Seminole County is split between FPL and Duke Energy Florida — and your city determines which utility serves you. Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, and Winter Springs are 100% Duke. Sanford is 96% FPL. Know your utility before estimating solar savings.
Seminole County is mostly Florida Power & Light territory, and FPL residential customers here pay roughly 14.2 cents per kilowatt-hour. Coverage is not uniform, though: several cities, including Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood and Winter Springs, are served by Duke Energy Florida instead, so the first thing to do is read the provider name on your bill. Sunlight-wise, Seminole averages about 4.2 effective peak sun hours a day once real-world system losses like inverter efficiency, wiring, heat and panel soiling are taken out, which is what a well-sited Sanford or Lake Mary roof should plan around rather than the higher raw irradiance numbers you see quoted online. Rates change with fuel cost recovery and rate cases, so pull your latest bill, divide the total by the kilowatt-hours used, and use that figure in the calculator below.
Unlike most Florida counties with a single dominant utility, Seminole County is genuinely split. FPL serves approximately 65,000 customers and Duke Energy Florida serves approximately 17,500.
The two utilities have different net metering structures and annual true-up terms. Check the provider name on your electric bill before using any solar savings estimate.
Find out how much you can save based on your location and current energy usage.
Seminole County's split between FPL and Duke Energy is the single most important thing to understand before estimating solar savings here. Both offer 1:1 net metering — but the details differ.
FPL offers 1:1 net metering at full retail rate: every kilowatt-hour your system exports earns a credit at the same rate you pay for power. Surplus monthly credits roll forward throughout the year.
At the annual true-up each January, any remaining banked credits are paid out at FPL's lower avoided-cost rate — significantly below what you earned during the year. FPL also caps residential solar at 115% of trailing 12-month usage, so right-sizing your system to actual annual consumption matters.
Sanford (~96% FPL) and Lake Mary (~65% FPL) homeowners are most likely on FPL. Confirm on your bill.
Duke Energy Florida offers 1:1 net metering under Florida PSC Rule 25-6.065: every exported kilowatt-hour earns a full retail-rate credit, with monthly rollover of surplus credits.
At the annual true-up, any remaining surplus is settled at Duke's non-firm wholesale rate — roughly 2 cents/kWh, far below retail. Duke also charges approximately $12/month in customer charges regardless of your solar production.
Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, and Winter Springs are 100% Duke Energy. Oviedo is approximately 58% Duke. Confirm on your bill.
Neither FPL nor Duke Energy Florida offers a cash rebate for residential solar in Seminole County. In Florida, utility solar rebates are mostly a municipal-utility feature (JEA in Jacksonville, OUC in Orlando). Seminole County is not served by a municipal electric utility, so no comparable program exists here.
Florida's two statewide incentives apply to both FPL and Duke Energy customers who own their system: the 100% property tax exemption on solar-added home value and the 6% sales tax exemption on equipment purchases (saving $1,200–$1,800 on a typical system).
The 30% federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025 — not available for systems installed in 2026 or later.
PACE availability in Seminole County is city-specific, not county-wide. Renew Financial's residential PACE program lists Oviedo and Sanford (the incorporated cities) as active participating areas. Unincorporated Seminole County is not listed as a participating area.
If you live in Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Lake Mary, Longwood, Winter Springs, or unincorporated areas, check the service map at floridapace.gov for your specific address rather than assuming PACE is available.
PACE assessments take lien priority ahead of your mortgage. Review the full terms with your lender before signing.
Seminole County receives approximately 5.2–5.3 peak sun hours per day, typical of the Central Florida/Orlando-area climate. The county's average residential electric bill runs around $163/month — among the higher bills in the Orlando metro area — which reflects the region's heavy air conditioning demand. Higher bills generally support faster solar payback, though actual results depend on system size, utility rate structure, and ownership type. Get multiple quotes and ask installers to use your specific utility's current rate schedule, not a generic Florida average.
Florida has no state income tax credit, but it offers powerful property and sales tax exemptions for solar installations that significantly improve your ROI.
100% exemption from increased property taxes. Adding solar increases your home's value, but Florida law prevents that added value from increasing your property tax bill.
FL Dept of Revenue6-7.5% savings on equipment. Solar energy systems are completely exempt from Florida's sales and use tax, saving you thousands upfront on the purchase price.
