Green investors with a $2.3T war chest take aim at Exxon

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
February 3, 2021 12:00 pm
More than 10 years after the Deepwater Horizon exploded and spilled 134 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, the waves are hitting Wall Street. BP is now giving alternative energy serious attention. And on Tuesday, a $2.3 trillion institutional investor uprising emerged against ExxonMobil. MORE-»

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Leaked tape: Solar chicanery guiding strategy for big utilities, Amendment 1

THE DAILY FRAY
October 19, 2016 5:46 pm
Amendment 1, misdeeds, and audiotape emerged in an in-depth report in the Miami Herald that claims Florida electric companies collaborated — flexing more than $21 million in "political jiu-jitsu" — to deceive voters regarding a hotly contested utility-funded solar power initiative. MORE-»

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Al Gore provides strong words for grassroots solar but not 'one cent' to help campaign

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
October 12, 2016 5:53 pm
Former Vice President Al Gore was in Miami Tuesday on political business, including his signature mission, climate change. The stump included a sharp dig at Amendment 1, labeling the utility-funded solar power initiative “baloney.” But Gore, a multimillionaire and founder of the Climate Reality Project, never contributed “a cent” to support grassroots solar advocates in Florida. MORE-»

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Cautionary poll: Florida's voters 'lack knowledge' on fallout from Amendment 1

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
October 4, 2016 7:33 pm
UPDATED | Florida residents expected to vote on a constitutional amendment Nov. 8 that potentially shifts solar energy policy into the hands of large utility companies appear widely misled regarding the ballot, according to the director of a poll that shows strong support for Amendment 1. MORE-»

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For Florida's flim-flamers, environment takes the hit

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
April 14, 2016 12:00 pm
That email objecting to Florida’s bear hunt? Worthless. Those signatures that put a solar energy policy on November’s ballot? Shady. The effort by lawmakers to broaden medical marijuana use? Token. And what about that tasty grouper sandwich? Bogus. MORE-»

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Florida solar advocate sees sunlight in August vote

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
March 20, 2016 1:00 pm
Susan Glickman became Florida director for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in 2013 and is a key advocate for opening Florida’s solar energy market. And in a combative 15-month political duel for the sun, a statewide vote in August will be pivotal. MORE-»

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Solar power, lawyers, and money: It gets electric at top state court

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
March 5, 2016 10:32 pm
When Debbie Dooley joined Floridians for Solar Choice, the influential national conservative voice from Georgia and a barnstorming clean energy ally said, “The sun never sends a rate increase.” In fact, that may be for Florida’s Supreme Court to decide. MORE-»

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Smart Solar's petition beats deadline, awaits top court

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
January 22, 2016 6:05 pm
A solar energy amendment funded by Florida utility companies moved a giant step closer Friday to a statewide vote and escalated charges of dirty tactics in the battle for clean energy. “Today we have officially met all of the voter requirements” for a place on November’s ballot, said Dick Batchelor of Consumers for Smart Solar. MORE-»

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For solar advocates in Florida, dim prospects for 2016 ballot

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
December 18, 2015 10:08 am
Floridians for Solar Choice is “exploring options for 2018” after coalition leaders said Thursday their yearlong amendment drive is unlikely to qualify for next November’s ballot. "We are looking at options,” said Mike Antheil, a Solar Choice board member. “But not the inevitability of opening Florida's solar market." MORE-»

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New state poll: Solar Choice lights up (but it takes some explaining)

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
August 25, 2015 9:48 am
Florida's duel between rival solar power initiatives heated up Monday with fresh attacks against big utilities and a new poll that confirms Floridians want more solar power freedom. Voters also want plain-English ballot language, a political consultant said. MORE-»

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For Florida solar power advocates, FPL promotes a duel in the sun

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
July 16, 2015 9:42 pm
A second solar power ballot initiative arrived on Florida’s political grid Wednesday and it’s one that even big utilities can love. They should. They helped to write it, according to Florida Power & Light. “Our company rarely weighs in on ballot initiatives, however, this situation is unique.” MORE-»

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Solar coalition is confident petition numbers will add up

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
May 18, 2015 9:43 pm
Florida's solar advocates have roughly 120,000 signatures backing a solar energy amendment. That means the initiative that started in January needs to average 70,400 signatures over the next eight months to get on the 2016 ballot. “I’m still very confident [Floridians for Solar Choice] will make the numbers,” said Stephen Smith, head of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. MORE-»

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Next test for solar power is state Supreme Court

THE DAILY FRAY
April 24, 2015 6:48 pm
A solar power initiative overcame a lunar pace Friday, advancing to the state Supreme Court after Attorney General Pam Bondi ran out the clock in Tallahassee. “While we were disappointed it has taken the full 30 days to advance to this critical step, we now eagerly await the Supreme Court's opinion,” Tory Perfetti said. MORE-»

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Duke Energy adjusts forecast for Florida to a chance for sun

THE DAILY FRAY
April 3, 2015 4:09 pm
Duke Energy submitted plans with state regulators for a burst of solar power in Florida, a shift from partly cloudy to partly sunny in the energy giant's solar outlook. Also in the forecast is a fresh flood of cash to oppose wider freedoms for rooftop solar. MORE-»

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Solar Choice organizers say milestone is achieved after feet drag in Tallahassee

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
March 25, 2015 8:56 pm
Solar supporters are one-tenth of the way to putting solar energy policy on the 2016 ballot. Roughly 72,000 signatures are officially in the books, and 683,149 total are needed by Feb. 1, but hey, who’s counting? Apparently no one in Tallahassee. MORE-»

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Perfetti and Solar Choice: Grassroots drive to rooftop power

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
February 25, 2015 12:00 pm
Tory Perfetti is chairman of Floridians for Solar Choice, a coalition of political groups, business leaders and clean energy supporters. Their goal is a state amendment in 2016 that sets solar energy policy. A Tampa resident and former candidate for state representative, Perfetti, state director of Conservatives for Energy Freedom, took a few questions on the telephone recently from The Daily Fray: MORE-»

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Solar Choice's colorful spectrum widens; 100,000 petitions signed

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
February 17, 2015 9:19 pm
Floridians for Solar Choice announced nine endorsements Tuesday in Tallahassee. In a nod to parity, the new supporters for a solar energy amendment in 2016 were presented alphabetically. But in a grassroots eco movement, few boots on the ground can make a bigger footprint than the Sierra Club. MORE-»

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New solar planned in SW Florida

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
January 26, 2015 5:02 pm
Florida Power & Light was quiet almost two weeks about a statewide campaign for a solar choice amendment in 2016. On Monday the third-largest electric utility in the U.S. supplied a salvo with plans to build three new solar plants in Southwest Florida, including a facility in Manatee County. MORE-»

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Diverse coalition launches solar quest

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
January 13, 2015 8:30 pm
Like clean water, fresh air and unspoiled landscape, Floridians care about their electric bills. But unlike Amendment 1, a grassroots effort to put solar energy on the 2016 ballot will have a real foe, with huge pockets, and a tendency to hit back. MORE-»

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