Electric utilities highlight clean energy milestones achieved on Earth Day

U.S. electric companies used this Earth Day as an opportunity to underscore their commitment to the environment through adopting carbon-reduction targets and embracing clean energy investments.

Duke Energy Florida, for example, touted its more than $2 billion in solar investments, its new battery energy storage system projects, investments in transportation electrification to support the growing adoption of electric vehicles, and its commitment to smarter grid technology.  

“As the energy needs of customers and communities in our state change, we must be ready to meet those needs,” Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, said. “We believe generating electricity from renewable resources and expanding innovative technologies will play an important role in delivering energy that’s reliable, affordable and increasingly clean.”

Duke Energy Florida’s solar portfolio includes 25 grid-tied solar power plants, which will provide about 1,500 megawatts (MW) of emission-free generation and roughly 5 million solar panels in the ground by 2024. Meanwhile, earlier this month the company announced the completion of three battery projects in Gilchrist, Gulf and Highlands counties. The company aims to have six battery sites, totaling 50 MW, operating in Florida this year. 

In addition, Duke Energy Florida continues to invest in grid improvements, such as self-optimizing grid technology, utility pole and power line upgrades, and targeted undergrounding of outage-prone power lines to reduce power outage frequency and duration during severe weather. 

Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL) also has been making long-term investments in clean energy technology.

Since 2001, FPL said it has saved customers more than $12.4 billion in fossil fuel costs while avoiding more than 183 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions through its power generation modernization.

“We have been on a steady march of building cleaner power generation in the Sunshine State since the turn of the century,” said Eric Silagy, chairman and CEO of FPL. “We are committed to finding clean, cost-effective solutions for our customers and though we’re very proud of our progress today, we’re always looking over the horizon to create clean, affordable and reliable energy solutions for tomorrow.

FPL has installed 50 solar energy centers throughout Florida, comprised of nearly 15 million solar panels, and is now expecting to complete its goal of installing 30 million solar panels across Florida five years early – by the end of 2025.

FPL is also investing in a green hydrogen pilot project at the Okeechobee Clean Energy Center, an innovative technology that could be the key to unlocking 100 percent carbon-free electricity available 24/7.

The Florida utilities offer just two examples of how electric companies are working to find solutions to climate change.

According to the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), carbon emissions from the U.S. electric power sector are nearly 40 percent below 2005 levels. At the same time, 40 percent of the nation’s electricity now comes from carbon-free sources like solar, wind, hydropower and nuclear energy. And in 2020 alone, nearly 28 gigawatts of new renewable technologies were added to the grid. 

To maintain this clean energy momentum, more policies are needed. For example, EEI is calling for Congress to pass a robust clean energy tax package, and an increase in research, development, demonstration, and deployment funding for a range of clean energy technologies.