Orlando Energy Guide: Solar, Batteries, Backup Power and EV

In short: Orlando and Kissimmee are served mostly by city-owned utilities, OUC and KUA, which write their own solar rules. OUC averaged about 15.2¢ per kWh for homes in 2024 and has changed how it credits new rooftop solar, while it pays up to $2,000 toward a battery. Strong wind, tornadoes and lightning top FEMA’s hazard list for Orange County.

This page covers what is specific to the Orlando area. Statewide rules (tax exemptions, contractor licenses, the investor-owned utilities’ net metering rule) are in our Florida energy guide.

Orlando at a glance

• Utilities: OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission), owned by the city, serves Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties. Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA), also city-owned, serves Kissimmee. Duke Energy Florida and FPL serve other parts of the metro, and Winter Park runs its own utility (EIA-861 territories, 2024; OUC).
• What homes paid in 2024: OUC 15.24¢ per kWh, KUA 13.22¢, Duke Energy Florida 16.63¢ and FPL 13.71¢, against a Florida average of about 14.1¢ (EIA-861, revenue divided by sales).
• Outage minutes (2024): OUC reported about 55 minutes per customer and KUA about 26, but both used a non-standard method that may not count storm days the same way. Duke and FPL, which use the IEEE standard, reported about 2,500 and 702 minutes with major events, 84 and 46 without (EIA-861).
• Sunshine (estimate): NASA POWER puts Orlando at about 4.9 kWh per square meter per day. Our rough estimate: about 1,420 kWh a year per kW of panels.
• Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index): Orange County rates strong wind, tornadoes, hurricanes and lightning “very high”, and hail, river flooding and wildfire “relatively high”. Osceola County rates strong wind and lightning “very high”.
• Public charging: Orlando had 1,426 public charging ports and Kissimmee 253 (AFDC Station Locator, October 3, 2026; public Level 2 and DC fast ports).

Your utility and what it means

OUC: solar credits changed in 2025. Under OUC’s TruNet Solar program, homes whose solar was connected or approved by June 30, 2025 keep full retail credit for exports until June 30, 2045. Systems connected from July 1, 2025 get OUC’s community solar energy rate for five years, to June 30, 2030, and then the lower retail fuel rate. A grace period pays these newer systems full retail until October 31, 2026, and OUC says exports will then be credited within the same billing period rather than rolled forward. Interconnection is free for systems up to 10 kW.

OUC battery rebate. OUC pays $150 per kWh of battery capacity, up to $2,000, for a battery permanently installed with an OUC-approved solar system of 20 kW or less, with a warranty of at least 10 years. The trade-off: taking the rebate means giving up TruNet’s full retail credit (listed at 10.7¢ per kWh for homes) for the community solar rate and later the fuel rate. Apply within six months of purchase.

OUC time-of-day pricing. OUC’s approved “Shift & Save” plan brings time-of-day pricing in early 2027, with the option to opt out. Shifting EV charging, pool pumps and battery charging to off-peak hours should matter more once it starts.

KUA (Kissimmee). KUA installs a two-way meter at no charge and credits exports on your monthly bill. Submit KUA’s interconnection documents before installing; systems under 10 kW pay no extra KUA fees, while larger ones pay a $320 application fee. KUA’s page doesn’t state the credit rate, so ask before you buy. Customers of Duke Energy Florida or FPL follow the state net metering rule; see our Tampa Bay and South Florida pages for their EV programs.

Backup power in Orlando

Inland Orlando escapes storm surge, but not wind. OUC says more than 89,000 of its customers lost power in Hurricane Milton in October 2024 and all were restored within 72 hours. Orange County’s “very high” ratings for strong wind, tornadoes and lightning point the same way: outages here tend to be shorter than on the coast, but summer storms can still knock power out on the hottest days.

• Battery with solar: a good fit for OUC customers, especially with the rebate, if you accept the change in export credit. Model runtime with the battery backup calculator.
• Generator: for medical needs or a full-house air conditioner through a multi-day outage, a standby or portable generator with a transfer switch. Size it with the generator sizing tool; see generator installation.
• Renters and short stays: a portable power station covers phones, fans and a CPAP.

Run portable generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house and never in a garage (CPSC). More on our backup power page.

