Does Florida Have Community Solar Laws?

Florida does not have a single, statewide “community solar enabling” statute that requires utilities to offer shared solar or standardizes how programs must work. Instead, the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) has approved utility-proposed, voluntary subscription offerings that function similarly to a community solar project. The most prominent examples are Florida Power & Light’s (FPL) SolarTogether and Duke Energy Florida’s Clean Energy Connection (CEC). In both cases, the FPSC approved tariffs that let customers subscribe to capacity from utility-scale community solar farms and receive bill credits for the energy those facilities produce.

Florida’s approach contrasts with states that have passed broad shared-renewables laws. Industry summaries frequently note that Florida lacks a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and bans third-party power purchase agreements, two policy levers that elsewhere have catalyzed standardized community solar markets. Even so, FPSC-approved utility programs have expanded access to shared generation without requiring rooftop systems, especially in investor-owned utility territories.

Specific approvals and low-income provisions

  • FPL SolarTogether (FPSC approval 2020) – The Commission approved FPL’s petition after a settlement that, among other items, allocates 37.5 MW of program capacity for low-income customers. In addition, for those income-qualified participants, the subscription charge is structured so it does not exceed the bill credit in any month, protecting against negative net monthly outcomes.
  • Duke Energy Florida Clean Energy Connection (FPSC approvals 2021–2022) – The FPSC approved Duke’s CEC program, including a specific income-qualified tier. Under that tier, the subscription fee is fixed at $8.35 per kW per month and the subscription credit is fixed at $9.03 per kW per month for the life of the program, i.e., low-income customers have a built-in positive monthly net. For standard residential customers, Duke sets a fixed $8.35/kW-month fee and a bill credit that starts at roughly $0.04/kWh, then escalates 1.5% annually from month 37, improving savings the longer a customer stays enrolled.

Outside investor-owned utilities, several municipal utilities run subscription-based solar offerings, such as Orlando Utilities Commission’s SunChoice, and Tampa Electric offers Sun Select, a shared-solar option for customers who cannot host panels. These municipal and cooperative programs are voluntary rather than mandated by a statewide law.

Consumer groups sometimes caution that not all offerings labeled “community solar” deliver the same bill savings or customer protections found in state-standardized programs elsewhere. In Florida, program design depends heavily on the sponsoring utility and its FPSC-approved tariff, so customers should compare details before enrolling.

What is Community Solar?

Community solar lets multiple customers share the output and the benefits of a single solar facility. Instead of buying or financing rooftop equipment, a customer subscribes to a portion of a larger array and receives credits on the utility bill proportional to that share. The model opens clean-energy access to renters, condo owners, small businesses, and households whose roofs are shaded, aging, or otherwise unsuitable for residential solar.

A community solar project is typically a utility-scale or mid-scale solar plant sited where land, sunlight, and grid interconnection are favorable. The project exports energy into the local grid. The utility or program operator measures total production, allocates a percentage to each subscriber, and applies bill credits using a method defined in the tariff. Because the asset is centrally operated, subscribers avoid ownership burdens like inverter replacements or insurance. In Florida, that operator is usually the utility itself (FPL, Duke Energy Florida) or a municipal utility (e.g., Orlando Utilities Commission).

When is community solar energy a strong fit? It is compelling if you rent; if your roof needs replacement; if you want flexibility to scale participation without a major capital outlay; or if you prefer a hands-off experience where the utility handles maintenance and performance risk. Many customers also choose shared solar to diversify where their electricity comes from while supporting new local generation.

Advantages of community solar over residential solar

  • No rooftop constraints – You can participate even if you live in an apartment, have heavy tree cover, or face strict architectural guidelines
  • Lower upfront commitment – Subscriptions use monthly fees, not five-figure equipment purchases or long-term loans
  • Operational simplicity – The sponsor manages siting, interconnection, asset operations, and maintenance
  • Scalability and flexibility – You can often right-size your subscription to match part of your usage and adjust later
  • Transferability – If you move within the same service territory, programs may let you transfer the subscription (check the tariff for rules)
  • Economies of scale – Large community solar farms can achieve lower $/W installed costs than many small rooftop systems, which helps support credits that offset subscription fees

Why Community Solar?

