Lawmakers Propose All Renewable Energy by 2040

Tallahassee, FL – Two Democratic lawmakers have filed proposals that would require Florida to generate all of its electricity through renewable energy by 2040. Sen. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach, filed a Senate version (SB 366) of the proposal Tuesday, after Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, filed the House version (HB 81) last week. The bills are filed for consideration during the 2022 legislative session, which will start in January. The proposals would direct the Office of Energy in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to develop a plan to meet the 100 percent renewable-energy requirement by 2040. As part of that, the state would have to be at 50 percent renewable energy statewide by 2030. The bills also include other measures aimed at addressing climate change, including reducing the state’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. Also, they would ban drilling or production of oil and gas in the state. Utilities in recent years have started building large solar-energy facilities in various parts of the state, but Florida remains heavily reliant on natural gas to generate electricity. Along with solar, the bills cite potential renewable-energy sources such as wind and biomass.