Trump pulls $156 million for solar panels in Florida
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The Trump administration revoked $156 million in grant money that would have helped low-income residents in Florida afford solar panels, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Why it matters: Hundreds of people had already applied for these funds, and many were eligible for grants or subsidies to install solar panels, which would have helped them offset rising electricity costs.
Catch up quick: The Trump administration pulled the funds amid efforts to roll back the Solar For All program, according to the Times.
- Three nonprofits — Solar and Energy Loan Fund, Solar United Neighbors, and The Nature Conservancy in Florida — had put in for the grant.
- The termination letter sent to these nonprofits references the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which also advanced the sunset of the 30% tax credit for residential solar installations to year's end.
The big picture: Florida's average retail residential price for 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity increased from 13.62 cents to 14.98 cents between May 2024 and May 2025.
- That's an increase of about 10%, according to the latest available data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
What they're saying: "Now more than ever, Floridians need clean, affordable solar power and the added resiliency it provides during storms," Bill Johnson, who runs solar company Brilliant Harvest in Sarasota, told the Times.
- "Withdrawing this funding is a setback for our economy, our workforce, and our state's ability to strengthen its energy security," he added.