A State Senator in Florida recently introduced a bill that would allow private energy companies to begin charging customers to recover the cost of setting up renewable energy infrastructure.
State Senator Mike Bennett of Bradenton introduced the new law, which passed the state’s House last year but was struck down in the Senate, according to a report from the Florida Independent. This version of the bill would allow energy concerns to add to consumers’ bills for up to 2 percent of their revenues in 2011 and 2012, and as high as 4 percent by 2014.
Bennett also recently unveiled a bill that would allow state residents and businesses with their own solar panels to sell the energy generated by these stations to utilities, the report said. It would also establish a state fund to help pay for energy rebates for these independent producers.
Many states now have funds that help consumers and businesses defray the cost of installing solar panels, though several saw such high demand that they ran out of money before being able to accommodate all applicants.