What matters most
Start with your last 12 months of electricity usage and the exact export-credit rules of your utility. Do not size a system from a salesperson's generic estimate.
Florida incentives to verify
Residential buyers may benefit from the federal clean-energy tax credit, Florida's sales-tax exemption for qualifying solar equipment, and the state's renewable-energy property-tax treatment. Eligibility, timing, ownership structure, and tax liability all matter, so confirm the current rules with the relevant government source or a tax professional.
Net-metering and interconnection terms depend on the serving utility. Ask for the current tariff in writing, including the value of exported electricity, any minimum bill, application charges, insurance requirements, and system-size limits.
Price the system from usage, not house size
Air-conditioning can make Florida household consumption highly seasonal. Use actual monthly kWh data, model the roof's orientation and shade, and compare production estimates from more than one installer. Our calculator is a starting point, not a quote.
Estimate your solar economics
Enter your electricity usage, rate, system size, and installed price to test the payback assumptions yourself.
Open the calculator →Hurricanes, roofs, and battery backup
A battery can add resilience during outages, but it should be sized around essential loads and expected outage duration. Ask what can actually run during an outage, whether the system can recharge from solar while the grid is down, and how long the available storage lasts under realistic loads.
Roof condition and attachment engineering are especially important in Florida. Confirm that the installer is licensed, obtains the required permits, uses equipment approved for the applicable wind zone, and explains how installation may affect roof and home-insurance coverage.
Questions to ask every installer
- What annual production is guaranteed, and which shading and degradation assumptions were used?
- What is the cash price before financing, incentives, or promotional discounts?
- Who handles permits, utility interconnection, inspections, and warranty service?
- What roof work may be needed before installation?
- What happens to payments and warranties if the installer closes?
- For batteries, which circuits are backed up and for approximately how long?
Methodology and primary sources
SolarStateData uses public sources such as the Florida Public Service Commission, US Energy Information Administration, NREL PVWatts, DSIRE, and utility tariffs. Because prices and policies change, dated figures must be checked again before purchase.