Orlando's iconic solar power plants will switch from burning coal by 2027 to natural gas as an early step in a radical plan by the city's utility company to increase solar energy and reduce the city's carbon emissions.

“I think we have a very balanced approach when it comes to solar energy and natural gas, we will move away from hydroelectric power plants,” said Clint Bullock, general manager of the Orlando Public Utilities Commission. “We are a municipal utility and we try to take into account the needs of our community”.

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Two years of study to eliminate carbon emissions and apply more investments in solar energy

It took the company nearly two years and a $1 million study to respond in detail to a call from Orlando's mayor and council to go 100 percent "clean, renewable energy" by 2050.

“I am impressed with the amount of forward thinking that has been invested,” said Mayor Buddy Dyer. He said that among the strongest elements are the interim targets, which will increase to 100 percent in 2050, rather than expecting a big boost in recent years. He noted that it is difficult to predict the impact on electricity rates. But with solar power and batteries, "as technology evolves, it gets cheaper and cheaper," Dyer said.

Company must donate a nuclear power plant

The utility will consider adopting the nuclear power plant depending on the industry's technology development for small modular units. A small part of fossil fuel energy, around 7%, will continue until 2050 to maintain reliability, but will be offset by carbon reduction measures.

The vast majority of energy comes from solar plants, the company said. “This is directionally aligned with the aspirational proclamation of achieving 100 percent solar energy for Orlando by 2050,” Bullock said.

Retiring hydroelectric plants and ascending to the universe of solar energy

When asked about the impact on the electricity tariffs of the OUC, Bullock said the issue would be discussed at a public workshop on November 17.

Registration and other details are OUCRoadmap.com The company's plan is in line with the ongoing retirement of coal-fired power plants in the country, largely due to low natural gas costs and the rise of solar, wind and other renewables . A key factor is the acceleration of climate change, with a progression of world record temperatures.

“That will take a long time to happen,” said Susannah Randolph, Florida's lead campaign representative for the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign. “It is very important that they end the use of coal. It is a big step forward.”