Latest news with #SydKitson
CNBC
02-08-2025
- Business
- CNBC
How Florida quietly surpassed California in solar growth
Solar energy is booming across the U.S. and, for the first time, Florida is catching up to industry powerhouses Texas and California. Despite removing climate change from its official state policy in 2024, Florida added more utility-scale solar than California last year, with over 3 gigawatts of new capacity coming online. "This is not a fluke," said Sylvia Leyva Martinez, senior analyst at Wood Mackenzie. "Florida is now shaping national solar growth." The surge is being driven by utilities, not rooftop panels. Florida Power & Light alone built over 70% of the state's new solar last year. A state rule lets developers skip lengthy siting reviews for projects under 75 megawatts, which speeds up construction and cuts costs. "There's no silver bullet," said Syd Kitson, founder of Babcock Ranch, a town designed to be powered almost entirely by solar. "But one thing Florida got right is acceptance. Here, people want solar. And we're proving it works." Babcock Ranch runs on its own microgrid and stayed online during Hurricane Ian in 2022, while much of southwest Florida went dark. "We didn't lose power, internet, or water," said Don Bishop, a homeowner there. "That changes how you think about energy." The economics are doing the rest. With industrial demand rising and natural gas prices climbing, solar is increasingly the cheapest option, even without subsidies. "Utilities aren't building solar because it's green," Martinez said. "They're doing it because it's cheaper." But new challenges are emerging. In July, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill, which accelerates the rollback of solar and wind tax credits. Homeowners lose the federal investment credit after 2025. Developers face tighter deadlines and stricter sourcing rules. "It won't kill the market," said Zoë Gaston, an analyst who follows the solar industry at Wood Mackenzie. "But it makes the math harder." Analysts now expect a 42% drop in rooftop solar installs in Florida over the next five years. And while utility-scale growth continues, grid constraints are becoming an issue. Utilities are pouring money into storage, smart infrastructure, and grid upgrades to keep up. Babcock Ranch is piloting new microgrid systems to add resilience. The hope is that other communities can take the playbook and adapt it, storm-proofing neighborhoods one block at a time. "We've been testing this for years," Kitson said. "Now it's about scale. It's about showing others they can do it too." The bigger question is whether Florida can keep this momentum going without policy support, and while still leaning heavily on natural gas. "Florida has the solar resources," said Mark Jacobson, a professor at Stanford's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. "What's missing is political consistency." Watch the video to see how Florida became a solar leader and what could slow it down.
Associated Press
09-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Streetleaf Illuminates Babcock Ranch, Bringing Solar-Powered Streetlights to The Hometown of Tomorrow, Further Broadening the Community's Sustainability Focus and Resilience
Tampa, Florida, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Streetleaf, the leading provider of solar-powered streetlight services in the United States, today announced that the company is now illuminating six public parks at Babcock Ranch – America's first solar-powered town located in Southwest Florida. Babcock Ranch's dedication to sustainability and resilience aligns with Streetleaf's focus on providing resilient infrastructure options. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Streetleaf's mission to provide a renewable energy alternative to traditional on-grid services for forward-thinking communities in Florida and across the country. 'At Babcock Ranch, our goal is to lead the way in sustainable development and key partners like Streetlfeaf, with their incredible expertise in solar street lighting, are an important part of making that possible,' said Syd Kitson, Chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, developer of Babcock Ranch. 'Streetleaf's innovative approach aligns perfectly with our commitment to building a community that sets new standards for sustainability, innovation and resilience.' The partnership between Babcock Ranch and Streetleaf will roll out in four phases. The first phase began and was completed in the fall of 2024, and the other three are planned by the end of 2025. There are 110 Streetleaf streetlights currently installed and illuminating The PKWY at Babcock Ranch, an expansive collection of six interconnected public parks. These include Bluebird Park, Hillcrest Park,The Lagoon, Explorers Park, Bark Park and Palmetto Park. Streetleaf provides the installation, lighting, routine maintenance, and 24/7 monitoring. Each light also has the ability to attach security cameras for safety and banners for social purposes to each of the poles, all while still maintaining wind ratings. 