Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.A.

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Degree Granting Department

Geography

Major Professor

Yi Qiang, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Richard Mbatu, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Seth Cavello, Ph.D.

Keywords

decarbonization, displacement, greenfield development, rural gentrification

Abstract

Renewable energy and sustainable living are growing trends in Florida as the state “develops” rural landscapes and “redevelops” urban ones, resulting in neighborhood changes, including displacement of low-income and minority populations (LIMP). Solar energy has not historically been a root cause of such changes, but in recent years it has increasingly accompanied neighborhood development which prioritizes the interests of the elite and middle class. As such, it has become a contributor to “urban renewal,” which must be addressed to avoid future LIMP displacement. This study used geospatial and data science technologies and techniques to empirically explore and analyze urbanization and gentrification patterns of neighborhoods surrounding Florida solar plants (FSP). The extent and type of changes in these neighborhoods within this study determined if solar energy is a significant contributory factor in urban gentrification. The variables for gentrification and urbanization used were education, income, housing cost, race/ethnicity, and land cover. The results show low correlation between all socioeconomic variables and the nearest FSP for years 2010, 2015, and 2020; no to low correlation for all socioeconomic variables and the nearest FSP between the change in years from 2010 to 2015 and 2015 to 2020; high urban land cover increase within a one-mile buffer of FSP; and medium and high intensity development increases within a one-mile buffer of FSP. Although these results cannot confirm gentrification has already occurred around FSP between 2010 and 2020, there is an indication that gentrification may occur in upcoming years due to LIMP residing near FSP and high urban development surrounding FSP which is consistent with pre-gentrification factors in previous research.

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