Net metering: turning Florida sun into bill credits
Net metering is the engine of Florida solar savings. It credits you at full retail rate for the power you send back — here's exactly how it works, and which utilities offer it.
Net metering is simple in principle: when your solar panels make more electricity than your home is using, the extra flows back onto the grid and your utility credits your account. When the sun isn't shining, you draw from the grid and those credits offset the cost. In Florida, the investor-owned utilities credit you at the full retail rate, which is what makes it so valuable.
Why full retail rate matters
Not every state credits solar at retail rate. Florida requires its investor-owned utilities — FPL, Duke Energy Florida, and Tampa Electric (TECO) — to offer 1:1 full-retail net metering for residential solar. That means a kWh you export is worth the same as a kWh you'd buy. Combined with Florida's abundant sunshine, a properly sized system can drive net annual electricity costs to within tens of dollars of zero.
How the credits work
- Excess generation earns credits at the full retail rate.
- Credits roll over month to month, with an annual true-up.
- You still pay a small monthly minimum bill or customer charge to stay grid-connected.
- System size is generally capped for residential net metering (commonly up to a limit tied to your usage).
Full retail net metering is required of Florida's investor-owned utilities (FPL, Duke, TECO). But if you're served by an electric cooperative or certain municipal utilities, the terms can differ — some offer net metering at a reduced rate or under different rules. Always confirm your specific utility's policy before you size a system.
Net metering by utility
Each major Florida utility administers net metering under the state framework: FPL (the largest, serving east and south Florida), Duke Energy Florida (central and north), and TECO (Tampa Bay). Municipal utilities like JEA (Jacksonville), OUC (Orlando), and Lakeland Electric set their own terms.
The honest bottom line
For most Florida homeowners served by an investor-owned utility, net metering is the single most valuable ongoing solar benefit — often larger over time than any tax exemption. The combination of full retail credit, monthly rollover, and Florida's heavy air-conditioning usage is what makes going solar here genuinely pay. Just confirm your specific utility's rules first, because they aren't identical statewide.