'Babcock Ranch is known for its forward-thinking sustainability and resilience, and we are honored to be their streetlighting provider,' stated Liam Ryan, CEO of Streetleaf. 'This highlights the need to meet the demand for sustainable living solutions, and storm resilient infrastructure especially in Florida.' Babcock Ranch is recognized as a Shine on Florida community. This is a statewide program hosted by Streetleaf to encourage local leaders and businesses to install Streetleaf's hurricane resilient streetlights for safety and light in advance of the upcoming hurricane season. ABOUT STREETLEAF Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Streetleaf specializes in integrating modern, renewable technology into communities through one of the most essential yet often-overlooked features—streetlights. Since its founding in 2019, Streetleaf has installed over 10,000 lights across the country, from Florida to California, and is rapidly growing to meet the rising demand for resilient, sustainable solutions. Streetleaf uses high-quality, dependable and proprietary hardware, software, and service to partner with land developers, builders, municipalities, utilities, and HOAs to create safer, greener communities. A carbon-neutral certified company, Streetleaf is also Darksky approved, and has offset more than 4 million pounds of CO2 and counting. Learn more at To learn more about Shine On Florida visit Attachments Carson Quinn ZindseyMEDIA for Streetleaf 312.339.9779 [email protected]
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Streetleaf Illuminates Babcock Ranch, Bringing Solar-Powered Streetlights to The Hometown of Tomorrow, Further Broadening the Community's Sustainability Focus and Resilience
Hillcrest Park in Babcock Ranch is one of six parks where Streetleaf's solar-powered streetlights are currently installed. Bluebird Park in Babcock Ranch is one of six parks where Streetleaf's solar-powered streetlights are currently installed. Tampa, Florida, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Streetleaf, the leading provider of solar-powered streetlight services in the United States, today announced that the company is now illuminating six public parks at Babcock Ranch – America's first solar-powered town located in Southwest Florida. Babcock Ranch's dedication to sustainability and resilience aligns with Streetleaf's focus on providing resilient infrastructure options. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Streetleaf's mission to provide a renewable energy alternative to traditional on-grid services for forward-thinking communities in Florida and across the country. 'At Babcock Ranch, our goal is to lead the way in sustainable development and key partners like Streetlfeaf, with their incredible expertise in solar street lighting, are an important part of making that possible,' said Syd Kitson, Chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, developer of Babcock Ranch. "Streetleaf's innovative approach aligns perfectly with our commitment to building a community that sets new standards for sustainability, innovation and resilience.' The partnership between Babcock Ranch and Streetleaf will roll out in four phases. The first phase began and was completed in the fall of 2024, and the other three are planned by the end of 2025. There are 110 Streetleaf streetlights currently installed and illuminating The PKWY at Babcock Ranch, an expansive collection of six interconnected public parks. These include Bluebird Park, Hillcrest Park,The Lagoon, Explorers Park, Bark Park and Palmetto Park. Streetleaf provides the installation, lighting, routine maintenance, and 24/7 monitoring. Each light also has the ability to attach security cameras for safety and banners for social purposes to each of the poles, all while still maintaining wind ratings. 'Babcock Ranch is known for its forward-thinking sustainability and resilience, and we are honored to be their streetlighting provider,' stated Liam Ryan, CEO of Streetleaf. 'This highlights the need to meet the demand for sustainable living solutions, and storm resilient infrastructure especially in Florida.' Babcock Ranch is recognized as a Shine on Florida community. This is a statewide program hosted by Streetleaf to encourage local leaders and businesses to install Streetleaf's hurricane resilient streetlights for safety and light in advance of the upcoming hurricane season. ABOUT STREETLEAF Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Streetleaf specializes in integrating modern, renewable technology into communities through one of the most essential yet often-overlooked features—streetlights. Since its founding in 2019, Streetleaf has installed over 10,000 lights across the country, from Florida to California, and is rapidly growing to meet the rising demand for resilient, sustainable solutions. Streetleaf uses high-quality, dependable and proprietary hardware, software, and service to partner with land developers, builders, municipalities, utilities, and HOAs to create safer, greener communities. A carbon-neutral certified company, Streetleaf is also Darksky approved, and has offset more than 4 million pounds of CO2 and counting. Learn more at To learn more about Shine On Florida visit Attachments Hillcrest Park in Babcock Ranch is one of six parks where Streetleaf's solar-powered streetlights are currently installed. Bluebird Park in Babcock Ranch is one of six parks where Streetleaf's solar-powered streetlights are currently installed. CONTACT: Carson Quinn ZindseyMEDIA for Streetleaf 312.339.9779 carson@
