Guide to Duke Energy solar programs in Florida

If you’re a Florida homeowner and a customer of Duke Energy, you should know that the utility offers a few programs that allow you to take advantage of solar power. However, not all of Duke’s solar programs are created equal. Below, we’ll break down what’s available and which is the best choice for most homeowners in the Sunshine State. 

Duke Energy Florida net metering

Net metering is a billing arrangement that allows solar system owners to get credit for all the energy their panels generate, which they can use to offset the cost of the energy they buy from the grid at night or when the sun isn’t shining. You can hear more about how net metering works in this video from solar expert Will White:

The average Duke Energy Florida customer uses about 1,450 kWh of electricity per month and has a bill of around $240. Of that $240, about $12 is the monthly customer charge, while the rest is the cost of energy.

Using solar energy, a Duke Energy customer can eliminate energy charges down to a minimum bill of $30 per month. Actual electricity bill savings will depend on your household energy usage and how many solar panels you install. 

Excess energy credits

If your system produces more energy than your home uses, a kWh credit will be applied to your electricity bill. That credit will fully cover the cost of electricity you use when the sun isn’t shining.

Duke Energy net metering credits can roll over from month to month. At the end of the billing year, any remaining net metering credits will be paid out by Duke Energy at the non-firm wholesale rate, which is about $0.02 per kWh. 

Monthly minimum bill

Duke Energy requires homeowners to have a monthly minimum bill of $30. So, no matter how much solar energy you produce, you’ll have to pay $30 each month. While this isn’t exactly ideal, solar can still provide homeowners with hundreds of dollars in solar savings each month. $30 is better than $240!

Does Duke Energy Florida have any solar incentives or rebates?

No, Duke Energy does not have solar incentives or rebate programs for its solar customers. 

But Duke Energy customers can take advantage of the federal solar tax credit if they qualify. The federal tax credit equals 30% of installation costs and directly reduces what you owe in federal income taxes. The incentive can save thousands of dollars on your tax payments. 

Clean Energy Connection program

In 2022, Duke Energy realized people don’t want to pay a lot of extra money to support renewable energy in their area, and many people can’t or don’t want to have solar panels on their roofs.

Duke created a subscription program where its customers can sign up to receive the benefits of solar energy without having to install their own system.

The Clean Energy Connection program works like this: a customer subscribes to “blocks” or shares of a solar farm that each represent one kilowatt (kW) of solar generation. Each block costs $8.35 per month. The subscribed customer gets an average credit of $0.04 for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) generated by their blocks. After the first three years, the credit increases by 1.5% each year, theoretically resulting in net savings after Year 5 and profits from Year 7 onward.

The program is scheduled to run for 30 years, although subscribers will have no commitment and can cancel at the end of any month. 

Does the Clean Energy Connection program save you money? 

Whether the Clean Energy Program will provide financial returns for subscribers is difficult to determine. When you compare the annual cost of subscribing to the program to the estimated savings, the savings don’t quite cover the cost of the subscription. In the best-case scenario, a homeowner wouldn’t see net savings until about 14 years into the program.

Is going solar with Duke Energy Florida worth it?

Yes, going solar with Duke Energy Florida is a worthwhile investment thanks to its robust net metering program. Homeowners can reduce their energy bills to as low as $30, saving an average of $210 monthly!

But there’s no guarantee that net metering will be around forever. States across the country have cut back on net metering rules, and an attempt was even made right in Florida! So, don’t want to get solar up on your roof! The savings might not be here for long. 

Duke Energy Florida solar panel FAQs