Florida Solar Energy CenterNote: These exemptions apply to purchased or financed systems. Leased systems (PPAs) do not qualify for these specific homeowner tax exemptions.
Seminole County is genuinely split between Florida Power & Light (FPL) and Duke Energy Florida — and coverage varies dramatically by city. Sanford is approximately 96% FPL and 4% Duke. Lake Mary is roughly 65% FPL and 35% Duke. Oviedo is about 42% FPL and 58% Duke. Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, and Winter Springs are 100% Duke Energy Florida. This matters because the two utilities have different net metering terms, monthly customer charges, and annual true-up structures. Check your electric bill's provider name before assuming which utility's rules apply to your home.
FPL offers 1:1 net metering at the full retail rate: every kilowatt-hour your system exports earns a credit equal to the rate you pay for electricity. Surplus monthly credits roll forward. At the end of the annual billing period (typically January), any remaining banked credit is paid out at FPL's lower avoided-cost rate — significantly less than the retail rate you received during the year. FPL also generally caps residential solar systems at 115% of the home's trailing 12-month electricity usage, so right-sizing your system to your actual annual consumption matters. No FPL cash rebate is available for residential solar in Seminole County.
Duke Energy Florida offers 1:1 net metering under Florida PSC Rule 25-6.065: every kilowatt-hour exported earns a credit at the full retail rate, with monthly rollover of surplus credits. At the end of the annual billing period, any remaining surplus is settled at Duke's non-firm wholesale rate — roughly 2 cents/kWh, far below the retail rate. Duke Energy also charges a monthly customer charge of approximately $12 regardless of usage. Right-size your system to your annual consumption to avoid large year-end surplus that is settled at that low wholesale rate. No Duke Energy cash rebate is available for residential solar in Seminole County.
PACE availability in Seminole County is city-specific, not county-wide. Renew Financial's residential PACE program lists Oviedo and Sanford (the incorporated cities) as active participating areas. However, unincorporated Seminole County is not listed as a participating area by Renew Financial. If you live in Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Lake Mary, Longwood, Winter Springs, or unincorporated areas, check the service map at floridapace.gov directly for your specific address rather than assuming availability. Important: PACE financing requires no money down and is repaid through your property tax bill, but the assessment takes lien priority ahead of your existing mortgage — review the full terms carefully with your lender before signing.
No. Neither Florida Power & Light nor Duke Energy Florida offers a cash rebate for residential solar installations in Seminole County. In Florida, utility solar rebates are mostly a municipal-utility feature (like JEA's $4,000 rebate in Duval County or OUC's $2,000 rebate in Orange County). Seminole County is not served by a municipal electric utility, so no comparable rebate program exists here. The financial case rests on 1:1 net metering value plus Florida's two statewide tax exemptions.
Two Florida-wide incentives apply to all Seminole County homeowners who own their system (cash purchase or loan — not lease or PPA): (1) The 100% property tax exemption — the added home value from a solar installation is completely exempt from Florida property tax assessment, permanently under Florida law. (2) The 6% Florida sales tax exemption on solar equipment purchases, which saves roughly $1,200–$1,800 on a typical $20,000–$30,000 system at the point of purchase. These apply regardless of whether FPL or Duke Energy serves your home. Leases and PPAs do not qualify for these exemptions since you do not own the equipment.
No. The 30% federal residential solar tax credit under Section 25D of the tax code expired December 31, 2025. Systems installed in 2026 or later are not eligible for this credit. Be cautious of any installer or quote that still advertises "claim 30% back from the federal government" for a 2026 installation — that credit is no longer available. Confirm this directly with a tax professional if your installer references federal incentives.
For both FPL and Duke Energy Florida customers in Seminole County, the validated Florida average payback range of 7–9 years for cash or loan purchases is a reasonable starting estimate. Both utilities offer 1:1 net metering and neither offers a cash rebate, so the economics are broadly comparable across the county. Seminole County's average residential electric bill of around $163/month is among the higher bills in the Orlando metro area, which generally supports faster payback than lower-bill households. The 30% federal tax credit is no longer available for 2026+ installations, so any quote you receive should reflect that. Get quotes from multiple installers and confirm your utility before estimating payback.
DISCLAIMER: All estimates are approximations based on regional averages. Actual savings vary by location, roof orientation, utility provider, and installer. This calculator does not guarantee specific savings.