Why Does Florida Prohibit Power Purchase Agreements
PPAs are prohibited in Florida because State Statute 366.02 places strict regulations on any entity selling electricity. This statute leads to high administrative costs and considerable regulatory hurdles that make it difficult for many solar developers in the state to provide PPAs. Several bills have been brought forward in an attempt to change this legislation.
The Power Of The Sun In Various Florida Regions
The Solar Foundation reports that, as of 2016, Florida was one of the top five states when it comes to solar jobs, highlighting the growing number of people in this particular sector of the United States deciding to use this form of energy. In fact, Florida ranks number eleven when compared to the other states in the area of solar market attractiveness says the Florida Energy Systems Consortium. However, some geographical areas in this state offer more solar power than others.
For instance, according to Sperlings Best Places, a website dedicated to providing valuable information on locations across the U.S.such as cost of living, crime rates, house prices, and moreif you live in the Orlando area, youll see approximately 233 sunny days per year. Live in Miami, about 240 miles south of Orlando, and that number increases to 248 days. Go north 141 miles instead, to the Jacksonville area, and your sunny days will lessen slightly to 221, providing a little less solar power than some of the locations to the south.
While these numbers arent guaranteed, its fair to assume that the more southern cities in Florida, on average, will see more sunny days than the ones to the north. Dont feel bad if you live in northern Florida though because it could be worse. If your home was in Detroit, Michigan, for instance, your sunny days would reduce to only 183 per year, which is a lot less.
Is Florida A Good State For Solar Panels
Florida is ranked third in the country for solar installations. Considering the state is known for its hot, sunny weather, this comes as no surprise. Suitable weather, hefty incentives, a good net metering policy and above-average energy consumption in the state makes Florida a popular location for solar panel installations.
However, solar panel installations are still not right for every homeowner. It is important to consider your initial costs and solar payback period to decide if solar is worth it for your Florida home.
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Florida Solar Rights Act
Florida residents who are part of a Homeowners Association may be concerned their HOA will deny their request to install solar panels in their home. Fortunately, Florida Law forbids HOAs from denying homeowners their right to install solar energy systems in their homes. In other words, if you want to install solar panels in your Florida home, your HOA cannot deny you that right so long as your installation request follows your HOAs home improvement guidelines.
Reduction Of Energy Bill
Another notable benefit of solar panels is a significant reduction in your energy bill. When you generate your own electricity using a solar panel on your roof, you will use less energy from the utility supplier.
In this way, you will be able to save a lot of money on your energy bill.
This is one of the most important benefits that solar panels have to offer. While you wait for them to completely pay off, look at your next commercial energy bill and compare it with the amount of money that you would save by investing in a solar panel system right now.
You will be surprised by just how much money this can really add up to over time.
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Do Solar Companies Provide Solar Buyback
One of the biggest potential advantages of going solar in Florida is the option to sell excess energy back to the power company. This widespread practice is called solar buyback. Beyond simply cutting back or eliminating your power bill, your solar panels can potentially put extra money back into your pocket each month if they generate more power than you
How Much Do Solar Panels Cost
The average cost of a solar energy system is around $16,000. However, the price range is vast. Partial systems can cost as little as $3,500, while full, off-grid systems can run up to and over $35,000.
The size of your system and its components, such as power storage, mainly dictate the cost of a solar energy system. Fortunately, federal, state and local incentives can curb some of the costs.
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Dont Confuse Interconnection Tiers With Tiered Rates
Adding to the confusion is that each utility has tiered rates for usage. This has no bearing on interconnection tiers.
For FPL, your first 500 kilowatt-hours of usage are billed at a lower rate. For LCEC, they have 3 tiers for 500 kWh, 1,000 kWh, and over 1,000 kWh. However, when you do net meteirng with LCEC they give you a single blended rate once you add solar panels. This blended rate is lower than the two highest tiers before you go solar.
Without getting into too much of the complexities, the net effect is that you have a financial incentive to use solar power to knock down your most expensive energy. This often means that producing just under 100% of your annual usage is the best return on investment. Thats not to say that generating 100% of more is a bad investment it just has lower marginal benefits. Our software takes these before-and-after tiered rates into account when presenting you with the financial outcomes you should expect.
The Best Miami Solar Companies Are Solarreviews Pre
SolarReviews has a pre-screening process that helps you sort out the good and the bad when it comes to the solar companies near you.Solar panels last for a very long time, so it is crucial that you choose a solar panel installation company that is easy to workwith and will most likely be around for the 25 to 30-year life of your system. Within our small network of independently owned,pre-screened Miami solar companies, you will find the very best Miami solar panel companies to perform your solar panel installation.
