This item supports the County Commission’s Value: Encouraging investments in renewable energy, sustainable practices and environmental protection; and Goals to: 1) Seek funding for, implement policies and pursue projects promoting, the use of alternative energy, resource conservation, sustainable practices and environmental protection; 2) Proactively lead in the planning, design, and construction of projects to support community resilience and climate adaptation, including coordination with other entities to foster resilient design as part of all local and regional projects in support of the County’s commitment to a 20% renewable energy goal, and 82% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
On November 29, 2018, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) announced plans for the Solar Together Program, an FPL Shared Solar Program designed to expand solar investments within the FPL service area in a shared cost program that allows customers to achieve direct renewable energy offsets for energy consumption and assignment of renewable energy credits. Pre-registration is provided for commercial, industrial and municipal customers with a pre-registration window from November 29, 2018 to January 25, 2019.
Approval of this item authorizes county staff to pre-register the County as a subscriber in FPL’s Solar Together Program with a stated intent to subscribe to 14,574 kilowatts (or 14.5 MW) of solar-generated electric power to be produced specifically for this program. Program capacity has not been specified, but applications will be time-stamped and the potential exists for capacity to be exhausted. Pre-registration also allows FPL to gauge total program interest in submitting the program and tariff to the Public Service Commission (PSC) for approval (anticipated by 10/31/2019).
Once approved, FPL will establish a program opening date, upon which subscribers will then have ten days to cancel or forego enrollment. The County will have the ability to cancel or reduce its allocation at any time after the program opening date. Program participants will also have the ability to increase their kW purchased once a year, subject to then-available Program capacity.
The cost of program participation is based on a subscription charge of $6.76 per kW. However, this rate is then discounted based on a subscription credit that is returned to the customer, at a rate of $0.0308 per kW/hour. It is estimated that the average customer will achieve simple payback in five to seven years.
The County’s proposed initial subscription of 14,574 kilowatts is based on the renewable energy required to fully offset energy consumption associated with three primary county buildings: government center west, government center east, and the County Courthouse. Based on the most recent 12 months of billing and the FPL Subscription Estimator, staff estimates a 3% increase in monthly billing, equivalent to $3,358 per month or $40,294 per year, at this level of participation. Program billing is anticipated to commence in March, 2020.
FPL’s Solar Together Program provides a unique means for expanding vital investment and participation in the use of solar energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. The science is clear in establishing the direct relationship between CO2 emissions and the warming of our planet. It is with this knowledge that national and subnational governments from across the globe have collectively committed to reducing emissions to limit global warming to less that 2oC above preindustrial levels. Unfortunately, even this level of collective action will likely be insufficient, as noted in the October 2018 Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5oC, issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This report noted the severe environmental consequences to be realized with 2oC warming as compared to a recommended target of 1.5oC. The report also noted the necessary acceleration of clean energy action and potential reworking of entire energy systems needed achieve the requisite emissions for this preferred alternative. These findings were reinforced in the 4th National Climate Assessment released on November 23, 2018, providing an updated assessment of climate change impacts and predications for communities across the United States. The predications reinforce the need to dramatically curtail CO2 emissions, across all sectors, regions, and nations.
It is with this knowledge that the County has made bold commitments and strategic investments to lead on clean energy and energy efficiency action. This includes the County’s signatory as a partner in the Under2 MOU (Item 12, November 14, 2017), committing to emissions reduction necessary to achieve no more than 2oC of warming (and aligned actions to achieve a zero emissions fleet by 2030), support for county-wide Property Assessed Clean Energy (Item 52, June 14, 2016), approval of a Broward County Renewable Energy Action Plan (Item 57, October 28, 2014), establishment of a county-wide 20% renewable energy goal (Item 5, February 4, 2014), and a regional goal to achieve an 82% reduction in regional greenhouse gas emissions relative to 2003 emissions by 2050.
Participation in FPL’s Solar Together Program provides an opportunity to further the County’s clean energy commitments with demonstrated investment in solar through a collaborative partnership that will help scale solar installations in our state and region, with the particular benefit of being able bring the benefits of renewable energy to county facilities that do not lend to onsite solar project installation based on the age, nature, or location of the structure or site. Of added benefit, should any of the referenced facilities be alternated in the future, the county’s renewable energy subscription can be transferred to another county facility, retaining the renewable energy investment as part of the County’s energy portfolio.
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