In short: Florida homes paid about 15.0¢ per kWh in July 2026, roughly 18% below the U.S. average, and the state’s sunshine and full retail net metering make solar worth a serious look. The bigger issue is storms: in 2024 the average Florida customer lost about 22 hours of power, almost all of it on major storm days.
Every number below comes from a dated public source, and we say plainly where a number is only our estimate.
Florida at a glance
- Electricity price: 15.03¢ per kWh for homes in July 2026, against a U.S. average of 18.31¢ (EIA, preliminary). Florida’s January to July 2026 average was 15.30¢.
- Power outages (2024): about 1,322 minutes (22 hours) without power per customer when major events such as hurricanes are counted, but only about 66 minutes on ordinary days. Customers saw 1.77 interruptions on average, or 0.76 without major events (EIA-861).
- Sunshine: about 4.8 kWh per square meter per day in Jacksonville and 5.0 near the center of the state (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,400 kWh a year from each kW of solar panels.
- Net metering: full retail net metering with the investor-owned utilities (FPL, Duke Energy Florida, Tampa Electric) under Florida Public Service Commission Rule 25-6.065; no change in effect for 2025 to 2026.
- Plug-in (balcony) solar law: none as of October 2026; utility interconnection rules apply.
- Rooftop solar already installed: 289,774 net-metered home systems, about 2,572 MW, of which 3,120 were paired with a battery (EIA-861, 2024).
- Electric vehicles: about 450,400 battery-electric and 88,400 plug-in hybrid cars registered through 2025 (AFDC), and 15,127 public charging ports at 4,387 locations, including 5,158 DC fast ports (AFDC, October 2026).
- Main utilities (2024 customers): Florida Power & Light (about half of all customers), Duke Energy Florida (17%), Tampa Electric (7%) and JEA in Jacksonville (5%), plus other city utilities and co-ops.
- Top weather hazards: hurricanes and strong wind are rated “very high” for expected annual losses; tornadoes, wildfire and cold waves “relatively high”; heat waves “relatively moderate” (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
- Planned wildfire shutoffs: we found no public safety power shutoff program at FPL, Duke Energy Florida or Tampa Electric.
Backup power in Florida
On ordinary days Florida’s grid is steady: about 66 minutes of interruptions per customer in all of 2024. Count the major event days, mostly storms in a hurricane year, and it jumps to about 1,322 minutes, some twenty times more. EIA’s tables report Florida in more than one way (utilities using the IEEE standard averaged about 1,488 minutes), so treat the exact number loosely. Either way, Florida outages are rare but long, and they come in hot, humid hurricane season.
So plan for days, not minutes: a cold fridge, fans or a room air conditioner, medical devices and, in some homes, a well pump.
- Portable generator: the most power per dollar for multi-day outages, if you can store fuel safely and refuel it. Gas stations near you may be closed after a storm, so dual-fuel models that also run on propane are worth a look. See home generators and size yours with the generator sizing tool.
- Standby generator: starts by itself and runs on natural gas or a propane tank, so it suits homes that need air conditioning or medical equipment through a long outage. It needs a permit, a pad and a licensed installer.
- Home battery: silent, no fumes and nothing to refuel, which helps if you live in a condo, townhouse or close to neighbors. On its own a battery covers essentials for a day or so; with solar it can recharge each sunny day after the storm passes. See home batteries and the battery backup calculator.
- Portable power station: a plug-in battery for phones, a CPAP, lights, a fan or a small fridge, and a good fit for renters. See portable power.
Generator safety matters most after a storm. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says to run a portable generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from windows, doors and vents, and never in a garage, carport, porch or shed, even with the doors open. Put battery-powered or battery-backup carbon monoxide alarms on every level. Connect a generator to house wiring only through a transfer switch or interlock installed by a licensed electrician, never by plugging it into a wall outlet.
Solar in Florida
Solar pays on price, sunshine and export credits. Florida scores well on sun and very well on net metering; its below-average price stretches the payback a little.
- Sun: NASA’s long-term data puts Jacksonville at about 4.8 kWh per square meter per day and central Florida near 5.0. Our rough estimate from that is about 1,400 kWh a year per kW of panels. It’s a rough horizontal-surface figure; a south-facing roof usually does better, shade worse.
- What that could be worth (estimate): a 6 kW system at about 1,400 kWh per kW would make roughly 8,400 kWh a year. At 15.03¢ per kWh, that’s about $1,260 of electricity a year if every kWh offsets a kWh you would have bought. Your own bill, roof and rate plan decide the real number.
- Net metering: with FPL, Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric, power you export is credited one-for-one at the retail rate against what you use; any excess left at the end of the year is paid at the utility’s lower “avoided cost” rate. Home-size systems of 10 kW or less (Tier 1) can’t be charged interconnection fees under the PSC rule. City utilities such as JEA and electric co-ops set their own net metering terms, so ask yours. More in net metering explained.
- Plug-in solar: Florida has no law allowing plug-in balcony panels without utility approval, so any system that feeds your home’s wiring goes through your utility’s interconnection rules.
State incentives we confirmed (check the program pages before you buy; rules and amounts change):
- Sales tax exemption: Florida Statute 212.08(7)(hh) exempts solar energy systems and their components from state sales and use tax (equipment certified by the Florida Solar Energy Center).
- Property tax exclusion: under Florida Statute 193.624, the value a renewable energy device adds to a home may not be counted in its property tax assessment. Ask your county property appraiser how to claim it.
There is no federal tax credit for home solar in 2026: the 25D credit ended for systems completed after December 31, 2025. Be wary of any sales pitch that still promises one. Start with our solar guide, check prices in what solar costs, estimate your own roof with the solar potential tool and see every program we track on the incentives page.