A well-designed community solar program spreads the benefits of community solar across households and businesses that otherwise cannot adopt clean energy. For homeowners who are grid-connected year-round and want predictable bill impacts, a subscription model can deliver savings without equipment ownership risk. Renters gain a rare path to long-term participation in solar. Small businesses can hedge a portion of their energy costs and demonstrate sustainability commitments to customers.

From a community perspective, utility-scale projects strengthen the local generation mix. New shared-solar capacity can help utilities meet demand growth with low-emission resources, reduce fuel price exposure, and support local construction jobs. Because Florida’s grid faces intense summer peaks and hurricane-season volatility, adding solar generation under utility control can complement broader resilience strategies (e.g., pairing with storage in future projects, where approved).

Community subscription models make it easier to design low-income offerings that deliver immediate, guaranteed monthly benefits. Florida’s FPSC approvals for FPL and Duke explicitly include income-qualified components (discussed above), a feature that can be difficult to replicate with traditional rooftop programs alone.

Are there Community Solar Projects in Florida?

Yes. Florida’s largest community solar programs today are utility-sponsored:

  • FPL SolarTogether: A multi-gigawatt portfolio approved by the FPSC beginning in 2020, allowing residential and business customers to subscribe to shares of new FPL-built solar plants and receive bill credits tied to production. The settlement reserved 37.5 MW for low-income customers with special consumer protections
  • Duke Energy Florida Clean Energy Connection (CEC): A sizable portfolio with a standard subscription and an income-qualified tier. The standard plan uses a fixed fee per kW of subscribed capacity and a production-based credit that escalates after three years; the income-qualified plan guarantees a monthly positive net
  • Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) SunChoice: A municipal utility subscription offering that connects customers to utility-scale solar with clear explanations of how the energy is credited through OUC’s grid. OUC periodically opens enrollment windows as capacity becomes available.
  • Tampa Electric (TECO) Sun Select: A shared-solar option for residential and small business customers who want billable solar usage without installing panels, with the ability to match a percentage of monthly consumption

Because Florida has more than five active or approved initiatives, the “largest five” by footprint and customer reach are FPL SolarTogether, Duke’s CEC, and the leading municipal programs such as OUC SunChoice and TECO Sun Select (plus other municipal/co-op offerings where available). Eligibility generally depends on where you take electric service: customers must be within the utility’s territory and meet program requirements outlined in each tariff or rider.

Can any Florida resident join?

Enrollment is tied to your utility. For example, FPL customers can only subscribe to SolarTogether if they take service from FPL; Duke’s CEC is available to Duke Energy Florida customers; OUC SunChoice is for OUC customers; and TECO Sun Select is only for Tampa Electric accounts. Many programs open enrollment in cycles and may maintain waitlists once capacity fills.

How do you sign up?

  • FPL customers: Monitor SolarTogether enrollment updates via FPL and FPSC filings; when open, you select a subscription size and accept the tariffed terms
  • Duke Energy Florida customers: Choose a kW subscription in the Clean Energy Connection portal; standard or income-qualified tracks have different credit rules
  • OUC customers: Enroll in SunChoice during open windows (OUC signals when new subscriptions are available); the energy is fed into OUC’s grid and credited to your bill
  • TECO customers: Use Sun Select to match a portion of your monthly usage with local solar, handy if your roof cannot host panels

Consumer advocates remind Floridians to read the fine print, especially how credits are calculated versus fees, because some offerings are “green power” subscriptions rather than classic, state-standardized Florida community solar programs.

How Does Community Solar Work in Florida?

