TALLAHASSEE — As in past years, more consumers are generating and using renewable energy, according to electric utility reports filed with the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC). Customer-sited renewable generation installations increased approximately 44 percent this past year, rising from 90,552 interconnections in 2020 to 130,947 in 2021. 

Statewide, electric generation capacity from customer-sited renewable energy systems reached 1,176,936 kilowatts (kW), an approximate 43 percent increase over 2020. Solar photovoltaic panels continue to be the most popular renewable choice. 

The PSC’s interconnection and net metering rule promotes development of customer-sited renewable generation by establishing a billing mechanism that allows customers to offset their usage through the self-generation of energy. Any excess energy delivered to the grid is applied as a kilowatt-hour credit to the customer’s monthly energy usage. Since the rule adoption in 2008, the number of renewable systems has increased from 577 to 130,947 interconnections.

Florida’s investor-owned utilities–Florida Power & Light Company; Duke Energy Florida, LLC; Tampa Electric Company; and Florida Public Utilities–are required by the rule to offer an expedited interconnection agreement so that homeowners and businesses can generate their own energy quickly and safely. 

Municipal electric utilities and rural electric cooperatives that sell electricity at retail are also required, by statute, to provide a standardized interconnection agreement and net metering program for customer-sited renewable generation systems. 

Florida’s utilities reported the following information on customer-sited renewable generation for 2017-2021.

Individual utility reports on customer-sited renewable systems and summary data are available on the PSC’s website.

Residents interested in learning more about interconnecting renewable generation systems or net metering should contact their local utility. 

For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.

Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.