Solar in Orlando

For OUC customers, the export rate now matters as much as the sun. Solar power you use at home still saves OUC’s full per-kWh price; only the extra you send to the grid earns the lower rate after the grace period. So size a new system to your daytime use, or plan a battery. Note that OUC’s 2024 average of 15.2¢ is total home revenue divided by kWh sold, so it includes fixed charges; OUC lists its full retail credit rate at 10.7¢ per kWh, which is closer to what each solar kWh saves.

Rough example (our estimate, not a quote): a 6 kW system at about 1,420 kWh per kW makes roughly 8,500 kWh a year. If all of it offset power you would have bought at OUC’s listed 10.7¢, that is about $910 a year; using 2024 average prices it would be about $1,120 with KUA and $1,420 with Duke, though averages include fixed charges and overstate savings somewhat. Exports credited at a lower rate reduce all of these. Use the solar savings calculator with your own rate, start with the solar potential tool, and see what solar costs and solar installation.

Batteries

OUC is the only utility on our Florida metro pages so far that we found paying toward a home battery: $150 per kWh, up to $2,000. A 13.5 kWh battery would hit the $2,000 cap. Do the math both ways, because the rebate moves you off full retail credit for exports. With a battery storing your midday solar for the evening, that credit matters less. See battery installation and home battery cost.

EV charging

OUC gives a $200 bill credit when you buy or lease an EV (apply within six months), but no rebate for the charger. At about 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs roughly $3.20 per 100 miles at the 10.7¢ OUC lists as its full retail rate, or about $4.60 at its 2024 all-in average; at KUA’s 2024 average, about $4.00 (our estimates). Once OUC’s time-of-day pricing starts in 2027, charging overnight should cost less. A Level 2 charger in Orlando needs an electrical permit (see below). Try the EV charging cost calculator and read EV charger installation.

Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Orlando: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.

Permits and inspections

• City of Orlando: the Permitting Services Division publishes a solar plan review checklist: an electrical permit, panel attachment details with wind-speed product approvals, a notarized owner signature, a summary of standby loads for battery backup, and rough and final inspections.
• EV chargers in Orlando: the city’s EV charging station permit page calls for an electrical permit with an engineering permit, issued to a licensed general or electrical contractor, with signed and sealed plans. Jobs over $5,000 need a recorded notice of commencement.
• Unincorporated Orange County: the Division of Building Safety has its own solar submittal checklist.
• Kissimmee: permits come from the City of Kissimmee or Osceola County; KUA sets your meter only after a final permit.
• HOAs: many Orlando-area subdivisions have associations; get written approval before work starts. Check contractor licenses on the state DBPR lookup (see the Florida guide).

Cities we cover

• Orlando
• Kissimmee

Get help

Tell us about your project and we will connect you with a licensed, independent installer who serves the Orlando area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. See how it works.

Orlando energy questions

Does OUC still offer full net metering for rooftop solar?

Only for homes connected or approved by June 30, 2025, which keep full retail credit to 2045. Newer systems get full retail during a grace period to October 31, 2026, then OUC’s community solar rate until mid-2030 and the retail fuel rate after that. Power you use yourself still saves OUC’s full per-kWh price.

How much is OUC’s battery rebate?

$150 per kWh of storage, up to $2,000, for a battery paired with OUC-approved solar of 20 kW or less. In exchange you give up TruNet’s full retail credit for exports. Check OUC’s rebate page before you buy; terms can change.

Is my Orlando-area home on OUC, Duke or KUA?

OUC serves the City of Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties; KUA serves Kissimmee; Duke Energy Florida and FPL serve other parts of the metro. Your bill shows which, and each has different solar and EV rules.

Will OUC charge different prices by time of day?

Yes, from early 2027 under its approved Shift & Save plan, and customers may opt out. If you have an EV, a pool pump or a battery, scheduling them for off-peak hours should be worth it once it starts.

Do I need a permit for an EV charger in Orlando?

Yes. The City of Orlando requires an electrical permit with an associated engineering permit, issued to a licensed general or electrical contractor, with signed and sealed plans. Schedule inspections, since a permit expires after six months without one.

Sources

EIA-861 2024 (sales, reliability and service territory files); NASA POWER climatology 2001 to 2020; FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); AFDC (October 2026); OUC rooftop solar, battery rebate, EV rebate and PeakSHIFT pages and news (2024 to 2026); KUA net metering page; City of Orlando Permitting Services and Orange County Division of Building Safety (read October 3, 2026); CPSC.