While the viewpoint co-authored by Earthjustice and Sierra Club representatives is full of inaccuracies and mischaracterizations about NextEra Energy, there is one overarching fact that unites us — we are supportive of the state of Hawaii’s goal of achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. And we continue to believe that NextEra Energy’s partnership with Hawaiian Electric provides the best path forward toward achieving this ambitious goal.
However, the authors portray our partnership as a “step backward” for Hawaii. Nothing could be farther from the truth. NextEra Energy is the largest producer of wind and solar energy in the world, and has one of the cleanest emissions profiles in the nation. As the state looks to increase its renewable power generation, a partnership with the world’s leading renewable energy producer seems like a natural fit and a substantial step forward.
Importantly, the scare tactics employed in the viewpoint are simply irresponsible. The authors contend that we would “pass along costs” to Hawaii customers for investments made at our Florida electric utility, when in reality, we cannot and would not ask for such a thing — just like we would not ask our Florida customers to pay for Hawaiian Electric investments. That said, it is smart, innovative clean energy investments that have made NextEra Energy and our Florida-based utility leaders in the clean energy industry — investments that are paying off for our customers through lower electric bills.
What the authors fail to point out are the facts. Hawaii wants to eliminate its dependence on imported oil for power generation — something that our Florida utility has successfully accomplished while actually lowering bills for customers. Since 2001, we have reduced our reliance on oil by 99 percent. As a result of our investments in modern, fuel-efficient technologies, our Florida customers have saved more than $7.5 billion.
Far from “campaigning against” distributed solar, we actively support our customers who choose to install solar on their roof. But with our rates equaling about 9.7 cents per kilowatt-hour and our typical Florida residential bill ranking about 30 percent lower than the national average, it’s difficult for small-scale distributed solar to prove cost-effective for homeowners and businesses in the Sunshine State. Hence their decision to not install rooftop solar. In Hawaii, where the typical residential bill is nearly three times what it is in Florida, it’s obviously a very different picture and rooftop solar can make economic sense.
As for the claim that our Florida utility, Florida Power &Light (FPL), “has almost zero experience or accomplishments in clean energy” — that statement is patently false. FPL was the first utility in Florida to install solar power and to date owns and operates more than nearly all utilities in America. President Barack Obama commissioned Florida’s first-ever solar energy center in 2009, built by FPL as the largest of its kind in the nation when it opened. The following year, FPL completed the first solar-hybrid plant in the world, combining solar and natural gas to create a clean energy center that produces power around the clock. All of our solar facilities were completed ahead of schedule and under budget. By the end of next year, another 225 megawatts — or more than 1 million panels — of new solar installations will be completed and in operation. All told, FPL’s investments in harnessing energy from the sun exceed one billion dollars. This information is publicly available and easily accessible, so I find it implausible that the authors simply missed FPL’s commitment to solar energy.
We also were criticized by the authors for participating in the political process. We believe that good government policy benefits our employees, shareholders, other stakeholders, and most importantly, our customers. We are one of the largest capital investors in the nation, as well as the largest taxpayer, largest investor and one of the largest employers in Florida. Since every aspect of our business is impacted by policy decisions at every level of government, it’s particularly important for us to be not just involved, but be a leader. We follow all rules and regulations, provide all required disclosures and do not apologize for being active in our democratic process.
At NextEra Energy, we believe facts matter and that is why we wanted to correct the record. We’re proud of our record in renewable energy, our recent recognition by Fortune Magazine as being one of the top 10 most innovative and socially responsible companies in the world, and our ability to provide our customers with a value proposition that’s among the best in the nation.
We fully recognize that Hawaii is a unique and special place, and its energy challenges are, in some ways, different than Florida. But we also know that our deep, decades long experience in renewable energy and our success in lowering customer’s bills while improving reliability can and will help improve electric service in Hawaii. We know the importance of being involved in the communities where we live and work, and pledge to bring our customer-first approach and clean energy expertise to partner with Hawaiian Electric and deliver significant value to customers here. Together, we can achieve a more affordable, renewable energy future for Hawaii.
Robert L. Gould is vice president and chief communications officer of NextEra Energy.
Viewpoint articles are the opinion of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of West Hawaii Today.