Audubon Florida Climate and Energy News Roundup This week we are featuring news about clean energy, new solar plants, a new mobile flood tool, electric vehicles, and more!

FPL Manatee Solar Energy Center in Manatee County. Photo: Florida Power & Light Co.

Clean Energy Connection Program Will Expand Access to Solar in the Sunshine State -From the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy “No one can deny the strong demand for solar power in the Sunshine State. Both utility-scale and rooftop solar installations continue to grow in Florida... Yet some residential customers cannot directly access the economic benefits of solar power because they may rent their homes, live in multi-unit dwellings, or have shaded roofs... That’s where shared solar programs can play an important role in expanding access to the economic and environmental benefits of solar power.” Read the entire article.

Florida Power & Light to Build 14 New Solar Energy Centers From Daily Energy Insider “Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is building 14 new solar energy centers across the state, which will add approximately 4.1 million solar panels. The effort is part of the company’s FPL SolarTogether community solar program, the largest of its kind in the United States.” Read the entire article.

Better Efficiency and a Cleaner Grid Would Slash Carbon Pollution from Buildings From Yale Climate Connections “From lighting to heating and cooling, buildings consume almost a third of the energy used in the U.S. That means they produce a lot of carbon pollution. Chioke Harris is with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In a recent study, he and his colleagues found that within 30 years, the U.S. building sector could cut its energy-related carbon dioxide emissions by almost 80% over 2005 levels. But getting there requires major changes.” Read the entire article.

Key Biscayne Voters Approve $100M Bond Tied to Climate Change -From the Real Deal Miami “Key Biscayne residents voted to pass a referendum that would allow the village to issue $100 million in general obligation bonds to deal with the effects of climate change... About $40 million could go toward mitigating the effects of sea-level rise and flooding, $23 million toward protecting the beaches and shoreline, and more than $49 million to harden and place infrastructure underground to withstand hurricanes, according to the village’s August town hall presentation.” Read the entire article.

Electric Vehicles and Their Impact on the Environment From Robotics and Automation News “According to recent figures, the quantity of light electric vehicles (or EVs as most people call it) reached over 2.2 million units in 2019-2020, which is 9 percent higher than in 2018… New studies disclosed evidence that switching to electric vehicles matters a lot to the global environment. This means improvement in overall air quality and reduced carbon emissions. EVs compared to those powered by diesel or gasoline generate less life cycle releases than traditional vehicles.” Read the entire article.

USGS Unveils Mobile Flood Tool for the Nation From the United States Geologic Survey “The U.S. Geological Survey announced Friday the completion of a new mobile tool that provides real-time information on water levels, weather and flood forecasts all in one place on a computer, smartphone or other mobile device. The new USGS National Water Dashboard, or NWD, provides critical information to decision-makers, emergency managers and the public during flood events, informing decisions that can help protect lives and property.… Information from the NWD will help inform forecasting, response and recovery efforts for agencies such as the National Weather Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other federal, state and local agencies.” Read the entire article.

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