{"id":203048,"date":"2026-03-23T22:23:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T22:23:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/203048\/"},"modified":"2026-03-23T22:23:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T22:23:08","slug":"c-progress-report-on-tallahassees-clean-energyplan-the-famuan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/203048\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018C+\u2019\u00a0progress\u00a0report\u00a0on\u00a0Tallahassee\u2019s\u00a0Clean\u00a0EnergyPlan\u00a0 \u2013 The FAMUAN"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Solar panels spotted on FAMU\u2019s campus. (Khalil-Lullah Ballentine\/FAMUAN)<\/p>\n

Despite\u00a0the\u00a0city\u00a0of Tallahassee\u2019s\u00a0ambitious\u00a0plan\u00a0to\u00a0achieve\u00a0100\u00a0percent\u00a0net\u00a0clean energy by\u00a02050, residents and environmentalists argue that the current efforts implemented to effect change are\u00a0insufficient, giving the overall progress a \u201cC+.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Introduced in 2023,\u00a0Tallahassee\u2019s Clean Energy Plan<\/a>\u00a0aims to address climate change through increased\u00a0solar\u00a0panel\u00a0farming\u00a0capacity, a\u00a0focus\u00a0on\u00a0energy\u00a0efficiency\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0implementation\u00a0of clean transportation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0herculean\u00a0effort\u00a0by\u00a0several\u00a0community\u00a0groups\u00a0spearheaded\u00a0by\u00a0ReThink\u00a0Energy\u00a0Florida,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Bruce\u00a0Strouble,\u00a0Board\u00a0Chair\u00a0of\u00a0environmental\u00a0advocacy\u00a0group\u00a0ReThink\u00a0Energy Florida. \u201cThe idea was that climate change is real.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0a threat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Florida ranked third in total carbon dioxide emissions in 2023, according to the\u00a0U.S. Energy Information\u00a0Administration<\/a>.\u00a0The\u00a0state\u00a0totaled\u00a0nearly 223\u00a0million\u00a0metric\u00a0tons\u00a0that\u00a0year,\u00a0trailing behind California and Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As\u00a0record-breaking\u00a0snowfall\u00a0and\u00a0dangerous\u00a0heatwaves\u00a0swept\u00a0the\u00a0city\u00a0in\u00a02025,\u00a0climate\u00a0change proved to be a pressing issue for Tallahassee and its surrounding areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

FAMU\u2019s\u00a0Sustainability\u00a0Club\u00a0President\u00a0Jasmine\u00a0Winston\u00a0identified\u00a0how\u00a0climate\u00a0change\u00a0affects surrounding areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cTake\u00a0Jamaica,\u00a0for\u00a0example,\u201d\u00a0Winston\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cLowest\u00a0carbon\u00a0footprints\u00a0on\u00a0Earth,\u00a0but\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0the\u00a0victims\u00a0of\u00a0catastrophic events\u00a0caused\u00a0by the\u00a0increase of\u00a0temperatures\u00a0of\u00a0water\u00a0temperatures.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0step\u00a0to\u00a0system\u00a0change\u00a0in\u00a0relation\u00a0to\u00a0climate advocacy,\u201d\u00a0Maya\u00a0Shenefelt,\u00a0a\u00a0third-year\u00a0environmental\u00a0studies\u00a0student\u00a0at\u00a0Florida\u00a0A&M University,\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201c[That\u2019s]\u00a0pretty\u00a0much\u00a0what\u00a0the Clean Energy Plan is implementing.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0a litany of problems that will cascade if we\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0take serious climate action as a species.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

