Florida

Florida is BIG- there’s no way around it. Our nearly 66,000 square miles of land and 8,400 miles of shoreline are home to over 23 million people, 10 million residences and 3.1 million small businesses. With a GDP of $1.7 trillion, our economy ranks as the 15th largest in the entire world. It should come as no surprise that abundant, affordable, and reliable energy is vital to keeping our big state running, and clean energy is an invaluable part of not only that but also cementing Florida as a leader in President Trump’s America First economy.

Energizing the Economy

Clean energy has become a serious economic driver for the state. Lower electricity bills, good-paying job creation, and billions of dollars of investment are some of the ways clean energy is currently powering Florida. As AI continues to transform our economy, clean energy will play a central role in positioning Florida as an economic engine of American industry.

Florida is already business-friendly and central to the president’s political apparatus, making our state well-poised to fulfill his call to action and support our nation’s data center expansion. The benefits of such an investment in our state are wide-ranging, especially to the rural communities that would likely house them. How do we attract this investment?

• Energy Diversity – to meet the massive energy demand of AI data centers, Florida cannot be reliant on only one or two sources of fuel. By continuing to foster the growth of solar, nuclear, and other efficient and reliable sources of energy, Florida can ensure investors that we have the diversified energy portfolio needed to power their data centers
• Grid Modernization – Skeptics question whether the aging American energy grid is capable of reliably and securely transporting the massive energy loads needed to power the AI boom. By investing in upgrades to our own grid, Florida can separate itself from the pack as one of the few states with the transmission capabilities necessary to get the job done.
• Removing Red Tape – In Florida, we pride ourselves on cutting red tape and letting our innovators and job creators do what they do best. There’s a reason our state’s GDP growth consistently outpaces the nation’s at large, and our unemployment rate is consistently better. We must continue to find ways to get government out of the way and make it easier to build, invest, hire and work in our state.

Going Nuclear

“…we must unleash the domestic nuclear industrial base and position American nuclear companies as the partners of choice for future energy growth throughout the world.” – President Trump

The American nuclear renaissance is here, and it is at the heart of President Trump’s vision for American energy. Shortly after taking office, President Trump signed a slate of executive orders designed to speed up nuclear reactor licensing, explore fuel recycling and reprocessing, and amp up nuclear fuel production among other things. Nuclear energy will be utilized to power AI data centers, now designated critical defense facilities, and our military bases.

With 21 major military installations located here, Florida should be a prime candidate to become a hub for the American nuclear renaissance. By taking steps to follow the President’s lead and unleash our own nuclear capabilities, we can provide unprecedented infrastructure security to our military bases and signal our readiness for data center investment.

Solar – the RIGHT way

Energy diversity is key to America’s ability to continue to compete with China as an economic and industrial powerhouse. In Florida, we’re leading the way in market-driven diversification of our fuel sources.

Drawing from our state’s abundant sunshine, solar is generating the energy to power over 2 million homes, support over 14,000 jobs, and has brought $27 billion in investment to Florida. By 2034, solar power is expected to account for 27% of Florida’s electricity. Community solar and net metering programs have allowed Florida customers to save on their electricity bills and take more control over their household’s energy. In 2024, Florida became the #2 state in the nation for solar deployment, both utility-scale and rooftop. Solar will continue to be a central part of Florida’s economy and will be a crucial component to powering our rapidly surging electricity demand.

Promoting Resilience

Floridians are all too familiar with the devastating effects of hurricanes and flooding. When the grid is knocked out, our homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals are all at risk of going without power for extended periods of time. Governor DeSantis and Florida legislators know how important resilience is to our state. Since 2020, they’ve invested over $1.8 billion into the Resilient Florida program to bolster our state’s infrastructure against catastrophic storms. Additionally, they have dedicated hundreds of millions of dollars each year to the My Safe Florida Home program, empowering Florida homeowners to take charge of hardening their homes to both withstand storms and be able to recover from them quicker.

Clean energy like solar with battery storage or onsite generation with solar panels, microreactors, and small modular nuclear reactors can keep power flowing even when the grid fails. The ability to keep our state running in the face of massive hurricanes protects our people and serves as a crucial selling point to would-be investors and job creators looking to do business here. Continued commitment to resilient infrastructure will be crucial to Florida’s health and ability to attract investment in the future.

Fostering Independence

America First is at the center of President Trump’s economic vision, and that includes how we produce, transmit, and store energy. Bringing our energy supply chains to America is not just about the economy- it is a matter of national security. Clean energy provides the most efficient, cost-effective, and secure way for Florida to do its part in bringing energy production back to the states. We simply can’t rely on energy and technology sourced from countries that hate us, and we shouldn’t have to.

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