Res No 154-17-14955RESOLUTION NO. _----L.1 ...... s ::lL,;4 -=-1 ...... 7<....::-:0...11....::;114 ....... 9-""-S ...... S __ _
A Resolution of the Mayor and City Commission for the City of South Miami
requesting that NextEra Energy, Inc. provide an opportunity for homeowners to
buy capacity at FPL Universal Solar Energy Centers and advise the Commission of
. the rate of return to homeowner investors on the investment for each kilowatt hour
of electricity produced.
WHEREAS, Florida Power & Light is a subsidiary of utility holding company, NextEra
Energy, Inc. (formerly FPL Group) which is publically listed on the New York Stock Exchange
under the ticker symbol "NEE"; and
WHEREAS, Florida Power & Light has built and is building solar energy centers which
are also known as solar plants/farms; and
WHEREAS, the present cost of rooftop solar is approximately $2.25 per installed watt,
and at that price taking advantage of federal tax credits the homeowner can expect an
approximately 12% rate of return on investment; and
WHEREAS, quota. com asks the question "what does it cost per watt to build a
1Megawatt solar farm?" and gives the answer as between $.75 and $1.20 per watt, depending on
the country and region of the country where the 1MW solar farm is located, with developing
countries having costs of approximately $.75 per watt and expensive areas like New York or
California costing approximately $1.20 per watt; and
WHEREAS, Florida, which is a non-union "Right to Work state," will have labor costs
that are less than New York or California; and
WHEREAS, a watt of solar voltaics may be installed on a solar farm for half the cost
that it may be installed on the roof of a private residence; and
WHEREAS, a house that has trees shading all of its roof and all of its exterior walls will
consume less electricity to cool than a house with rooftop solar panels and little shade elsewhere;
and
WHEREAS, with the extensive system of transmission lines throughout Florida, it is not
necessary to locate solar farms near population centers where land tends to be more expensive.
Land would also be cheapest on reclaimed sites of phosphate mines and gypsum stacks; and
WHEREAS, Florida Power & Light, in exchange for being granted monopoly status, is
supposed to "pr~vide safe, adequate and reliable service to the public at the lowest possible cost"
(psc.state.tlus) the web page of the Public Service Commission continues: "Historically electric
utilities have been responsible for the production, transmission and distribution of electricity, as
well as the metering and billing of electric energy sold to homes and businesses. This complete
package of electrical service has been termed "bundled retail service" or "integrated utility
service;" and
Res. No. 154-17-14955
WHEREAS, if Florida Power & Light permitted the small investorlhomeowner to buy
stock in a Universal Solar Energy Center rather than install rooftop solar, the homeowner for
each dollar invested would be able to buy twice as many watts of photovoltaic generating
capacity on a solar farm as he/she could buy and install on hislher rooftop; and
WHEREAS, Florida Power & Light has been granted by the Public Service Commission
the right to an 11 % return on all its investments.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA THAT:
Section 1. The Mayor and City Commission for the City of South Miami request that
NextEra Energy, Inc. provide an opportunity for homeowners to buy capacity at FPL Universal
Solar Energy Centers and advise the Commission of the rate of return to homeowner investors on
the investment for each kilowatt hour of electricity produced.
Section 2. The City Clerk is hereby directed to transmit this resolution to Tallahassee
Mayor Andrew Gillum, Former US Rep. Gwen Graham, and Chris King.
Section 3. Severability. If any section clause, sentence, or phrase of this resolution is for
any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, the holding shall
not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this resolution.
Section 4. Effective Date. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon
adoption by vote of the City Commission.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this iaiay of----"J ..... u .... l~y--_, 2017.
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ROVED AS TO FORM:
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Page 2 of2
AP~~JWv
MAYO
COMMISSION VOTE: 4-1
Mayor Stoddard: Yea
Vice Mayor Welsh: Yea
Commissioner Edmond: Yea
Commissioner Liebman:
Commissioner Harris:
Nay
Yea