Seminole County Chamber Sparks Clean Energy Discussion

In early March, Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) helped facilitate another key conversation about the future of energy in Florida—this time with the Seminole County Chamber taking the lead.

The Chamber convened a panel for its monthly breakfast, Good Morning Seminole, to explore a wide range of energy topics, including EV-charging roads, federal incentives, utility-scale solar, and landfill gas. The discussion was then broadcast through its podcast network.

“The diversity of this panel showed how new forms of energy, driven by increased technology in renewable energy, can help communities continue to grow their economy,” said Alan Byrd, Florida outreach director, Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy. 

The panel featured five leaders working to meet Florida’s growing demand for energy:

• Sharon Arroyo, vice president, Duke Energy, which had just announced four more utility-scale solar projects throughout the state

• Chris Cucci, executive vice president, Climate First Bank, which specializes in helping finance renewable energy projects

• Ben Pauluhn, president, Optimus Energy Solutions, which works to install EV chargers and commercial solar throughout the Southeast

• Kristine Richmond, senior director, sustainability, Waste Management, which provides energy through gases emitted at landfills

• Bryan Homayouni, director of intelligent transportation systems, Central Florida Expressway Authority, which is building the first highway that will charge EVs as they drive

This is not the first time that clean energy has been a focus of the Seminole County Chamber.

It was the first chamber, in partnership with CICE, to offer members no-cost EV chargers and hosted a 2022 event focused on EV charging infrastructure and market trends. Last year, the chamber shared the business community’s desire for fewer regulations on EV charger permitting with the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs.

“Our membership expects programming that helps them learn about issues that could affect them, and energy is certainly one,” says Rebekah Arthur, president & CEO, Seminole County Chamber. “This high-level panel was insightful and clearly showed how communities like ours that have a significant technology industry need to look at how they will address the growing energy demand.” 

To listen to the discussion, visit the Seminole County Chamber’s podcast site or search Seminole County Chamber on your preferred streaming platform.

St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce Sustainability and Resilience Efforts Aid Hurricane Aftermath

In 2023, the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce in Florida set out to learn how to prepare for a major hurricane. At the time, the Fort Myers area had just been nearly destroyed by Category 4 Hurricane Ian. While all of Florida is at risk, the Tampa Bay region, with St. Petersburg on its western shore, is considered one of the most vulnerable places in the United States for hurricane strikes.

The chamber organized a two-hour trip south to Fort Myers, bringing local business owners, executives, and elected officials. They coordinated with several chambers of commerce and government officials in the area to gather key lessons learned and how the St. Petersburg area could prepare.

The trip was covered by Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy and the Tampa Bay Times. 

Since then, multiple tropical systems have significantly impacted the St. Petersburg region.

• Category 4 Hurricane Idalia sent four feet of storm surge into the area as it passed west of Tampa Bay in 2023. 

• Category 1 Hurricane Debby started the 2024 season with a three- to five-foot storm surge into St. Petersburg in August.

• Category 4 Hurricane Helene sent a six-foot storm surge into St. Petersburg as it traveled west of Tampa Bay in September 2024.

• Finally, Hurricane Milton made landfall just south of Tampa Bay two weeks after Helene. This time, the surge was minimal, but St. Petersburg experienced sustained winds over 100 mph. 

Many areas of St. Petersburg experienced significant damage, especially during Milton. The roof of Tropicana Field made national news, as did a crane crashing into one of the city’s high rises, the Sundial Building. The chamber offices were flooded during the storm, and many staff members also faced flooding in their homes.

“Our building is aging and had existing structural issues,” shares Christie Bruner, vice president of advocacy at the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. “We initially had damage from Debbie and another early season no name storm from water coming in our walls and floors. The destruction from additional water intrusion with Helene and Milton hit additional offices not previous affected.  Our staff is working in co-working spaces, and we don’t have a board meeting room or conference room right now.”

While the damage is significant, the chamber used the knowledge it learned from the Fort Myers trip to help the community prepare and recover. For example, one of the biggest issues in disaster recovery is navigating federal regulations.

“We talked about FEMA issues, and just the knowledge of the issues with FEMA helped in recovery,” Bruner says. “For instance, governments have to remove debris a certain way or they don’t get reimbursed. We also knew about the FEMA 50 percent rule for our residents and businesses to make sure they were ready for the FEMA inspections.”

The “50 percent rule” has been a recurring issue in flood-ravaged areas throughout the Southeast. In simple terms, the rule states that if the damage to a building in a flood zone exceeds 50 percent of its market value, reconstruction must bring the building fully up to code, including elevating the building above the flood plain. The rule, intended to make communities more resilient for future storms, often prevents homes from being rebuilt. ABC Action News in Tampa Bay provides a helpful explanation.

Another key takeaway from the Fort Myers trip was avoiding duplication of resources and information. The chamber focused on business recovery, including webinars on bridge loans and other key efforts. In addition, the chamber created a flyer with recovery resources.

For the St. Petersburg Chamber, leadership on issues like sustainability and resilience is standard practice. The chamber’s standing Sustainability + Resilience Committee works to dispel myths, highlight leaders, and inspire action on issues like clean energy.

“This effort highlights the power of coordination, knowledge-sharing, and building momentum for sustainability initiatives,” says Danielle Bodalski, founder and principal, Philotimo-HR, and co-chair of the Sustainability + Resilience Committee.