Solar Net Metering in Florida (2026): FPL, Duke & Why 1:1 Retail Credits Still Work

If you're a Florida homeowner thinking about solar in 2026, the news is uncharacteristically good: Florida still has 1:1 retail-rate net metering for residential solar customers. That's a meaningful tailwind for payback compared with California (post-NEM 3.0) or Arizona (Resource Comparison Proxy export rates). But there's a political shoe still hanging in the air — here's what the rule actually says, the math on a typical FPL install, and how to protect yourself from a future tariff shift.

The SB 1024 veto and what it means for 2026

In 2022, the Florida legislature passed Senate Bill 1024, which would have phased down residential net-metering credits over 2024-2028 until they hit avoided-cost rates (essentially Arizona-style buyback at ~3-4¢/kWh). Governor DeSantis vetoed the bill. That veto is the load-bearing wall under current Florida solar economics — and it has held through 2026.

The Florida Public Service Commission rule (F.A.C. 25-6.065) requires investor-owned utilities to:

• Credit residential customers at the full retail rate for exported solar.
• Roll over monthly net excess generation as a kWh credit (no expiration during a calendar year).
• Settle annual excess at the avoided-cost rate (rare for properly-sized systems).
• Limit any standby/grid-access fee to a level approved by the PSC (currently $0 for most utilities).

Investor-owned utilities subject to the rule: FPL, Duke Energy Florida, TECO (Tampa Electric), Florida Public Utilities. Munis (JEA, OUC, Lakeland Electric) have their own programs but most mirror retail-rate net metering as well.

Side-by-side math on a 9 kW Orlando install (Duke Energy)

Assume: 14,200 kWh annual production. Home uses 12,500 kWh (typical Florida AC-heavy load). Exports 1,700 kWh. Install cost $25,500 before 30% federal ITC = $17,850 net.

Duke Energy Florida residential rate is ~14.5¢/kWh all-in (energy + delivery + customer charge averaged across a typical bill) as of mid-2026.

Florida solar payback in 2026 lands at 7-9 years for typical owner-financed installs — one of the strongest in the country. The combination of cheap labor, 14¢/kWh retail rates, abundant sun, and intact 1:1 net metering is rare.

Why batteries are OPTIONAL in Florida (unlike CA)

Under 1:1 net metering, every exported kWh is worth exactly as much as every self-consumed kWh. The math reason to add a battery in California (the 75% export-rate haircut) doesn't exist in Florida. Batteries in FL are bought for resilience, not economics.

The Florida battery case rests on three resilience pillars:

• Hurricane season (June 1 - November 30). The average Florida grid customer loses power 2.3 times per year, with one outage in the 12-72 hour range being typical during Atlantic-basin hurricane years. See our 2026 hurricane preparation checklist.
• Time-of-Use migration risk. Florida utilities are slowly rolling out optional TOU rates. If you migrate (or are forced to), a battery converts midday solar into evening peak credit — but TODAY this is not material.
• Tariff-change insurance. If SB 1024 (or a successor) eventually passes and 1:1 net metering ends, batteries become essential overnight (Arizona-style economics). A battery installed today is "future-proofing" your system at a 30% federal tax-credit discount.

The grandfathering protection — and how to lock it in

Florida hasn't enacted explicit grandfathering legislation (because the tariff hasn't been cut). But ALL prior state-level net-metering rollbacks (CA, NV, AZ, NH) have included grandfathering provisions of 10-20 years for systems interconnected before the rule change. The conservative planning assumption is:

• Install + interconnect by year-end 2026 → likely grandfathered for ≥10 years if the rule changes.
• System EXPANSIONS may trigger a re-rate under future rules — keep sizing accurate at install.
• Ask your installer to write the interconnection date into the contract as a DOCUMENTED milestone. This date becomes the grandfathering anchor.

The 5-point Florida solar checklist for 2026

1. Hurricane mitigation FIRST. Roof must be shingled or tile to current FBC wind-uplift code AND less than 12 years old for most insurers to keep covering you with solar on top. See our Florida roof & hail cost guide.
2. Get the install permitted and interconnected before any future SB 1024-style rule change. Grandfathering protection is the BIG hedge.
3. Size the system to your annual usage (12-month bill review). Florida's annual-settlement at avoided cost (~3¢/kWh) penalizes oversized systems.
4. OWN the system (cash or Florida home equity loan) rather than leasing. Lease economics are weaker even in Florida's favorable tariff environment.
5. Choose a battery for resilience even if not strictly required by the math. Hurricane season + tariff-change insurance + 30% federal ITC = strong case in Florida.

Run your numbers

• Solar panel cost calculator — Florida-adjusted install estimate.
• Florida home equity loan calculator — pre-filled with FL median home value for the "own the system" financing math.
• What nobody tells you before solar — the broader 9-issue checklist (hurricane gotchas included).
• NEM 3.0 explained for California — contrast with what Florida could look like if SB 1024-style rules pass.
• Roof cost calculator — roof age + condition is a HARD insurance gate before solar in FL.