The Gainesville City Commission unanimously approved a groundbreaking project (yesterday, July 16, 2020) that will bring 50 megawatts of affordable solar power to the community by 2022. It will be the first utility-scale solar+storage project in the utility’s service territory. It will be located in Alachua County, approximately 2 miles South of GRU’s Parker Road […]
Two new Florida Municipal Solar Project Plants Begin Commercial Operation
Today, the Harmony and Taylor Creek Solar Energy Centers began commercial operation, marking a Central Florida solar expansion milestone. These two new Central Florida solar farms that are part of one of the largest municipal-backed solar projects in the nation. Harmony Solar Energy Center in St. Cloud and the Taylor Creek Solar Energy Center in […]
Annual Solar in the Southeast Report Released
The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), a FAASSTeR project partner, has released it’s third annual Solar in the Southeast Report. The report highlights solar growth, policies, and approaches across seven southeastern states. It includes rolling four-year forward forecast, now covering the period out to 2023, solar watts per customer comparison, SACE’s annual list of […]
OUC Announces New Strategic Plan including Net-Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050
50% Reduction in CO2 by 2030 The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC – The Reliable One) announced a new strategic plan for 2025 that includes a commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and a goal to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 from 2005 levels. Moving toward net-zero emissions, while ensuring energy remains reliable and affordable, […]
Grid Integration Data Book Released
Latest Grid Data Book Reveals Key Trends in Renewable Integration, published by NREL and LBNL. 2018 Edition of the Biennial Data Compilation Identifies Changes in Markets and Power System Operations as Renewables are Integrated onto the Grid The share of variable renewable energy (VRE)—mainly solar and wind—generation on U.S. regional power systems more than doubled […]
OUC Commissioners Approve Plan to Add 149 Megawatts of Solar Power
Increased Solar Capacity Moves Orlando Closer to Renewable Energy Goal ORLANDO (Oct. 8, 2019) – The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC – The Reliable One) took a major step today in transitioning to renewable energy resources with the approval of a plan to add 149 megawatts of solar power to OUC’s generation portfolio doubling the utility’s […]
Florida Department of Environmental Protection funded solar array in Marianna
City of Marianna officials and special guests cut the ribbon on a new municipal solar farm, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. The solar project, partially funded by Florida DEP, included building two photovoltaic solar power plants – a 1.9 MW DC facility at the wastewater treatment plant site; and a 400 KW DC facility at the […]
GRU leading the state in renewable energy usage
Gainesville Regional Utility (GRU) officials report that the city in 2019 has run on more renewable energy resources than any other city in the state. According to GRU’s most recent Renewable Energy Report, Gainesville Regional Utilities used nearly 42% renewable energy for the first part of 2019, most of which came from its biomass plant. […]
FPL and OUC declared “SunRisers” in Solar in the Southeast 2018 report
Florida Power & Light (FPL) and Orlando Utility Commission (OUC) earned the “Sunriser” designation, demonstrating leading levels of planned solar growth over the next four years. Of particular note is FPL’s ambitious “30 by 30” plan which will more than double their annual pace of solar expansion. On April 11, 2019, Southern Alliance for Clean […]
City of Tallahassee sets 100 percent renewable energy goal for 2050
On February 20, 2019, the Tallahassee City Commission adopted a Clean Energy Resolution which outlines the City’s goal of moving toward 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. The City has determined several milestones and have already started making progress toward this goal. For example, construction on the City’s 40MW Solar Farm 2, is scheduled to […]