Second to Texas, Florida had the second-highest number of solar installations in the country in 2024, the Florida Phoenix reported. The state installed almost the equivalent of the previous year's record-breaking 3.2 gigawatts of solar power capacity in the first three quarters of the year alone, demonstrating the state's increasing adoption of solar as a viable renewable energy source.
Solar's more affordable price tag is a big contributing factor to increasing statewide adoption. Over the past decade, the cost of producing solar has fallen by 43%, according to the Phoenix.
"The cost of producing electricity from new solar is around $60 per megawatt-hour compared to $70 per megawatt-hour for new natural gas," said Dawn Shirreffs, the Florida director of the Environmental Defense Fund, per the Phoenix.
As the No. 2 electric-producing state in the country, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Florida stands to save a lot of money by producing more electricity from solar than from natural gas. Not only does solar create more local jobs and boost the economy, but more affordable solar prices also mean consumers save more money when they adopt solar. In fact, many solar homeowners enjoy a $0 energy bill and even make money from selling excess solar power back to the grid, depending on the size of their panels against their usage.
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Ultimately, Florida's shift to renewable energy benefits the health of the environment. Solar reduces the amount of harmful pollution released into the air from dirty energy, keeping the air free of heat-trapping gases that contribute to the planet's overheating.
This significant milestone in the total number of solar systems installed in the Sunshine State this year gives an exciting glimpse at the state's energy climate in the years to come.
According to the Phoenix, Susan Glickman, vice president for policy and partnerships of the climate nonprofit CLEO, said homeowners "will get to enjoy stability in their power bill while knowing they are protecting Florida's natural environment."
Public sentiment about solar is widely positive, too, according to the Pew Research Center, including among a clear majority of Republican voters despite less support from Republican politicians such as President-elect Donald Trump. Though fellow Republican and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earned praise from the Environmental Working Group for making "the right decision" in 2022 to veto an anti-solar bill — a move that has no doubt helped his state continue to advance in this sector.
🗣️ If you were to install home solar panels, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
🔘 Energy independence ⚡
🔘 Lower power bills 💰
🔘 Helping the planet 🌎
🔘 No chance I ever go solar 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"It's good to see Florida finally installing meaningful amounts of solar," one commenter wrote on a CleanTechnica report.
"So much free sunlight. Might as well use it," another agreed.
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