Search for a specific company
Our pre-screening process involves our team scoring each company based on 12 ranking factors. These factors include the amount of time in business,litigation searches, criminal record searches, financial profitability, consumer reviews, equipment quality, local service,full-time installation crews rather than using sub-contractors, value, pricing transparency, loan offerings, employee satisfaction, and the company’s safety record.
Unbiased reviews. No company can pay to alter the reviews or review scores shown on our site. Some companies pay us a small, fixed referral fee if you request a quote but we never earn any commission from sales. Any editorial content is not influenced by financial relationships.
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Tier 2 Utility Interconnections
Tier 2 systems start at 11,765 watts and require a $400 one-time interconnection fee and $1 million of personal liability insurance either on your homeowners insurance or as an umbrella policy. Each utility requires a specific type of disconnect switch that is accessible to them, and generally near the utility meter. The interconnection process is the same, with some additional documentation required.
The idea behind the Tier 2 requirements goes back to the days when solar equipment was not as evolved as it is today, and some equipment could potentially backfeed power to the grid, endangering utility workers. The requirements are outdated and unnecessary, but they are part of the Net Metering laws tier system and part of each utilitys approved interconnection agreements. To change these requirements would be an onerous process, and might result in some negative consequences for consumers, so the solar energy industry accepts the status quo.
Another factor is how much power the utility company can accept on your part of the grid. They need to make sure that their transformers and transmission equipment can handle the amount of backed power produced by you and other net metering customers in the area. So Tier 2 interconnections require a bit more study on the utilitys part, justifying the fee to ensure the stability of the grid for all users.
How To Choose The Best Solar Company
There are several factors to consider when selecting a solar company:
- Aesthetics: Think about the overall look of your home. Those interested in preserving curb appeal should consider a more low-profile option, such as Teslas solar roof. Monocrystalline panels are also more aesthetically pleasing than polycrystalline or thin-film panels but costlier.
- Cost: Its important to balance price with the services offered. Choosing the most affordable provider could mean sacrificing quality, while the most expensive company doesnt necessarily guarantee higher quality.
- Customer reviews: If a company has mixed or negative customer reviews, you may want to consider another option.
- Financing options: Leases prevent you from taking advantage of solar incentives. Though this option minimizes up-front costs, it likely wont save you money in the long run.
- Warranty length: The length of the warranty affects the cost of your system long-term. Those who want a comprehensive warranty should choose a provider with a warranty that covers more than just equipment.
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Florida Solar Panel Installation Costs 2022
The average price of panels in this state is $2.65 per watt. This price dictates the cost of a solar system installation in Florida. Using this rate, the average cost of 5kW and 6kW systems are $13,250 and $ 15,900, respectively. This is before accounting for any incentive.
When the 26% federal tax credit is considered, the price for a 5kW system falls to about $9,800, while that of a 6kW drops to around $11,700. Another additional incentive by the state that helps reduce the average cost of installation is a sales-tax exemption on solar products.
What Rebates And Incentives Are There In Florida For Solar
The federal Investment Tax Credit has been one of the most reliable and impactful incentives for solar across the U.S. This solar incentive allows you to deduct 26 percent of the total system cost from your federal taxes. For example, a solar energy system installation that costs $15,000 out of pocket will qualify for a tax deduction of $3,900. This advantageous incentive lasts until the end of 2022 – the tax credit amount steps down to 22 percent for 2023. The federal ITC is eliminated for residential solar installations after 2023, but commercial solar energy system owners can still deduct 10 percent of a commercial solar system cost from their taxes beyond 2023.
Beyond the federal ITC, Florida has additional incentives for going solar that are dependent on your area and utility company. The Sunshine States net metering programs allow your solar panels to continue to work to save you money, even when you are out of the house. Whats more, Florida has established generous property and sales tax exemptions, helping you get the most out of your solar purchase. To learn more about Floridas best financial incentives for solar, check out our complete overview of the states best solar incentives.
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What Solar Panels Should I Install In Florida
For property owners, you now can customize your solar panels, inverters, racking systems, and batteries, as well as the general aesthetic of the installation. This customizability has made it important for solar consumers to understand these various factors. For example, the best solar panels available may have premium efficiencies and warranties, but will typically be more costly. However, depending on the size of the installation, youll need to determine whether high-efficiency solar panels that can produce more electricity are worthwhile. Also, your appetite for risk can help determine which solar warranties best fit your needs. These are just a few of the many factors to consider when selecting solar panel equipment.
