," he said.
But attorney Diana Csank of the Sierra Club said conservation can
delay the need for plant construction. She said that's what the
power companies really dislike as it cuts into their revenue.
"This is a case about money and risk," she said. "Resource decisions
and goals set this year will decide how much energy efficiency the
lowest-cost, lowest-risk resource we will have to protect Florida's
consumers from the rising costs and risks of power plants," she
added.
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Alton Drew, an attorney for the state chapter of the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), urged the
PSC to consider economic fairness.
"Implementation of conservation goals and programs should not
require those who can least afford to invest in a highly efficient
air-conditioner or solar rooftop panels to support those who do have
the financial means to do so, and wish to do so," Drew said.
David Guest of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said the poor
have a stake in holding down future demand for power plants.
"The minority communities are disproportionately victimized by the
pollution from power plants and they are disproportionately
victimized by climate change," he said.
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