The City of Tallahassee’s Clean Energy Plan, finalized in 2023, sets an ambitious goal: achieving 100% clean, renewable energy by 2050. With the interim benchmark year of 2030 approaching, the question many residents are asking is whether the city is on track to meet its promises.
 In 2025, Tallahassee was recognized as an All-America City by the National Civic League, due to demonstrating innovation, civic engagement, and collaboration when addressing local challenges.
 Michael Ohlsen, Assistant General Manager for Integrated System Planning for the City of Tallahassee Electric & Gas Utility, explained how the Clean Energy Plan, created in part by public input, contributed to this designation.
 Solar power is essential to Tallahassee’s clean energy strategy. The city’s electric grid receives power from a 62-megawatt solar farm near Tallahassee International Airport, providing clean energy for city municipal buildings and nearly 1,600 residential and commercial customers who participate in the solar program. The city is considering proposals to develop an additional 120 megawatts of solar power, a significant expansion that would almost double its current solar generation.
“Initial studies suggest we won’t achieve our 100% clean renewable energy goals with solar power alone, though,” Ohlsen said.
 The development of solar farms hasn’t been without controversy. The construction of the solar facility near Tallahassee International Airport raised concerns among residents about the loss of tree canopy, a tool for managing heat and stormwater runoff.
 In addition to public concern expressed about losing Tallahassee’s tree canopy to solar farms, solar energy production presents challenges to utility operations. The electric grid must balance supply and demand in real time, and solar production fluctuates with cloud cover and time of day.
 Combining solar generation with battery energy storage is one way to overcome this challenge, says Ohlsen.
Another option is a floating solar system installed on a wastewater treatment holding pond. Because the ponds are city-owned, consistently full, and don’t require land clearing, they offer a unique opportunity for renewable energy without environmental trade-offs.
“The Southeast Farm Water Reuse facility location allows us to make use of open space without cutting down any trees,” Ohlsen said.
Despite progress, some residents and clean energy advocates remain concerned about the pace of implementation.
Specifically, they want the identification of solar development partners to allow construction to begin by early 2027, and stronger guarantees that efficiency, conservation, and clean energy benefits reach low-income and frontline communities.
These concerns have amalgamated around a petition written by the Tally 100% Together Coalition urging the city commission to reaffirm its commitment to the Clean Energy Plan. Supporters say the petition reflects a desire for transparency rather than opposition to the plan itself.
The coalition is made up of local environmental organizations, student groups, neighborhood advocates, and Tallahassee residents. Supporters emphasize that the effort is nonpartisan.
 Ultimately, Tallahassee’s Clean Energy Plan depends on sustained community participation.
One way the Tallahassee community can better engage with the plan is through net-metered rooftop solar, where homeowners and businesses generate solar power during the day and receive credits for excess energy sent back to the grid. This net-metering approach has proven successful in cities like San Diego. 
In 2025, Tallahassee added more than 60 new rooftop solar systems, with over 1,400 customer-owned installations generating roughly 12 megawatts citywide.
 The city is also making progress by offering free energy audits, rebates, grants, and on-bill financing for home upgrades. In 2025, Tallahassee issued more than 1,200 Energy Star appliance rebates, completed over 3,300 residential energy audits, and provided 240 grants for income-qualified households.
Additional incentives for smart and connected appliances are planned for 2026.
 Kayra Serpenguzel is a freshman Presidential Scholar at Florida State University double-majoring in political science and creative writing and currently interns with the climate advocacy nonprofit genCLEO, driven by a deep interest in journalism, law, and government.
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