However,\u00a0some\u00a0activists\u00a0and\u00a0residents are\u00a0criticizing\u00a0the\u00a0plan\u2019s\u00a0progression,\u00a0emphasizing\u00a0the need to hold officials accountable.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According\u00a0to\u00a0PowerTLH,<\/a>\u00a042\u00a0percent\u00a0of\u00a0StarMetro\u00a0buses\u00a0switched\u00a0to\u00a0battery-electric,\u00a0improving air quality.\u00a0Talgov\u00a0hybrid and electric vehicles have logged over\u00a06.2 million miles, reducing more than\u00a05.5 million pounds\u00a0of carbon dioxide emissions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Overall,\u00a0the\u00a0plan\u00a0has\u00a0been\u00a0positively\u00a0received\u00a0by\u00a0most\u00a0residents.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think [the plan] would help,\u201d said Maya Mancle, a\u00a0master\u2019s\u00a0entomology student at Florida A&M\u00a0University\u00a0and\u00a0longtime\u00a0resident. \u201cI\u00a0think that\u00a0[the\u00a0climate\u00a0issue]\u00a0needs\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0addressed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

De\u2019Jah\u00a0Charles,\u00a0a\u00a0third-year\u00a0political\u00a0science\u00a0student\u00a0at\u00a0FAMU\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0member\u00a0of\u00a0genCLEO\u00a0Action, an organization focused on climate education, believes that while ambitious, Tallahassee\u2019s Clean Energy Plan is \u201cvery attainable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u00a0ultimately\u00a0has\u00a0a\u00a0good\u00a0intention\u00a0behind\u00a0it\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0betterment\u00a0of\u00a0Tallahassee\u00a0overall,\u201d\u00a0Charles\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cWhat\u2019s\u00a0so\u00a0wrong\u00a0with\u00a0working\u00a0hard\u00a0for\u00a0something\u00a0that\u2019s going\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0good\u00a0for\u00a0us?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

In\u00a0Tallahassee,\u00a0natural\u00a0gas\u00a0is\u00a0also\u00a0a\u00a0vital\u00a0energy\u00a0source,\u00a0powering\u00a0the\u00a0majority\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0city\u2019s power plants.\u00a0Approximately 95 percent of the city relies on natural gas, including many household appliances.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While considered the cleanest fossil fuel, burning natural gas still emits air and water pollutants, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The most unforgiving pollutant released from\u00a0natural\u00a0gas\u00a0is\u00a0methane,\u00a0a\u00a0greenhouse\u00a0gas\u00a0that\u00a0makes\u00a0a\u00a0significant contribution\u00a0to\u00a0global\u00a0warming.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While\u00a0still\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0experimental\u00a0phase,\u00a0the\u00a0Clean\u00a0Energy\u00a0Plan\u00a0aims\u00a0to\u00a0expand\u00a0solar\u00a0energy production with\u00a0additional\u00a0farms to combat this.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Michael Ohlsen, manager of Tallahassee\u2019s Clean Energy Plan, said that\u00a0various studies\u00a0conducted\u00a0by\u00a0Tallahassee\u00a0Electric\u00a0Utilities\u00a0have\u00a0identified\u00a0the\u00a0need\u00a0for\u00a0additional\u00a0plans\u00a0to implement more solar energy as a reliable source of power for the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0study\u00a0measured\u00a0cost-effectiveness,\u00a0energy\u00a0efficiency\u00a0and\u00a0reliability\u00a0to\u00a0reduce\u00a0the\u00a0 community\u2019s\u00a0energy\u00a0footprint.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe\u00a0idea\u00a0that\u00a0if\u00a0we\u00a0invest\u00a0in\u00a0making\u00a0our\u00a0customers more\u00a0savvy\u00a0consumers\u00a0of\u00a0energy, that makes our role at the utility easier and easier,\u201d Ohlsen said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

