Audubon Florida hosted a workshop—Powering Progress: Local Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy—on September 12 as part of the Florida Resilience Conference in Bonita Springs. The two-hour session shone a spotlight on the notable achievements of local governments and utilities across Florida in advancing energy efficiency and clean energy initiatives.
The event, organized by Audubon Florida, welcomed more than fifty participants including local government and regional planning council staff, elected officials, and other environmental professionals from across the state. Senior Director of Policy Beth Alvi together with Chris Farrell, Audubon’s NE Florida Policy Associate kicked off the workshop.
During the session, presenters from Sarasota County and the City of Cape Canaveral shared their progress in reducing emissions since completing their GHG inventory. They emphasized the importance of conducting an inventory to understand the emissions produced by their municipality’s buildings, fleets, waste services, and more. Establishing this baseline enables local governments to implement strategies for emission reduction and strengthen community resilience. Greenhouse gas inventories provide transparency for taxpayers and decision makers, clearly showing how reducing emissions can save money.
The workshop showcased a variety of energy efficiency projects underway, including the expansion of rooftop and community solar, battery storage, municipal fleet electrification, and innovative pilots such as green hydrogen, small modular reactors, and a wireless charging system on the Lake/Orange Expressway that will allow electric vehicles to charge while driving. Many of these projects and initiatives successfully received funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and National Science Foundation, EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, and Florida’s energy efficiency program funds through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Presenters also provided information on energy upgrade equity grants for affordable housing and resilience hubs that feature cooling centers and pop-up cooling tents. Municipalities can adopt these and other initiatives, such as installing electric vehicle charging stations, establishing satellite backup internet, enhancing green infrastructure with additional tree planting, and promoting urban farming projects, among others.
Participants applauded the range of ideas discussed and felt inspired to advance them within their own communities.
Audubon is excited to highlight how Florida's local governments are leading the way in transitioning to renewable energy and implementing climate-friendly initiatives. Showcasing this work is critical for decision makers to see how changes at local and regional levels can have significant positive outcomes for the environment and the economy.
