Solar Panel Savings Calculator

Interactive calculator

Estimate your solar savings

Client-side only. No sign-up, no API calls.

Annual production

— kWh

Annual savings

$—

Monthly savings

$—

Bill offset

—%

System cost

$—

Federal ITC (30%)

−$—

Net system cost

$—

Simple payback

— yrs

25-year net savings

$—

Solar resource

Your solar production in Orlando

5.32 avg peak sun hours/day

4.1

Jan

4.8

Feb

5.7

Mar

6.3

Apr

6.2

May

5.4

Jun

5.2

Jul

5.3

Aug

5.1

Sep

5.0

Oct

4.3

Nov

3.8

Dec

Monthly avg solar radiation (kWh/m²/day) — Orlando, FL. Bars update to show estimated kWh production when you use the calculator above.

Utility rate

Duke Energy Florida / OUC electricity rate

$0.118/kWh residential

Utility: Duke Energy Florida / OUC
Residential rate: $0.118/kWh (blended)

Duke Energy Florida serves much of the Orlando metro and remains under Florida’s net-metering statute (F.S. 366.91), which generally credits eligible residential exports at the retail rate. OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission) serves central Orlando and uses a separate rooftop-solar pricing structure: for new completed interconnection applications submitted on or after July 1, 2025, exported energy is credited at the community solar farm rate through June 30, 2030 and at the retail fuel rate thereafter. Existing OUC customers approved before that cutoff keep their earlier terms for the stated grandfather period. That means Duke and OUC customers should not assume identical export economics even within the same metro area.

Source: Modeled effective bill-impact rate for Duke Energy Florida residential customers in Orlando, used as the savings input for first-year production offset.

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Incentives

Available solar incentives in Orlando, FL

Federal + state + utility

Incentive	Type	Value	Scope
Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC)	Tax Credit	30% of system cost	Federal
Florida Property Tax Exemption for Residential Solar	Exemption	Full assessed-value exemption for residential renewable energy systems	State
Florida Sales Tax Exemption on Solar Equipment	Exemption	Florida sales tax exempt on solar energy systems and components	State
Duke Energy Florida / OUC Solar Export Credit	Net Metering	Duke: retail-rate net metering; OUC: community-solar-rate export credit for new post-2025 applications, then retail fuel rate	Utility

Incentive amounts and eligibility rules change. Verify current terms with your installer and a tax professional before installation.

System cost

Cost breakdown (6 kW default)

Gross system cost: $22560
Federal ITC (30%): −$6768
Net system cost: $15,792
Installed cost per watt: $2.82/W

Southeast benchmark estimate for an 8 kW residential system in the Orlando market.

Payback & long-term value

25-year outlook

Annual savings (yr 1): $1,400
Simple payback period: 11.3 years
25-year net savings: $34100
Assumed annual rate increase: 2.5%/year

25-year estimate uses flat electricity rate for conservative baseline. Accounting for 2.5% annual rate increases, lifetime savings increase substantially.

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How it works

How solar savings work in Orlando

Orlando gets consistent year-round sun NREL PVWatts modeling for Orlando shows about 5.32 peak sun hours per day. An 8 kW system produces roughly 11,867 kWh per year, with June–September being the best months and December–January the weakest.
Summer production and AC load align well Orlando’s peak solar months overlap with peak cooling season. This means a larger portion of solar output directly offsets the highest-cost electricity the home consumes, improving the economics versus markets where solar peaks and load peaks don’t match.
Duke and OUC now have meaningfully different export economics Duke Energy Florida customers generally remain under Florida's retail-rate net-metering framework, while OUC customers on newer rooftop-solar applications move onto OUC's separate export-credit structure. That means self-consumption is valuable for everyone, but export sizing assumptions should be utility-specific rather than metro-wide.
Florida’s state tax incentives stack well with the federal ITC Florida exempts residential solar equipment from both state sales tax and property tax assessment. Combined with the 30% federal ITC on a $22,560 system ($6,768 credit), total upfront incentives are among the better stacking options in the Southeast.
Net system cost after ITC is about $15,792 On a modeled $22,560 installed cost, the 30% federal ITC reduces net cost to $15,792. The Florida sales tax exemption saves roughly $1,350 on equipment, and no property tax is added for the system’s value.
Payback is moderate; long-run value is solid At a modeled $0.118/kWh effective rate and $1,400 first-year savings, payback is about 11.3 years. Over 25 years the system is modeled to save roughly $34,100 net of cost, but Duke customers and OUC customers can land on different real-world export values because OUC's newer rooftop-solar tariff is weaker than full retail net metering for exported energy.

FAQ

Common solar savings questions for Orlando, FL

How much can I save with solar in Orlando, FL?

An 8 kW Orlando system is modeled at about 11,867 kWh/year. At a Duke Energy Florida effective rate of roughly $0.118/kWh, first-year savings are around $1,400 and simple payback is about 11.3 years after the federal tax credit.

Does Florida have good solar incentives?

Yes, Florida’s incentive stack is solid for a Sun Belt state. The 30% federal ITC applies universally, and Florida adds a full property tax exemption for residential solar systems and a sales tax exemption on solar equipment. Net metering at the retail rate (under F.S. 366.91) further improves economics.

What is Florida’s property tax exemption for solar?

Florida Statute 196.175 exempts the added assessed value from a residential renewable energy system from property tax. Solar panels increase your home’s market value, but that increase is not counted in your tax assessment, so your property tax bill stays flat.

Does the Florida solar sales tax exemption apply in Orlando?

Yes. Florida Statute 212.08(7)(hh) exempts solar energy systems and components from the 6% Florida state sales tax. This exemption applies statewide, including in Orange County and the City of Orlando.

What is the difference between Duke Energy Florida and OUC for solar?

Duke Energy Florida is an investor-owned utility serving much of the greater Orlando area and generally follows Florida's retail-rate net-metering statute. OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission) is a municipal utility serving central Orlando and parts of Orange County, and for newer rooftop-solar applications it now credits exports at the community solar farm rate through June 30, 2030 and the retail fuel rate thereafter rather than full retail. Confirm which utility serves your address before comparing savings or sizing for export.

How many solar panels does an Orlando home need?

Most Orlando homes land in the 6–10 kW range depending on annual consumption. Because summer cooling loads are high and solar production peaks in summer, systems can be sized somewhat larger than average without stranding production. Duke customers can tolerate more export than OUC customers on the newer tariff, so confirm your serving utility before sizing for significant export.

Do I need a permit for solar in Orlando?

Yes. Rooftop solar requires a City of Orlando or Orange County building permit plus utility interconnection approval. If you are also building a deck, review the Orlando deck permit page so both projects stay coordinated.

Sources

Data sources and freshness

Production data derived from NREL PVWatts v8 for Orlando, FL (lat 28.5383, lon -81.3792), 20° tilt, 180° azimuth, 14.0% losses. Utility rate from URDB. Last verified 2026-04-19.

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Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only — not financial or investment advice. Solar savings depend on actual shading, roof orientation, energy usage patterns, rate changes, and equipment performance. Consult a licensed installer and a tax professional before making purchasing decisions. Verify incentive eligibility with official sources. Data last verified 2026-04-19.