Solar panels in Merritt Island, FL

Merritt Island is a mostly owner-occupied Brevard County community on FPL, between the Indian and Banana rivers.

Most homes in Merritt Island get their electricity from Florida Power & Light (FPL). FPL net meters under the Florida PSC's rule: power your panels send to the grid comes back as a kWh credit at the full retail rate, credits roll forward for up to 12 months, and anything left at year-end is paid out at only a few cents per kWh. So the best Merritt Island systems are sized to cover a year of use, not more. See the full FPL solar guide.

Solar can't take your bill below FPL's monthly minimum of about $30.

These estimates apply to homes with mailing addresses in Merritt Island, including ZIP codes 32952, 32953.

Compare solar across nearby towns on the Brevard County solar page.

About 80% of homes in Merritt Island are owner-occupied, and the median owner-occupied home is valued at $402,900, compared with 68% and $359,000 statewide, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (2020-2024 estimates).

• You own the home. Rooftop solar requires owning the roof.
• Your roof gets sun for most of the day on its south, west or east side, without heavy tree shade.
• Your roof has years of life left. Replacing an aging shingle or tile roof before installing saves a removal and reinstall fee later.
• Your FPL bill is regularly over about $150 a month, or you're adding an EV or a pool pump.

Not sure? A specialist can check satellite imagery of your Merritt Island roof as part of your free quote.

Check these before you sign with any solar company serving Merritt Island:

• A Florida contractor license. Look up the company's license on the Florida DBPR license search and make sure it's active.
• Permits and utility paperwork included. The price should cover the permit with Brevard County, inspections and the FPL net metering application.
• Two or three quotes compared on price per watt, equipment and warranties. Our solar quote checker flags high prices and other red flags, and our guide to choosing a solar company covers the rest.

Or request a free quote for your Merritt Island home from one of our trusted Florida partners.

Yes. A battery stores your solar power and keeps chosen circuits running when the FPL grid goes down, which standard solar alone can't do: grid-tied panels shut off in an outage. After a storm, the panels recharge the battery each sunny day until the grid comes back. One 13.5 kWh battery runs about $13,000 installed at recent South Florida prices, with no utility or state rebate.

One battery usually covers essentials; running central air usually takes two or more. Because FPL already credits exported solar at the full rate, a battery's value is backup, not a lower bill. See solar battery backup for hurricanes.

• Storms on October 26 and 27, 2025, dropped more than 10 inches of rain on Merritt Island, an amount a Fox 35 meteorologist said generally happens about once every 50 years, and rainwater entered some homes on the island's north end.
• Hurricane Milton in October 2024 caused flooding and damage on Merritt Island, including several boats damaged or destroyed.
• Merritt Island is unincorporated (Brevard County studied incorporating it in 2023), so Brevard County issues building permits there. FPL lists Merritt Island among the communities it serves.
• During Hurricane Milton on October 9, 2024, an EF1 tornado with winds near 95 mph formed in Cocoa Beach and crossed the Banana River into Merritt Island, the National Weather Service found.
• Brevard County is moving Merritt Island neighborhoods from septic tanks to sewer to protect the Indian River Lagoon, and hard coquina rock drove up conversion costs in 2024.

1. 1

   Building permit

   Your installer applies to Brevard County for the permit, with plans designed to Florida Building Code wind loads, and an inspector checks the finished work. Since July 2025, state law lets a private provider review residential solar and battery plans, with a decision due within 5 business days.

2. 2

   FPL net metering application

   Your installer applies to FPL to connect the system. Most home systems are Tier 1 (up to 10 kW), with no application fee.

3. 3

   Meter swap and permission to operate

   After the final inspection, FPL installs a net meter and gives permission to turn the system on.

4. 4

   Property tax

   Florida law keeps the value solar adds out of your home's assessment. If you're unsure whether anything needs to be filed, ask the Brevard County Property Appraiser.