Home batteries in Florida
Batteries are still rare in Florida: of nearly 290,000 net-metered home solar systems in 2024, only 3,120 had a battery alongside (EIA-861). One likely reason: full retail net metering already lets the grid act as a kind of battery for your credits. The reason to add one in Florida is resilience: a battery keeps essentials running when the grid goes down, and solar refills it while you wait for the lines to be repaired.
We did not find a statewide home battery rebate in Florida. Florida Statute 193.624’s definition of a renewable energy device includes storage and power-conditioning equipment, so a battery that is part of a solar system may fall under the property tax exclusion; confirm with your county property appraiser. For sizing and prices, see home batteries and home battery cost.
EV charging in Florida
Florida has one of the largest EV fleets in the country: about 450,400 battery-electric and 88,400 plug-in hybrid vehicles through 2025 (AFDC). Public charging has grown with it, to 15,127 ports at 4,387 public locations, of which 9,936 are Level 2 and 5,158 are DC fast (AFDC Station Locator, October 2026).
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Florida: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Home charging cost (our estimate): using a typical 30 kWh per 100 miles, measured at the outlet the way fueleconomy.gov does it, charging at Florida’s July 2026 home rate of 15.03¢ costs about $4.50 per 100 miles, against about $5.50 at the U.S. average price. Driving 1,000 miles a month would add roughly $45 to the bill. Your car, your driving and your rate plan change the result; try the EV charging cost calculator.
The federal EV credit (30D) ended on September 30, 2025, and the federal charger credit (30C) ended for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026. We have not confirmed a statewide home charger rebate in Florida; ask your utility whether it offers one. A Level 2 home charger needs a 240-volt circuit installed by a licensed electrician, usually with a permit. More in our EV charging guide.
Off-grid, small wind and micro-hydro in Florida
Off-grid in Florida usually means solar, a battery bank and a backup generator; see off-grid power. Small wind is a long shot for most homes. NASA’s average wind speed is about 5.2 meters per second at 50 meters near the center of the state and 4.2 near Jacksonville, and only about 3.7 at 10 meters. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests about 4.5 m/s at the turbine’s height for a grid-tied small turbine, and home turbines sit far lower than 50 meters, so only open, windy coastal or rural sites are worth measuring. Read more about wind energy. We have not checked state data on micro-hydro for Florida, so we don’t cover it here; our hydroelectric power page explains how it works.
Licensing and permits in Florida
- Contractor licenses: the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) licenses electrical contractors through the Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board, and certified solar contractors through the Construction Industry Licensing Board. Check any license on the DBPR license lookup before you sign.
- Who does what: wiring for solar, batteries, transfer switches and EV chargers is work for a licensed electrician or solar contractor; gas lines for a standby generator are work for a licensed plumber or gas contractor.
- Permits: building and electrical permits come from your city or county building department, not the state.
- Interconnection: solar and batteries that connect to the grid need your utility’s approval before you switch on. FPL, Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric follow the PSC rule; city utilities and co-ops have their own process.
Local guides in Florida
Utilities, rates, outage records, permit offices and local programs for each area:
Where we cover in Florida
- South Florida: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach
- Tampa Bay: Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota
- Orlando: Orlando, Kissimmee
- Jacksonville: Jacksonville, St. Augustine
- Southwest Florida: Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples
- Space Coast: Melbourne
- Panhandle: Pensacola, Tallahassee
Local pages for these areas will come as we verify local information, such as utility territories and permit offices, and line up installers.
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Florida energy questions
Does Florida have net metering?
Yes. Under Florida PSC Rule 25-6.065, FPL, Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric credit the power your panels export one-for-one at the retail rate, and pay any excess left at year end at the lower avoided-cost rate. No change was in effect for 2025 to 2026. City utilities such as JEA and co-ops set their own terms, so check with yours.
Is a generator or a battery better for Florida hurricanes?
It depends on how long you need power and what you must run. Florida’s big outages come with storms and can last days, which favors a generator with stored propane or natural gas, or a battery that solar can recharge. A typical home battery on its own covers essentials for about a day. If you use a generator, run it outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house (CPSC).
Is there a solar tax credit in Florida in 2026?
Not a federal one: the 25D credit ended for systems completed after December 31, 2025. Florida’s own help is tax relief: it exempts solar energy systems from state sales tax and keeps the value solar adds to a home out of its property tax assessment. Check the program pages, since rules can change.
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Florida?
Our estimate is about $4.50 per 100 miles at Florida’s July 2026 home rate of 15.03¢ per kWh, assuming about 30 kWh per 100 miles. That is roughly $45 a month for 1,000 miles. Your actual cost depends on your car, the season and your utility’s rate plan, so plug your own numbers into our EV charging cost calculator.
Can I use plug-in balcony solar in Florida?
Florida has no plug-in solar law as of October 2026, so panels that feed power into your home’s wiring are treated like any other grid-connected system and need your utility’s interconnection approval. Small panels that only charge a portable power station, without connecting to the house, are a different matter and don’t feed the grid.
How do I check a Florida solar or electrical contractor’s license?
Use the license search on the Florida DBPR website (myfloridalicense.com). Electrical contractors are licensed through the Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board, and certified solar contractors through the Construction Industry Licensing Board. Make sure the name and license number match the contract.
Sources
EIA Electric Power Monthly (July 2026, preliminary) and EIA-861 (2024); NASA POWER (2001 to 2020); AFDC registrations (2025) and Station Locator (October 3, 2026). FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); Florida PSC Rule 25-6.065 and Florida Statutes 212.08 and 193.624 (checked October 2026); Florida DBPR; CPSC (2026); DOE small wind guidebook.