BRYAN BECKMAN’S AFFORDABLE ENERGY PLAN

​

Lower Bills. More Choices. Accountability.

Your Energy. Your Money.

Your Choice.

​

Florida needs a more responsible energy policy.

• Fiscally responsible.

• Ethically responsible.

• Environmentally responsible.

​

There is nothing radical about Bryan Beckman’s Affordable Energy Plan. These are common-sense ideas—many already being pursued in other states—that give Floridians more choices, protect families and taxpayers, encourage competition, and make sure powerful corporations pay their fair share.  For too long, Florida’s energy policies have too often favored large utilities and corporate interests over the people who actually pay the bills.  Bryan believes we can do better.

​

When elected to the Florida House, Bryan will introduce an Affordable Energy Plan built around six principles:

​

​

1. COMMUNITY SOLAR — SAVINGS FOR EVERYONE

What about the family renting an apartment? The senior living in a condo? The homeowner whose roof isn't suitable for solar? They deserve access to clean, affordable energy too.  Bryan will fight to expand community solar, allowing people who cannot install their own rooftop system to participate in a shared solar project and receive the financial benefits on their electric bills.

​

You shouldn't have to own a single-family home to participate in Florida's energy future.  If you pay an electric bill, you should have an opportunity to benefit from solar.

​

​​

2. STOP MAKING CUSTOMERS PAY FOR A FAILED NUCLEAR PLANT

Duke Energy customers continue to see an Asset Securitization Charge on their monthly bills associated with the Crystal River nuclear plant.  The plant stopped producing electricity years ago.  Yet customers are still paying.

​

Bryan will fight to end this charge as quickly and responsibly as Florida law allows and reform state policy so families aren't left paying for decades when major utility investments fail.  We paid enough. It's time to get this charge off our bills.

​

​​​​

3. PROTECT FLORIDIANS FROM DATA CENTER COSTS ​​

Florida families should not subsidize massive data centers through either their tax dollars or their electric bills. Bryan will fight to end special state tax incentives for large data center developers and establish strong protections ensuring that the extraordinary electricity and infrastructure demands created by these facilities are paid by the companies creating those demands—not existing customers.  Florida has already recognized the danger of shifting these costs onto everyone else. State policy should make that protection unequivocal:

​

• Data centers pay their own way.

• No special taxpayer giveaways.

• No shifting infrastructure costs onto families.

• No higher household electric bills to subsidize massive corporate developments.

• Florida can welcome innovation without writing corporations a blank check.​

​​

​

4. PLUG-IN SOLAR — SOLAR FOR EVERYONE​

Solar shouldn't be limited to families who can afford a $20,000 or $30,000 rooftop installation.  New small-scale plug-in solar technology can give consumers another affordable way to generate some of their own electricity.  Bryan will work to establish sensible Florida standards allowing safe, certified plug-in solar systems while protecting consumers and the electric grid.

​

If technology can safely help a family lower its monthly electric bill, Florida shouldn't stand in the way.  Give consumers the choice.

​

​

5. POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENTS — Community Solar - LETS SCHOOLS, CITIES & BUSINESSES SAVE​

Why shouldn't a school, city, nonprofit, church, or small business be able to put solar on its property and immediately begin lowering its energy costs without making a huge upfront investment?  Bryan will fight to expand access to Power Purchase Agreements, allowing third-party providers to finance and install solar systems while the customer purchases the electricity they generate.  That can put rooftops, parking lots, schools and public buildings to work generating affordable energy.  For taxpayers, that can mean lower government operating costs.  For schools, it means more money can stay in the classroom instead of going toward utility bills.  For businesses, it means another tool to control overhead and remain competitive.

​

​

6. GET UTILITY MONEY OUT OF POLITICS​

Real energy reform requires public confidence that legislators are working for the people they represent—not the utilities they regulate.  Bryan supports prohibiting regulated private utilities from making campaign contributions to the state candidates and elected officials who make decisions affecting those utilities.  Utilities should make their case based on what is best for their customers—not through campaign checks and political influence.

​

The people who regulate the utilities should be independent of the utilities.  Bryan believes restoring that independence is essential to rebuilding trust, preventing conflicts of interest, and putting ratepayers first.

​​​​​

A RESPONSIBLE WAY FORWARD

​

This isn't about being anti-business.  It's about being pro consumer, pro-taxpayer, pro-competition and pro-accountability.  Bryan believes businesses should be able to innovate. Utilities should earn a reasonable return. New technologies should have a place in Florida.  But families shouldn't be asked to shoulder the risks while corporations collect the rewards.  And the companies whose profits depend upon decisions made in Tallahassee shouldn't be financing the politicians making those decisions.

​

That is the heart of Bryan Beckman's Affordable Energy Plan: 

 

• Get utility money out of politics. 

• Make data centers pay their own way.

• Let schools, cities and businesses choose solar and save money. Open the door to safe plug-in solar. 

• Give renters access to community solar. 

• Stop charging customers for a failed nuclear plant.

 

These aren't radical ideas.

They're responsible ideas.

• Fiscally responsible.

• Ethically responsible.

• Environmentally responsible.

• And most importantly:

​

They put people before corporate greed.​

Your Energy. Your Money.

Your Choice.