Solar power in Florida has been increasing, as the cost of solar power systems using photovoltaics (PV) has decreased in recent years. Florida has low electricity costs compared with other states, which makes individual solar investment less attractive. [1] Florida ranks ninth nationally in solar resource strength according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory [2] and tenth in solar generation by the Solar Energy Industries Association.
In 2006, the State of Florida enacted the Florida Renewable Energy Technologies and Energy Efficiency Act, which provided consumers with rebates and tax credits for solar photovoltaic systems. [3] The program was closed in 2010. [4] Later, the Florida Public Service Commission mandated that the state's large utilities offer individual solar rebates. The program opened in 2011 and was closed in 2015 after the Commission deemed it to not be cost-effective for non-solar customers. [5]
In 2008, Florida adopted a net metering rule that allows any electric utility customer generating up to 2 MW (2,000 kW) of power to use net metering, which provides a retail rate credit for kilowatt-hours of electricity delivered to the utility, rolled over from month to month, and paid out in cash by the utility once a year at the avoided cost rate. [6]
The federal Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit (income tax credit on IRS Form 5695) for residential PV and solar thermal was extended in December 2015 to remain at 30% of system cost (parts and installation) for systems put into service by the end of 2019, then 26% until the end of 2020, and then 22% until the end of 2021. It applies to a taxpayer's principal and/or second residences, but not to a property that is rented out. There is no maximum cap on the credit, and the credit can be applied toward the Alternative Minimum Tax, and any excess credit (greater than that year's tax liability) can be rolled into the following year. [7] [8]
 | This article needs to be updated.(July 2023) |
In 2009, Florida Power & Light built the state's first solar power plant, the FPL DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center. At the time, the 25-MW plant was the largest of its kind. In 2010, FPL built the world's first hybrid solar-natural gas energy center. [9] [10]
One of the state's largest solar plants is the 75 MW FPL Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center, in Martin County operated by Florida Power and Light. It was the world's first hybrid solar-natural gas energy center [11] and is a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant using solar thermal instead of photovoltaic technology. No additional CSP plants are under development in Florida, although in 2007 a 300 MW Fresnel CSP plant had been planned. [12]
The state's largest photovoltaic plant was the 25 MW DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center, operated by Florida Power and Light, completed in 2009. [13] Florida Power and Light also operates the Space Coast Next Generation Solar Energy Center, a 10 MW photovoltaic facility near the Kennedy Space Center. [14] [15]
The 100 MW Sorrento Solar Farm was expected to become Florida's largest photovoltaic solar farm with 40 MW of photovoltaic capacity already under construction in Lake County. However the company Blue Chip Energy became insolvent and the equipment and farm site was sold at a public auction in 2013. [16] [17]
Florida Power and Light announced in October 2014 that it would build three more power plants by the end of 2016. The FPL Manatee Solar Energy Center is located in Manatee County at a natural gas power plant, FPL Citris Solar Energy Center is in DeSoto County, near the FPL DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center, and FPL Babcock Ranch Solar Energy Center is in Charlotte County. The three plants together generate 225 MW, approximately the same as the total solar power installed in the entire state at the time. [18]
Tampa Electric Company is building a 2 MW farm at the Tampa International Airport. Gulf Power Company and the U.S. military announced contracts for the construction of 3 large plants in Florida: a 50 MW project at Saufley Field in Pensacola, a 40 MW project being at Holley Field in Navarre, and a 30 MW project at Eglin Air Force Base. [19]
In April 2015, Duke Energy Florida proposed to build 500MW of solar in the next ten years. [20]
Tallahassee International Airport (TLH) has two phases of solar projects totaling 83 MWdc.