Mechanically, Florida’s programs follow the same blueprint: a utility or municipal sponsor builds a solar facility, connects it to the local grid, allocates capacity to subscribers, and credits each participant’s bill based on production from their subscribed share. The sponsor handles site selection, permitting, interconnection, operations, and maintenance. Customers see a separate line item for the subscription and another for the credit.

  • Grid connection and crediting – The solar plant injects energy into the utility’s distribution system. Your household still draws power from the grid as usual; you are compensated by a bill credit representing the value of your share of the plant’s monthly output. OUC explains this clearly for SunChoice: the energy “does not go directly to your home,” but offsets other generation sources on the grid while your bill reflects your subscription and credits
  • Program design choices
    • FPL SolarTogether uses a subscription-and-credit structure approved by the FPSC; the settlement created a low-income set-aside and protections to ensure income-qualified customers’ monthly credits cover their subscription charges
    • Duke CEC charges $8.35 per kW per month and provides a production credit that starts near $0.04/kWh and escalates 1.5% annually after month 36, improving savings over time. The income-qualified track sets a $9.03/kW-month credit for the life of the subscription against the same $8.35/kW-month fee
    • Municipal programs like OUC SunChoice and TECO Sun Select use subscription blocks or percentage-of-usage options to match a portion of your consumption with solar production, crediting your account accordingly
  • Incentives interplay – Federal incentives such as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) can reduce project capital costs at the utility level, enabling better economics that flow through to subscribers as bill credits. At the customer level, Florida’s community solar cost savings come from the credit structure rather than a personal tax credit (you are not purchasing and depreciating equipment). Florida’s municipal and investor-owned programs translate project economics into tariffed credits rather than asking subscribers to claim hardware incentives directly. (Program-specific filings describe how costs and benefits are allocated.)
  • Resilience and operations – If a solar farm is offline due to weather, your home’s service is unaffected because the utility’s diverse portfolio continues to supply power. Municipal programs like OUC note this explicitly, emphasizing that subscribers do not experience service interruptions tied to a single plant’s status

How Much Does Community Solar Cost in Florida?

The cost of joining a community solar project in Florida generally depends on how a utility or program structures its subscription model. While prices differ across providers, most programs follow a similar formula: subscribers pay a monthly fee tied either to a share of the solar facility’s capacity (measured in kilowatts) or to a portion of their electricity usage. In return, they receive bill credits based on the energy output from that share.

What Subscription Costs Usually Cover

A subscription fee typically includes the expenses of building, operating, and maintaining the shared solar facility. This covers solar panels, inverters, and other hardware, as well as ongoing monitoring, insurance, and administrative costs. Subscribers do not have to worry about maintenance or repairs, which are handled by the project operator or utility.

Typical Cost Ranges

Across Florida, monthly subscription costs for community solar energy tend to range from modest fixed fees per kilowatt to variable charges based on energy consumption. For example, a household subscribing to a small share of a solar array might pay only a few dollars each month, while those covering a larger share of their usage could see charges closer to $50 or more. In most cases, the programs are designed so that the bill credits customers receive are equal to or greater than their subscription costs over time. This means subscribers can expect either immediate small savings or long-term financial benefits as solar production increases and credit values accumulate.

Net Benefits for Subscribers

The ultimate goal of a Florida community solar subscription is to deliver reliable savings without requiring customers to purchase or install their own solar panels. While the exact dollar amounts differ by utility and program, the typical expectation is that subscribers will see reductions in their monthly electricity bills ranging from around 5% to 15%. The savings depend on factors like how much capacity the customer subscribes to, the solar farm’s production levels, and the design of the crediting system.

Accessibility and Equity

An important aspect of Florida’s community solar programs is their effort to make participation available to a wider range of customers. Some programs set aside capacity for low- and moderate-income households, ensuring that these customers can join at a favorable rate and still realize a net benefit on their bills. This emphasis on inclusivity underscores one of the main benefits of community solar, opening up solar participation to people who might otherwise be excluded due to housing, property ownership, or financial limitations.