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Streetleaf Illuminates Babcock Ranch, Bringing Solar-Powered Streetlights to The Hometown of Tomorrow, Further Broadening the Community's Sustainability Focus and Resilience
Hillcrest Park in Babcock Ranch is one of six parks where Streetleaf's solar-powered streetlights are currently installed. Bluebird Park in Babcock Ranch is one of six parks where Streetleaf's solar-powered streetlights are currently installed. Tampa, Florida, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Streetleaf, the leading provider of solar-powered streetlight services in the United States, today announced that the company is now illuminating six public parks at Babcock Ranch – America's first solar-powered town located in Southwest Florida. Babcock Ranch's dedication to sustainability and resilience aligns with Streetleaf's focus on providing resilient infrastructure options. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Streetleaf's mission to provide a renewable energy alternative to traditional on-grid services for forward-thinking communities in Florida and across the country. 'At Babcock Ranch, our goal is to lead the way in sustainable development and key partners like Streetlfeaf, with their incredible expertise in solar street lighting, are an important part of making that possible,' said Syd Kitson, Chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, developer of Babcock Ranch. "Streetleaf's innovative approach aligns perfectly with our commitment to building a community that sets new standards for sustainability, innovation and resilience.' The partnership between Babcock Ranch and Streetleaf will roll out in four phases. The first phase began and was completed in the fall of 2024, and the other three are planned by the end of 2025. There are 110 Streetleaf streetlights currently installed and illuminating The PKWY at Babcock Ranch, an expansive collection of six interconnected public parks. These include Bluebird Park, Hillcrest Park,The Lagoon, Explorers Park, Bark Park and Palmetto Park. Streetleaf provides the installation, lighting, routine maintenance, and 24/7 monitoring. Each light also has the ability to attach security cameras for safety and banners for social purposes to each of the poles, all while still maintaining wind ratings. 'Babcock Ranch is known for its forward-thinking sustainability and resilience, and we are honored to be their streetlighting provider,' stated Liam Ryan, CEO of Streetleaf. 'This highlights the need to meet the demand for sustainable living solutions, and storm resilient infrastructure especially in Florida.' Babcock Ranch is recognized as a Shine on Florida community. This is a statewide program hosted by Streetleaf to encourage local leaders and businesses to install Streetleaf's hurricane resilient streetlights for safety and light in advance of the upcoming hurricane season. ABOUT STREETLEAF Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Streetleaf specializes in integrating modern, renewable technology into communities through one of the most essential yet often-overlooked features—streetlights. Since its founding in 2019, Streetleaf has installed over 10,000 lights across the country, from Florida to California, and is rapidly growing to meet the rising demand for resilient, sustainable solutions. Streetleaf uses high-quality, dependable and proprietary hardware, software, and service to partner with land developers, builders, municipalities, utilities, and HOAs to create safer, greener communities. A carbon-neutral certified company, Streetleaf is also Darksky approved, and has offset more than 4 million pounds of CO2 and counting. Learn more at To learn more about Shine On Florida visit Attachments Hillcrest Park in Babcock Ranch is one of six parks where Streetleaf's solar-powered streetlights are currently installed. Bluebird Park in Babcock Ranch is one of six parks where Streetleaf's solar-powered streetlights are currently installed. CONTACT: Carson Quinn ZindseyMEDIA for Streetleaf 312.339.9779 carson@ in to access your portfolio
CNN
29-03-2025
- Climate
- CNN
This Florida town was built to withstand high winds. See how it worked
Babcock, Florida was developer Syd Kitson's sustainable dream town, built and engineered around its own solar array and to withstand flooding and high winds. CNN's Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir reports how the town held up through two hurricanes for 'Adaptation Nation' on "The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper" Sunday March 23 at 8pm ET/PT on CNN.