He\u00a0also\u00a0highlighted\u00a0the\u00a0need\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0more\u00a0streamlined\u00a0approach\u00a0to\u00a0Tallahassee\u2019s\u00a0utilities and customer municipalities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201c[This]\u00a0means\u00a0[its]\u00a0more\u00a0cost-effective,\u00a0less\u00a0risk,\u00a0more\u00a0reliable\u00a0system,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A\u00a0proposal\u00a0for\u00a0additional\u00a0solar\u00a0panels is\u00a0currently\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0works.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe\u00a0outcome\u00a0of\u00a0that\u00a0process\u00a0is hopefully\u00a0another\u00a0solar\u00a0farm\u00a0or\u00a0two,\u201d\u00a0Ohlsen\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cAnd\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0 going\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0function for\u00a0a\u00a0number\u00a0of\u00a0things.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Additionally,\u00a0Adia\u00a0Richardson,\u00a0a\u00a0member\u00a0of FAMU\u2019s\u00a0Sustainability\u00a0Club,\u00a0proposed\u00a0the\u00a0idea\u00a0of nuclear fission to be another source of reliable energy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0more\u00a0efficient,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0better\u00a0on labor\u00a0\u2026\u00a0people\u00a0are just\u00a0worried\u00a0about\u00a0nuclear\u00a0fallout,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely a big scare, \u2026 but nuclear energy can be an option.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

According\u00a0Stanford University\u2019s Understand Energy Learning Hub<\/a>, nuclear energy accounts for about\u00a09\u00a0percent of the world\u2019s electricity generation and provides 20\u00a0percent\u00a0of the world\u2019s carbon-free electricity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nuclear energy is a zero-carbon resource that emits no air\u00a0pollutions,\u00a0however, radioactive\u00a0waste is still a pressing challenge for nuclear energy, and around 4,000 uranium mines are\u00a0abandoned\u00a0and often on Native American reserves.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However,\u00a0Tallahassee\u00a0residents\u00a0still\u00a0seem\u00a0frustrated\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0progress\u00a0made\u00a0three\u00a0years\u00a0later.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the\u00a0pace\u00a0that\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0progressing,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0so\u00a0off\u00a0track\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0progress\u00a0that\u00a0should\u00a0be\u00a0made\u00a0in the original outline,\u201d Charles said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Charles\u00a0Jagoe,\u00a0FAMU\u00a0environmental\u00a0studies\u00a0professor,\u00a0examined\u00a0the\u00a0need\u00a0for\u00a0environmental\u00a0accountability.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u00a0all\u00a0live\u00a0in the\u00a0same environment\u00a0\u2013\u00a0we\u00a0experience\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0weather, and\u00a0we\u00a0depend\u00a0on the environment\u00a0for goods and services like\u00a0food, clean air, and fresh water,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said. \u201cThings like climate change, pollution, and overuse of resources threaten all of these and will affect\u00a0our\u00a0economy\u00a0and\u00a0our\u00a0health.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Strouble,\u00a0of\u00a0ReThink\u00a0Energy,\u00a0called\u00a0for\u00a0more transparency\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0plan\u2019s\u00a0progression,\u00a0suggesting\u00a0 more\u00a0public\u00a0reports, opportunities for public\u00a0comments\u00a0and\u00a0consistent\u00a0updates.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201c[The\u00a0city] should\u00a0be\u00a0doing\u00a0annual\u00a0reports on\u00a0this, and\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0have,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0getting to\u00a0the\u00a0point\u00a0where\u00a0we\u00a0kind\u00a0of\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0go\u00a0back\u00a0and\u00a0demand\u00a0the\u00a0city\u00a0to\u00a0show us kind\u00a0of\u00a0where\u00a0we\u00a0are\u00a0in the\u00a0process.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The view of Cascades Park. (Naji Rutherford\/FAMUAN)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Solar panels spotted on FAMU\u2019s campus. (Khalil-Lullah Ballentine\/FAMUAN) Despite\u00a0the\u00a0city\u00a0of Tallahassee\u2019s\u00a0ambitious\u00a0plan\u00a0to\u00a0achieve\u00a0100\u00a0percent\u00a0net\u00a0clean energy by\u00a02050, residents and environmentalists argue that the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":203049,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[232,234,233],"class_list":["post-203048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tallahassee","tag-tallahassee","tag-tallahassee-headlines","tag-tallahassee-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203048","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=203048"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203048\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/203049"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=203048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=203048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=203048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}