Duke Energy and Walt Disney World built a five-megawatt solar farm near Epcot Center which has been called the Walt Disney World Solar Facility, or 'Hidden Mickey'. It is visible from the air as a giant Mickey Mouse shape. It sells power to Walt Disney World. [21] Disney World will soon be adding a new solar farm ten times larger than the Hidden Mickey farm. Reedy Creek Improvement District and Origis Energy are in agreement to build the farm on the western edge of Disney's property. It will provide renewable solar power to the Reedy Creek Improvement District and to Disney World. [22]
In April 2018, Babcock Ranch began attempting to become fully solar-powered. Florida Power and Light partnered with town founders to build a 75-megawatt solar-generating facility that's already running. The land was purchased in 2006 and more than 90% is being preserved for wildlife. [23]
As of 2021, Florida has 49 projects just under 75 MWac in capacity all tied for the state's largest solar facilities; [24] this is the maximum size permitted without review under the Florida Power Plant Siting Act. [25]
Developers in Florida have announced the addition of solar panels on all new homes in several subdivisions. [26]
In 2013, it was discovered that Blue Chip Energy was selling fraudulent solar panels to hundreds of consumers throughout Florida. [27]
Solar energy is the state's most abundant energy resource and estimates have placed the state's potential at 2,902 GW, which would produce about 5,274,479 GWh, [28] an amount much larger than the state and countries's total electricity consumption of 231,210 GWh and 4,125,060 GWh in 2010. [29] [30] Florida is one of only two states with no potential for conventional wind power, the other being Mississippi, [31] and will need to either import energy from other states during overcast days and at night, or provide adequate grid energy storage. Most of the potential is from photovoltaics, which provides no storage. The state has some potential for concentrated solar power, but the potential is estimated at 0.13 GW. [28] Taller, 140 meter hub height wind turbines allow up to 153 GW of wind turbines in Florida. [32]
| Year | Photovoltaics | CSP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Change | % Change | Capacity | Change | % Change | |
| 2008 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 38% | 0 | – | – |
| 2009 | 39.0 | 35.7 | 1082% | 0 | – | – |
| 2010 | 73.8 | 34.8 | 87% | 75 | 75 | – |
| 2011 | 95.0 | 21.2 | 30% | 75 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 116.9 | 21.9 | 23% | 75 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 137.3 | 20.4 | 17% | 75 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 159 | 22 | 16% | 75 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 200 | 41 | 26% | 75 | 0 | – |
| 2016 | 682 | 482 | 241% | 75 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 1,432 | 750 | 110% | 75 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 2,289 | 857 | 60% | 75 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 3,690.3 | 1,401.3 | 61% | 75 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 6,539.8 | 2,849.5 | 77% | 75 | 0 | – |
| 2021 | 8,205.5 | 1,665.7 | % | |||
| 2022 | 10,111 | 1,905.5 | % | |||
| Sources: Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] SEIA [38] | ||||||
Solar power in Nevada is growing due to a Renewable Portfolio Standard which requires 50% renewable energy by 2030. The state has abundant open land areas and some of the best solar potential in the country.
Solar power in New Mexico in 2016 generated 2.8% of the state's total electricity consumption, despite a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) projection suggesting a potential contribution three orders of magnitude larger.
Solar power in Texas, a portion of total energy in Texas, includes utility-scale solar power plants as well as local distributed generation, mostly from rooftop photovoltaics. The western portion of the state especially has abundant open land areas, with some of the greatest solar and wind potential in the country. Development activities there are also encouraged by relatively simple permitting and significant available transmission capacity.
Solar power in Nebraska is used for only a very small percentage of the state's electricity, although it is rapidly becoming competitive with grid electricity, due to the decrease in cost and the eight-year extension to the 30% tax credit, which can be used to install systems of any size. In 2015, the state ranked 47th among the 50 U.S. states with 1.1 MW of installed capacity.
Solar power in Kentucky has been growing in recent years due to new technological improvements and a variety of regulatory actions and financial incentives, particularly a 30% federal tax credit, available through 2016, for any size project. Kentucky could generate 10% of all of the electricity used in the United States from land cleared from coal mining in the state. Covering just one-fifth with photovoltaics would supply all of the state's electricity.
Solar power in Rhode Island has become economical due to new technological improvements and a variety of regulatory actions and financial incentives, particularly a 30% federal tax credit, available through 2016, for any size project. A typical residential installation could pay for itself in utility bill savings in 14 years, and generate a profit for the remainder of its 25 year life. Larger systems, from 10 kW to 5 MW, receive a feed-in tariff of up to 33.45¢/kWh.
Solar power in Indiana has been growing in recent years due to new technological improvements and a variety of regulatory actions and financial incentives, particularly a 30% federal tax credit for any size project.
Solar power in West Virginia on rooftops can provide 23% of all electricity used in West Virginia from 6,300 MW of solar panels, but West Virginia will be the last state in the United States to reach grid parity - the point where solar panels are cheaper than grid electricity - without incentives, due to the low cost of electricity - about $0.062/kWh. The point where grid parity is reached is a product of the average insolation and the average cost of electricity. At $0.062/kWh and 4.3 sun-hours/day, solar panels would need to come down to ~$1,850/kW installed to achieve grid parity. The first state in the US to achieve grid parity was Hawaii. Solar power's favorable carbon footprint compared to fossil fuels is a major motivation for expanding renewable energy in the state, especially when compared to coal to generate electrical power.
