{"id":18373,"date":"2018-10-19T12:31:48","date_gmt":"2018-10-19T16:31:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/?p=18373"},"modified":"2018-10-19T12:55:48","modified_gmt":"2018-10-19T16:55:48","slug":"hurricane-michael-highlights-urgent-need-for-more-solar-opportunities-in-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2018\/10\/19\/hurricane-michael-highlights-urgent-need-for-more-solar-opportunities-in-florida\/","title":{"rendered":"Hurricane Michael highlights urgent need for more solar opportunities in Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>By: Jake Hiller, Sustainable Finance Manager, EDF+Biz\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Hurricane Michael, the most powerful storm to hit the Florida panhandle on record, caused loss of life and rampant destruction, flattening entire towns and leaving more than 1.3 million people without power<\/a> across five southeastern states.<\/p>\n

Rising temperatures and warmer waters are making this and other recent mega hurricanes like Florence stronger and more devastating<\/a> for coastal states like Florida and the Carolinas. Unfortunately, the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report<\/a> provides little encouragement and instead conveys dire warnings that unless measures such as massive new investment in clean and renewable energy occurs over the coming decade, we will have little chance of avoiding the worst impacts of climate change, including continuously worsening hurricanes.<\/p>\n

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Yet renewable energy installments aren\u2019t just beneficial for the climate \u2013 they\u2019re also proving more resilient than traditional electricity infrastructure<\/a>, which is more susceptible to disruptions from severe weather. This suggests that investment in clean energy infrastructure could help<\/a> businesses bounce back faster from hurricanes, keep communities and employees safe, and avoid the worst economic impacts.<\/p>\n

In a state regularly impacted by natural disasters, it\u2019s all the more significant that a diverse array of Florida business voices are now calling for action to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, and particularly solar power, in the Sunshine State. They\u2019re sharing their stories through a new portal<\/a> that showcases business and municipal leaders from across Florida that have invested in and are supportive of solar, efficiency and other clean energy projects within their companies and cities.<\/p>\nHurricane Michael highlights urgent need for more solar opportunities in Florida <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n

Here are three key takeaways from hearing their stories<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Support for clean energy runs the business gamut<\/strong><\/p>\n

Companies in Florida using renewable energy range from giant, global brands like the Walt Disney Company<\/a> to small, innovative companies like Roundhouse Creative Studios<\/a> in St. Petersburg. They include the iconic American Airlines Arena<\/a> where the Miami Heat play, TD Bank<\/a> branches with solar panel installations in over 20 Floridian cities, and leading real estate developer Terra Group<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These businesses are joined by public and non-profit leaders from the City of Orlando<\/a>, Coral Gables<\/a>, and Solar United Neighbors<\/a>, all of whom showcase their support for greater access to clean energy in Florida.<\/p>\n

A poll commissioned earlier this year<\/a> by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) also found widespread support among business owners and the Florida public for clean and renewable energy:<\/p>\n