Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy Efficiency topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tampa staff report 9.3% drop in city energy use; officials point to efficiency and solar but cite rate increases
Summary
City sustainability staff told the council that energy use fell about 9.3% between fiscal years, producing roughly $300,000 in direct utility savings, but that rate increases and storm surcharges limited total savings; staff highlighted 1.4 MW of installed solar and urged further HVAC upgrades and targeted solar siting.
City sustainability staff told the Tampa City Council that the city’s total energy use declined roughly 9.3% in the most recent fiscal year, producing nearly $300,000 in measured utility bill savings while larger rate increases and surcharges limited the proportion of savings the city realized.
Kayla Casselli, sustainability and resilience staff, introduced the presentation and invited Carl Grama Rosado, energy efficiency manager, to explain the technical details. Rosado said the city manages about 1,900 utility meters and that, between FY22–24 and FY24–25, the city’s investments and operational changes reduced consumption and generated about $1.4 million in estimated savings over two years; the most recent year accounted for roughly $300,000 of those savings.
Rosado said a 6.16% increase in the city’s utility base rate and additional storm surcharges were applied by the utility provider, which limited the city’s realized cost reduction. He explained that solar arrays and efficiency programs together drove most of the savings; the city has five solar installations totaling about 1.4 megawatts and is piloting solar on fleet‑maintenance and select community centers. He gave the example of a fleet maintenance building at Hannah that, when supplied by its solar array, reduced its monthly bill to roughly $30.
Staff emphasized HVAC as a major driver of building energy use—Rosado noted HVAC can account for 30%–40% of a building’s consumption and flagged many sites with 25–35 year‑old equipment as candidates for replacement to lock in further savings.
Council members raised questions about making solar more accessible to residents. Staff said the city has promoted a nonprofit solar co‑op (a group‑buying program) that helps residents secure lower installation prices but that the federal residential tax credit expired in December 2025. For commercial projects, the city remains eligible for a 30% credit subject to a new domestic‑content requirement; staff said the commercial credit and competitive bids in the market could lower system costs going forward.
Councilmembers also asked whether new construction, including Fire Station 24 and the convention center, can incorporate solar. Staff said designs for Fire Station 24 were being prepared to allow future solar installations but that adding solar in current implementation phases may not be feasible; roof replacements or major retrofits remain key opportunities.
Staff said they will continue to identify feasible sites, target HVAC replacements and pursue additional solar installations where the roof geometry and shading permit positive return on investment.