Mississippi has substantial potential for solar power, though it remains an underutilized generation method. The rate of installations has increased in recent years, reaching 438 MW of installed capacity in early 2023, ranking 36th among the states. Rooftop photovoltaics could provide 31.2% of all electricity used in Mississippi from 11,700 MW if solar panels were installed on every available roof.
Solar power in Oklahoma can provide 44.1% of all electricity used in Oklahoma from 19,300 MW of rooftop solar panels. This scenario is extremely unlikely though because the cost of electricity in Oklahoma is among the lowest in the nation.
Solar power in Arkansas on rooftops can provide 33.3% of all electricity used in Arkansas from 12,200 MW of solar panels.
Solar power in Georgia on rooftops can provide 31% of all electricity used in Georgia.
Solar power in Illinois has been increasing, as the cost of photovoltaics has decreased. As of the end of 2020, Illinois had 465 megawatts (MW) of installed photovoltaic and concentrated solar power capacity combined employing over 5,200 jobs. Illinois adopted a net metering rule which allows customers generating up to 40 kW to use net metering, with the kilowatt hour surplus rolled over each month, and lost at the end of either April or October, as selected by the customer. In 2011, the limit was raised to 2 MW, but is not net metering, as the term is commonly known, as it uses two meters for systems larger than 40 kW.
Solar power in Minnesota expanded significantly in the early 2010s as a result of the cost decrease of photovoltaics and favorable policies. By 2016, it began to grow quickly.
Solar power in Idaho comprised 550 MW in 2019. A 2016 report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimated that rooftops alone have the potential to host 4,700 MW of solar panels, and thus provide 26.4% of all electricity used in Idaho. A large increase in the state's solar generating capacity began starting year 2015 when 461 MW of solar power was contracted to be built in Idaho.
Solar power in New Hampshire provides a small percentage of the state's electricity. State renewable requirements and declining prices have led to some installations. Photovoltaics on rooftops can provide 53.4% of all electricity used in New Hampshire, from 5,300 MW of solar panels, and 72% of the electricity used in Concord, New Hampshire. A 2016 estimate suggests that a typical 5 kW system costing $25,000 before credits and utility savings will pay for itself in 9 years, and generate a profit of $34,196 over the rest of its 25-year life. A loan or lease provides a net savings each year, including the first year. New Hampshire has a rebate program which pays $0.75/W for residential systems up to 5 kW, for up to 50% of the system cost, up to $3,750. However, New Hampshire's solar installation lagged behind nearby states such as Vermont and New York, which in 2013 had 10 times and 25 times more solar, respectively.
Solar power in Vermont provides almost 11% of the state's in-state electricity production as of 2018. A 2009 study indicated that distributed solar on rooftops can provide 18% of all electricity used in Vermont. A 2012 estimate suggests that a typical 5 kW system costing $25,000 before credits and utility savings will pay for itself in 10 years, and generate a profit of $34,956 over the rest of its 25-year life.
Solar power in Wisconsin In 2026, Wisconsin rooftops can accommodate approximately 37 GWs of solar capacity and produce 44,183 GWh of electricity, nearly 70% of the statewide generation in 2019. Net metering is available for systems up to at least 20 kW, and excess generation is credited at retail rate to customers next bill. Some utilities allow net metering up to 100 kW. For Xcel customers, kilowatt credits are rolled over monthly and are reconciled annually at avoided cost. Best practices recommend no limits, either individually or aggregate, and perpetual roll over of kilowatt credits.
Solar power in Pennsylvania currently provides less than 1% of the state's electricity, but there are many policies in place to regulate and incentivize its use. Pennsylvania mandates the use of solar power through a renewable portfolio standard, which requires a percentage of electricity from each providers to come from solar, and net metering, which compensates small-scale solar generation through net metering. By 2021, Pennsylvania was required to have 0.5% of its electricity from solar. Their following goal is 10% by 2030. Solar power could theoretically provide over 30% of the state's electricity, but growth in solar generation has slowed due to a reduction in solar grants and the low price of solar energy credits. Efforts have also seen blowback from citizens, most notably from Mount Joy Township. Although, Pennsylvania has ruled solar as a legal use, meaning local governments can only restrict size and placement, but can't disband the projects.
Solar power in Tennessee is capable of producing much of the state's electricity; however, the industry remains in early stages in the state. With 129 MW of solar power in 2015, Tennessee ranked 20th among states for installed solar capacity.
