Mediaboss Marketing

A tea party leader and a conservative state lawmaker are behind a petition tomakesolar panels more profitable in Florida, reports Ivan Penn ofthe Tampa Bay Times. The group is collecting signatures to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would allow residents to sell electricity generated from the sundirectly totheir neighbors,tenants and friends, instead of giving the utilities a cut.

For conservatives, solar power is a chance to put an end to state-regulated monopolies in electricity and create an opportunity for investment for every homeowner.

Costs in the solar industry have been falling steadily, andutilities are rightly worried about disruption. People who buy solar panels are buying less electricity from utilities, which in turnmustmaintain power lines and operate plantswith less money.Eventually, theymight have to raise rates, making solar power even more attractive. This possibility ledthe hemp-wearinghippies working at Barclays downgraded the debt of the U.S. power sector last year. (In defense of the utilities,opposition to solar power isn't just aboutprofits. Until solar power can be cheaply stored and delivered on demand, consumers will expect utilitiesto be readytoprovideelectricity at night andon cloudy days.)

Penn spoke withDebbie Dooley, atea party advocate who has also been organizingfor solar power in neighboring Georgia:

Dooley said the reason the solar efforts have been successful in Republican-dominated areas is that opening up the free market and giving people choice is a core conservative principle.

"Conservatives will be out front on this to give Floridians choice and a voice," Dooley said. "All too often, the only voice that is heard is the voice of these very powerful and deep-pocketed monopoly utilities."

The price of electricity in Florida ischeaper than the national average, so maybethe state's tea partiers aren't making much money on their solar panels yet. Butwhile we're used to hearingRepublicans in Congressargue that climate changecould be beneficial, it's worth remembering that a surprisingly large minority of Republicans are environmentalists. Some 32 percentbelieve protecting the environment is more important than improving the economy, according to a Gallup poll conducted last year.

Welcome to Wonkbook. To subscribe by e-mail, clickhere. Send comments, criticism or ideas to Wonkbook at Washpost dot com. Follow Wonkblog onTwitterandFacebook.

What's in Wonkbook:1) "Strong" net neutrality 2) Opinions, including Yglesias on the employer mandate3) Fed worried about global growth4) 12 dead at Charlie Hebdo 5) Why you should get married, and more

Chartof the day:

Link:
Wonkblog: The tea party is pushing for solar power in Florida