While green energy supporters and solar companies celebrate Gov. Ron DeSantis' net metering bill veto, not everyone is completely satisfied.

What You Need To Know

  • Net solar metering is where homeowners with rooftop solar are able to sell their excess power back to their supplier at a certain rate

  • Lobbyists have pushed for that rate to decrease

  • Locals claim that the key reason for switching to solar panels is to reduce power bills

On Wednesday, the governor vetoed HB 741, which would have reduced the benefits residential homeowners receive from net metering over time.

Net metering allows excess energy produced by residents with rooftop solar is sent back to the electrical grid in exchange for credits or payments from local energy companies. DeSantis said he vetoed it because of inflation.

The Republican-led Florida legislature voted in favor of the bill, and sent it to the governor’s desk.

“We’re a little concerned with what the future brings,” homeowner and rooftop solar user Jodi James told Spectrum News. “We’re concerned it’s going to come up next legislative session.”

Several special interest groups pushed for the legislation to be passed.

“They’re so many elements in play that we have no control over,” she said. “We just wanted to do something good for our family. We wanted to do something good for our future.”

James said the idea behind the switch to solar was to save money from electrical bills, save the environment and improve the home for her children. She plans to leave her home to her children one day.

An Orlando Utilities Commission spokesperson released the following statement in reaction to the veto:

“We are aware of the governor’s decision, although it does not affect OUC as it is specific to public utilities, and OUC is a municipal utility. As part of our goal to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we remain committed to investments in solar and energy storage. Additionally, we will continue to review our solar offerings to ensure we are positioned to meet the community’s demands of the future.”

A Florida Power and Light spokesperson also responded to the developments:

“At FPL, we are always working to deliver clean, reliable energy while keeping customer bills affordable. We remain committed to finding an equitable net metering solution for all Floridians. FPL is leading the nation’s largest solar expansion and we will continue to advance solar that is cost-effective for all our customers.”

Likewise, a Duke Energy spokesperson released a statement after DeSantis' veto:

“Duke Energy Florida will review the Governor’s veto message and continue our commitment to our customers to provide clean, reliable and affordable. The company leads the state in the amount of customer-owned or leased renewable generator interconnections, which includes on average, over 1,300 new customers per month. Duke Energy Florida is a strong supporter of solar and is committed to providing dependable and cost-efficient clean energy to customers.”

Since the switch to solar, James said she has saved hundreds of dollars on electricity bills.