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One Florida Electricity Utility Saved $375 Million In Fuel Costs Last Year By Investing In Solar

Florida Power & Light, the largest electric utility in Florida, saved $375 million in fuel costs in 2022 by investing in solar. They also announced plans to reduce customer charges by close to the same amount.

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Political donations in exchange for higher interest rates?

Short-term lenders are donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to Florida politicians in a bid to get higher interest rates on short term loans.

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Utility Monopolies Drive Up Our Energy Bills. How Some Floridians Create Their Own Power To Save Money

Some Floridians have created their own mini power plants on their roofs to get relief from high energy bills from monopoly utility companies. But it is not going off-grid. Just the opposite.

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Is A Program To Help Florida Homeowners Struggling with Soaring Property Insurance Premiums Too Successful?

The My Safe Florida Home Program helps homeowners with needed home hardening projects and can help potentially lower their property insurance premiums. Why it’s already running out of money.

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Why Is Your Electric Bill So High? New Reports Show How Power Companies Spend Your Money On Politics, and it’s 100% Legal

New reports reveal the extent to which major electric companies like FPL use money from your electric bill in lobbying and other political activities. And it’s all perfectly legal, a fact that some elected leaders think is a problem.

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Revealed: 75% of Florida’s Electricity Generated From One Volatile Fuel

Natural gas is the primary source of fuel for all of Florida’s major electricity companies. And the price fluctuations associated with natural gas hit Floridians’ pocketbooks hard.

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Solar Energy Gains Popularity in Southwest Florida Thanks to Affordability and Reliability

Solar energy proved its reliability and its affordability, even after devastating hurricanes hit Southwest Florida.

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Farming + Solar Power: Can Agrivoltaics Cultivate a Brighter Future in Florida?

In Florida, 75% of electricity comes from natural gas, causing price spikes for customers. Agrivoltaics offers a solution, allowing large scale solar projects without giving up farming land.

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New Florida Law Cuts the Time to Sue Your Builder for Construction Issues

A new law signed by Governor DeSantis means that property owners have less time to make a complaint against builders about construction problems.

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Five New Laws Gov. DeSantis Quietly Signed That Will Impact Floridians’ Wallets

There were a number of under-the-radar laws signed by Governor DeSantis with little fanfare but with significant financial impact on Floridians. Find out how your lawmakers voted on these bills with our new scorecard.

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What’s in the New Florida Consumer Protection Bill to Empower and Safeguard Consumers?

Consumer protection laws are vital to ensure economic fairness and transparency in the Florida marketplace. In 2023, we had a fairly comprehensive pair of consumer protection bills filed (HB 1185 & SB 1398) that will enhance consumer rights and provide stronger safeguards.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis’s Surprising Record on Solar Energy in Florida

He may not flaunt his support for solar energy, but Governor DeSantis has promoted a free market that gave solar the chance to succeed – as the most efficient, reliable, and affordable option.

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The Future is Electric: Florida’s EV Industry Boom An Opportunity For Jobs

Job opportunities abound in Florida’s Electric Vehicle industry, from scientists conducting research to manufacturing workers who build vehicles, to those building out electric charging infrastructure.

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Expect More Volatile Natural Gas Prices as Oil and Gas Companies Put Investor Profits First

Deloitte’s forecast suggests natural gas prices, which experienced huge swings in 2022, will continue on the same volatile path this year.

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Duke Energy building a floating solar farm at a Polk County cooling pond

Polk County will see one of Florida’s first floating solar installations as Duke Energy installs an experimental floating solar farm on one of its cooling ponds

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FPL Parent Company NextEra Slammed With Class Action Lawsuit Over Florida Election Fraud Allegations

FPL is in the news again — this time, their parent company NextEra Energy, has been slammed with a class-action lawsuit over FPL’s alleged involvement with election fraud schemes.

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US $100 bills.

Did the 2023 Florida Legislative Session Do Anything to Make Florida Affordable Again?

Costs are getting out of control for too many Florida families, and wages are not keeping pace. For many, this is now “the Florida Squeeze.” Did Florida’s legislature do anything this session to Make Florida Affordable Again? Take a look:

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Moody’s Credit Rating Agency Comments on the State Takeover of the Gainesville Regional Utility

Moody’s Investors Service issued what they call a “comment” on the impact of a state-appointed board for GRU. The firm expressed concern the change would lead to “potentially cutting financial transfers to the city and hurting its credit quality.”

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Florida: Brace Yourself for Double-Digit Rate Increases from Citizens Property Insurance

Citizens Property Insurance, the state-backed property insurer of last resort for Florida residents, announced that it would be hiking insurance rates. Here’s what you need to know about the latest property insurance increases.

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DeSantis Targets Disney’s Free Speech 

The Citizens United decision supports Disney’s claim that Governor DeSantis violated its First Amendment rights by retaliating against the company for opposing a law.

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Florida Legislators Revise Property Insurance Bill, Insurers’ Profits Stay Hidden

A new property insurance bill falls short on profit transparency- insurers’ profits stay hidden.

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Rep. Michael Gottlieb, D-Davie

Attacking unions does not mean freedom for Florida workers | Opinion

Guest author Rep. Mike Gottlieb (D-Davie) argues that any attempt to undermine the right to organize unions is an attack on our democracy and on the fundamental values of freedom and liberty that we hold dear.

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Gainesville Regional Utility sign

Gainesville Is One Step Closer To Losing Control of its Utility

A bill to take over the Gainesville Regional Utility, a municipally owned utility, and replace its board with a governor-appointed board, advanced out of a Florida House Committee on April 19.

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The Next Disney-Style Takeover for DeSantis: The Gainesville Regional Utility

Just as the Florida Legislature advanced a law to claw back control over Disney’s special taxing district, they advanced a separate bill to give Gov. DeSantis control over a municipally-owned electric utility.

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The Public Service Commission has abandoned Florida’s seniors to FPL | Opinion

Guest author Martha Pelaez writes that older consumers are bearing the brunt of the rising cost of electricity. The reason: The Florida Public Service Commission has proven to be the puppet of Florida Power & Light, the electric monopoly that supplies electricity to much of the state.

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An EV charging station

Opinion: State must prohibit utilities from taking over EV charging networks

Guest columnist John Peyton argues that Florida’s electric vehicle charging marketplace is a monopoly. He argues that Florida should level the playing field in EV charging.

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The Playbook to Privatize G.R.U. and Raise Rates

Why the bill to take over Gainesville’s publicly owned utility is part of a long playbook to privatize it and sell it to one of Florida’s major electric utility monopolies.

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Florida Republicans’ union-busting bill is a sexist assault on front-line workers | Opinion 

Guest author Rep. Dotie Joseph points out that lawmakers in the Florida Legislature want to make it harder for nurses and teachers’ unions to sustain themselves, unions which are dominated by women. Male-dominated unions are carved out.

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Solar on Schools Saves Money, Saves Lives

Florida schools are falling behind states with far less sunshine. Will 2023 be the year solar schools make the grade?

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Electric Vehicle Wars Heating Up In Florida

There’s an electric vehicle war in Florida: Investor-Owned Utilities vs Gas Stations and Charging manufacturers, which calls for increased competition so consumers can benefit.

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