Does the "Sunshine" State have a sufficient solar resource to support solar energy applications?Every so often, we get a call or email asking about the use of solar
energy in Florida and whether the state has too many cloudy days and
hazy sky conditions to support solar energy applications. Many
people say they have heard that solar energy applications only work well
in the clear skies of the desert southwest and just won’t be as
effective in Florida’s weather conditions.
While it is true that the desert southwest has the largest solar resource
in the continental U.S., this does not mean that Florida has a poor resource. Consider
the following map that compares the solar resource for 2-kilowatt photovoltaic
residential applications across the entire U.S.: 
This image comes from a study the Florida Solar Energy Center
conducted on the performance of 2-kW photovoltaic (PV) systems
installed on highly efficient homes across the country. The results
capture all aspects of PV system performance, including the temperature
effect on cell performance as well as the efficiency of the conversion
from DC to AC power through the inverter. The map clearly shows that
the desert southwest has the largest solar resource in the continental
U.S., but Florida is not very far behind with 85% of the maximum PV
resource of any location in the country (7.2 kWh/day out of a maximum
of 8.5 kWh/day). Consumers should note that many parts of the country
that have more state financial incentives have a much poorer solar
resource, making Florida a very cost-effective location for using solar
energy. You can view the complete study at: www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/html/FSEC-PF-380-04/.
There is Also Money Waiting for You in Florida!
There are also substantial federal income tax credits (30% of the
cost of a solar hot water system) and State of Florida rebates ($500
for a system) for the installation of solar systems in Florida. In
addition, one Florida utility, Progress Energy Florida (PEF), recently
implemented a new program that offers additional utility incentives
of $450 for the installation of solar water heating systems. These
combine to offer a considerable buy-down for a solar water heating
system.
If you are interested in photovoltaics, there is a federal income
tax credit of up to $2,000 plus a State of Florida rebate of up to
$20,000 for home applications and up to $100,000 for commercial applications.
Additional information on these solar energy tax credit, state rebate
and utility incentive programs can be found by clicking on the
following links:
Florida citizens express their opinion on solar energy for Florida:
http://www.flaseia.org/FloridaMaxon-DixonSolarPoll.pdf Source: 2007 Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a research institute of the University of Central Florida.
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