Florida's solar boom could face federal road block if tax credit eliminated
The Brief
Florida just became No. 2 in the U.S. for solar power capacity, surpassing California.
A federal budget bill may soon eliminate the 30% tax credit homeowners get for installing solar panels.
The bill has passed the House and is now in the Senate, where solar advocates hope key changes are made.
TAMPA, Fla. - Florida has seen a massive surge in solar energy, with the state now producing enough solar power to run more than 2 million homes. Nearly 30,000 homeowners installed solar panels this year, taking advantage of a 30% federal tax credit that offsets costs — often saving homeowners thousands of dollars.
What we know
But that incentive is now at risk. A large federal budget bill coined the "Big Beautiful Bill" moving through Congress includes provisions to eliminate the solar tax credit entirely. The legislation has already cleared the House and is expected to pass the Senate this month.
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What they're saying
Solar advocates like Stephen Smith, the CEO of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, warn the move could devastate the solar industry.
"Are we really going to, as a nation, just destroy what is one of the biggest booms in clean energy?" Smith said. "It's really just going to kneecap the solar industry in Florida, pull the rug out from under the ability for solar to continue to grow, particularly in the residential sector."
The other side
The push to cut the solar tax credit comes as part of the Trump administration's broader effort to dismantle pieces of the Green New Deal, which was backed by former President Joe Biden.
READ:State testing for possible blue-green algae at Lake Crago in Polk County
"I will stop Biden's trillions of dollars in wasteful spending and rapidly terminate the Green New Scam," President Trump has said.
The White House press secretary echoed that this year, saying cutting this funding would save Americans tens of millions of dollars.
The Source
The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Evyn Moon.
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