Top Cities For Going Solar In Florida In 2022

Florida has a robust solar market due to its abundant sunshine and ability to attract new residents from around the country. Statistics indicate that in 2020, the state generated only 5% of its electricity from renewable resources, with almost two-thirds of it coming from solar energy. This was managed, among others, by companies such as PPM, a licensed and trusted Florida solar installer.

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But where should you go if you have decided to go solar in Florida? We’ve ranked the top cities in 2022 based on their current solar energy potential — how much electricity they generate per household or property, and how much money residents and businesses could save by going green. The top cities for solar power in Florida are:

Tampa, FL

The city’s average sun radiation is 3.2-kilowatt-hours per square meter per day, which is higher than Miami’s 2.5 kWh/m²/day average. It also has plenty of rooftops suitable for mounting solar panels in Tampa — almost 80 percent of homes have flat roofs, making them good destinations for panel installation.

Additionally, Tampa residents are eligible for several state and local incentives to help offset the cost of installing PV systems.

Orlando, FL

Orlando has the second-highest population growth of any city in Florida, and it’s also one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Known for its theme parks and resorts, Orlando is a great place to live if you’re looking to go solar.

The city has average insolation of 4.6 kWh/m²/day, which makes it a prime candidate for the installation of solar power in Florida. In fact, the average home with solar installations in Orlando, FL can be powered entirely by solar energy on sunny days!

Miami, FL

Miami is a great place for solar energy in FL. The city has a lot of sunshine, which means that residents can get lots of power during the day. It also has a lot of people to share that energy with.

The city has over 400,000 residents and many well-established neighborhoods with plenty of solar roofing in Florida. If you’re looking for a place to live that will let you go green with your home’s electrical system, Miami definitely makes a good choice,

Tallahassee, FL

The city’s average irradiance is about 5.8 kilowatt-hours per square meter per day, which makes it an ideal place for solar panels in Florida.

The average home in Tallahassee uses about 8,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. This means that the installation of a typical 5kW solar systems, can help reduce a user’s carbon footprint by 4 tons per year and save $430 on electric bills.

Tallahassee’s rebates are especially generous. You can get up to $5,000 back on a new Florida solar installation!

Gainesville, FL

Gainesville, which is home to the University of Florida and other colleges, has been nicknamed ‘the solar capital of Florida’ for good reasons.

The city has consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the US and a good place to go green. Although there are no state tax credits or rebates available for residential panel installations, there are plenty of incentives that make solar energy in Gainesville more affordable:

In Gainesville, you can get fixed-rate plans that include a $0 down payment and no financing fees. A 5kW system will cost $3,500 at this rate, which includes all equipment costs, installation, and permitting fees.

St. Petersburg, FL

The average monthly electric bill in St. Petersburg is $120, which is 14% lower than the national average. So, if you install a 5 kW solar roofing in St. Petersburg (which will produce about 6500 kWh per year), you can expect to further save about $65 per month after tax credits and utility discounts are applied.

Fort Myers, FL

Fort Myers has an average of around 4.5 sun hours per day and enjoys a relatively high insolation index (SII) of about 3.9. This means your 5kW panel installation in Fort Myers will potentially generate 6,750 kWh per year.

In addition, Fort Myers has no state sales tax, making it a great place to go solar if you’re looking to save an estimate of $700 annually on your electric bill while reducing your carbon footprint.

Sarasota, FL

The Sarasota-Bradenton metro area is home to more than 750,000 residents. The city is known for its beaches and waterfront properties, which explains why its renewable energy market is growing at such a fast rate.

The average cost of electricity in Sarasota is 12 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), compared with the national average of 10 cents per kWh.

Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville has been making great strides in its efforts to become a more sustainable city. This city has a number of green energy incentives for residents and businesses with 6% savings on sales when they go solar in Jacksonville, Florida.

Clearwater, FL

Clearwater is an old city that is known for its beaches and culture. Homeowners in Clearwater have access to a lot of sun and a lot of tax credits. Florida has some of the best rebates in the country so you can save even more money on your PV system. The average panel installation cost in Clearwater is $3 per watt which means that it’s easy to get started with green energy here!

Which Florida City Is The Best Option For You?

We’re hoping that this list will help families determine if solar is a good option for them, as well as which city might be the best choice for finding a solar panel installer for their home. Even better, there may be more than one city on the list that piques the reader’s interest—and now they know why.