Florida solar savings calculator
See roughly what size system your home needs, what it costs, how fast it pays for itself and what battery backup adds.
Quick answer
How much can solar save in Florida?
For a South Florida home with a $200 monthly FPL bill, we estimate a 9.6 kW system costs about $25,900, saves about $2,012 in the first year and pays for itself in about 12.9 years, with full-retail net metering. Enter your own bill below.
Your estimate
- System size
- 9.6 kW
- about 24 panels
- Yearly production
- 14,688 kWh
- vs. about 14,891 kWh used
- First-year savings
- $2,012
- about $168/month
- Payback
- 12.9 years
- $64,300 saved over 25 years
| Estimated costNo Florida state or utility rebate applies; sales tax is already exempt. | $25,900 |
|---|
Planning estimate only, not a quote. Assumes a south-facing roof, a cash purchase and a system sized to cover up to a year of use. Real numbers depend on your roof, equipment and rate plan. How we estimate
How does this calculator estimate savings?
We turn your bill into yearly electricity use, size a system to cover it and price it with October 2026 Florida figures. You can change the electric rate and installed price under "Adjust assumptions".
- Usage: your bill minus your utility's minimum monthly bill ($30 at FPL, $30 at Duke Energy Florida, $13.50 at Tampa Electric), divided by its typical all-in rate: 13.7¢/kWh at FPL, 14.9¢ at Duke Energy Florida and 15.6¢ at Tampa Electric.
- Production: NREL PVWatts estimates for Florida regions, from about 1,390 kWh per kW a year in the Panhandle to about 1,540 in Miami, for an unshaded south-facing roof. "Some shade" lowers that by 15% and "a lot" by 30%.
- System size: enough to cover up to a year of your use, between 3 and 25 kW, using 400 W panels. Florida pays only a few cents per kWh for credits left over at year-end, so we don't size past your use.
- Price: $2.70 per watt installed, SolarReviews' October 2026 Florida average for a 7.2 kW system. Larger systems usually cost less per watt (EnergySage's Florida quotes ran about $2.06–$2.31 for systems around 14 kW). No state or utility rebate applies, and the federal homeowner credit ended after 2025.
- Savings: each kWh the panels make is worth the full retail rate, because FPL, Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric net meter 1:1, carrying unused credits forward for up to 12 months. Lifetime savings assume rates rise 2.5% a year, close to Florida's 10-year average, and panels lose 0.5% of output a year over 25 years.
Battery (optional): 13.5 kWh per battery at about $963 per kWh installed, EnergySage's October 2026 figure for Miami Beach and the high end of the Florida prices we found. No utility or state battery rebate applies. Backup hours use an example 1 kW average essentials load; yours depends on what you run. Batteries aren't counted in payback, since full-retail net metering leaves little bill savings for them.
Financing costs, roof work, insurance and rate-plan changes aren't included.
Sources
- Florida Administrative Code Rule 25-6.065: Interconnection and net metering of customer-owned renewable generation
- FPL: Net metering FAQ
- Palmetto: Florida utility guide (net metering and minimum bills, 2026)
- Florida Solar Authority: Solar energy production estimates for Florida regions (NREL PVWatts)
- SolarReviews: Cost of solar panels in Florida (Oct. 2026)
- EnergySage: Solar panel cost in Miami, FL (Oct. 2026)
- EnergySage: Solar panel cost in Orlando, FL (Oct. 2026)
- EnergySage: Home battery cost in Miami Beach, FL (Oct. 2026)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Tax Information Publication 19A01-09, sales tax exemption for solar energy systems
- U.S. EIA: Average retail price of electricity by state (Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A)
- IRS: FAQs on changes to Sections 25C, 25D and other credits under the 2025 law (Public Law 119-21)
Solar calculator FAQ
How accurate is this solar calculator?
It's a planning estimate. It uses your bill, your area's typical sunshine and your utility's typical rate, but not your roof's exact pitch, direction or shading, your equipment or your rate plan. An installer's proposal, based on your actual roof and usage, is the number to rely on.
How much does solar cost in Florida?
Recent Florida averages run about $2.06 to $2.31 per watt on EnergySage, where the typical system is around 14 kW, and about $2.71 per watt on SolarReviews for a 7.2 kW system. Our calculator uses $2.70. There's no state or utility rebate to subtract, but solar equipment is exempt from Florida's 6% sales tax.
Why aren't my savings equal to my whole bill?
Every utility keeps a minimum monthly bill, which solar can't lower. Florida's big utilities also pay only a few cents per kWh for credits left over at year-end, so it doesn't pay to size a system bigger than your yearly use.
Does the calculator include the federal solar tax credit?
No. The federal residential clean energy credit ended for homeowner-owned systems installed after 2025. A lease company can still claim a business credit and may pass some of it on in a lower payment.
Does a battery save money in Florida?
Mostly not on the bill. FPL, Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric credit the solar you export at the full retail rate, so storing it yourself adds little. The case for a battery in Florida is backup power through hurricanes and other outages.
What if I lease instead of buying?
With a lease you pay little or nothing upfront and a set monthly payment instead, so payback doesn't apply. Your savings are the difference between that payment and what you'd otherwise pay your utility. Florida doesn't allow per-kWh power purchase agreements (PPAs) for homes.
I already have a solar quote. How do I check it?
Use our solar quote checker. Enter the system size and price from the quote to see the price per watt and any red flags in the production estimate, discounts or financing.