Important Solar Installation Factors To Consider In Florida
While Florida is known for sunny skies, its not without its cloudy days. However, solar panels can still generate electricity on rainy and cloudy days. Solar panels even work during the winter months. Overcast days may produce lower output, meaning they will not generate as much electricity, but sunny summer days will increase your solar generation. If your home is heavily shaded by trees or other obstacles, that will impact your solar installations effectiveness year-round,
Your roofs condition, age, and angle can also impact efficiency. Your solar installer will assess the viability of your home for solar panels to determine whether your homes roof is a good candidate for solar panels in Florida.
Lastly, HOAs and neighborhood associations may have an approval process or regulations regarding solar panels. Your solar installer can help you consult all the appropriate channels before moving forward with this investment.
What if you dont have a roof at all? Many Florida residents split time between the north and south while living in RVs. If you are a snowbird or live in an RV year-round, you can still benefit from solar in Florida. Learn more about solar panels for RVs.
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What Is A Commercial Solar Installation
Commercial solar installation is an integrated solar energy system that powers business operations via solar electric system.
Solar panels harvest the solar energy and produce usable electricity that is used in the business and/or traded with the utility in the process called Net Metering. Commercial solar installation may be powering 5 – 100% of needed electricity for the business. It can be located on the roof or on the ground.
Six Reasons Why People Choose Us
Quality Material
Our commitment is to the best PV equipment available.
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NABCEP Certification for Photovoltaics in Florida.
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Over 400 hours of industry-specific national training.
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Over 19 years of solar panel experience.
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Our specialists are ready to assist you with a customized quote.
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We stand behind our solar panel products and installation.
We Are A Business Who Cares, And it Shows
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Trust Airis Energy A Leading Solar Company In Florida Since 1996
Stop wasting money on energy bills. Invest in your future with commercial and residential solar panels in Florida.
Theres never been a better time to get solar energy in Florida.
- Save thousands of dollars on energy costs – You can slash your electricity bill to $0/month from day 1.
- No hidden fees – We offer our customers 20 years of preventative and corrective maintenance.
- Show the world you care – Reduce your carbon footprint with solar panels in South Florida.
- Get competitive interest rates – Well secure the financing you need to install your solar power system in Florida.
- Our experts are fast and friendly – From a free estimate to a lifetime of service, our professionals have got your solar needs covered.
Work with one of the only full-service solar energy companies in Florida to bring your solar dream to life.
How Can Our Marketplace Help You
There are plenty of solar energy companies in Florida. SolarReviews has more than 300 solar companies with reviews on their profiles, which guide you to make an informed decision when picking the ideal solar installer
Our blog will give you in-depth information on solar energy, including but not limited to solar prices, energy efficiency, solar battery storage, electric cars, and renewable energy.
We help homeowners and solar panel shoppers find the best solar contractors.
For solar panels brands, we give you
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Professional reviews
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Information on warranty and specifications
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Solar panel kits and installation prices.
For installation companies, looking for solar energy partnerships, we give you
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Contact information
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A variety of solar panels and their respective prices
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Solar State Incentives & Solar Tax Credits
Currently, there are several incentives to take advantage of to offset the cost of solar panel installation. Theyre worth the effort of investigating. The federal government offers tax credits worth up to 26% of qualifying solar energy systems.
Depending on your state, you may also qualify for one or more state incentives, including state tax credits, government rebates, renewable energy credits, local incentives, subsidized loans or regional utility rebates.
Florida Property Assessed Clean Energy Loans
PACE loans are a way to finance energy efficiency improvements to your home. In fact, this system can finance 100% of the cost for your improvements. And yes, that includes solar panels. If youThis can be an excellent way to get your Florida solar energy system, especially since it covers the total cost of purchase and installation. You can reap the benefits of solar energy from day one. PACE is available in many areas of Florida.
However, this loan is repaid through your property tax bill. It is also tied to your home, rather than to you. These are things to consider before getting a PACE loan. But if you plan to stay in your current home, this loan could be just what you need to get solar power in Florida. Be sure to look into all the details before deciding to apply.
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Are Energy Reduction Products Useful
Property owners interested in the cost-savings and environmental benefits of solar panels might also be interested in so-called energy reduction products. Lots of solar companies push these products to accompany solar panels. But do they work? Do they really reduce power usage and energy bills? Do energy efficiency products really protect the environment? The answers are nuanced. Lets take a
