Orlando enjoys approximately 233 sunny days per year with strong solar irradiance and year-round production — the Central Florida climate is ideal for solar, with summer peaks that align well with afternoon AC loads. The economics are solid across all three utility territories, though the specific numbers vary.
For OUC customers: OUC’s residential rate runs approximately 12.7 cents per kilowatt-hour — below the Florida state average. That lower rate means slightly longer payback periods compared to higher-rate utilities, but OUC’s lower cost also means monthly bills that are more manageable. Typical systems in Orlando run 14–15 kW, consistent with Florida’s high cooling loads.
For Duke Energy Florida customers: Duke Energy’s residential rate runs higher — EnergySage puts the Orlando-area blended rate at approximately 17–19 cents per kilowatt-hour for Duke territory, reflecting higher infrastructure costs. Higher rates mean faster payback, though Duke’s $30/month minimum bill is a fixed cost solar cannot eliminate.
Installation costs in the Orlando market average approximately $2.08–2.20 per watt as of late 2025/early 2026 — among the most competitive in Florida. A 14.5 kW system runs roughly $30,000 before incentives. The federal residential tax credit expired December 31, 2025. Florida’s 100% property tax exemption and sales tax exemption on solar equipment remain in place. Orlando’s average payback period, across utility territories, runs approximately 8–9 years with 25-year net savings typically in the $60,000–$70,000+ range.
OUC—The Reliable One serves the city of Orlando proper and is the utility most people mean when they search for ‘Orlando solar.’ In December 2024, OUC’s Board approved a new pricing structure called PeakSHIFT, which included a fundamental change to solar export compensation under a program called TruNet Solar. Here is what that means for homeowners going solar in 2026:
Grandfathered customers (applications before July 1, 2025): Any homeowner who submitted a completed solar interconnection application to OUC before July 1, 2025, retains full retail net metering at the current energy rate — approximately 10.65 cents per kilowatt-hour for exports — for a 20-year grandfathering period through June 30, 2045. If you’re in this group, your solar economics are essentially unchanged.
New customers (applications July 1, 2025 and after): Exported energy is credited at OUC’s community solar farm rate, currently approximately 4.567 cents per kilowatt-hour, for a five-year period through June 30, 2030. After that, exports are credited at the retail fuel rate — currently approximately 3.867 cents per kilowatt-hour. OUC’s full retail billing changes don’t take effect until Fall 2026, so new customers are receiving the full retail rate during a grace period through that point.
What TruNet means for system sizing: With exports valued at roughly 4.6 cents versus OUC’s retail rate of ~12.7 cents, the value gap between self-consumed solar and exported solar is significant — roughly 3:1. The right response is to size your system to match your consumption carefully. Don’t oversize expecting to bank surplus credits; size to offset roughly 95–100% of your annual usage and avoid generating more than you’ll actually use during the year.
Battery storage rebate: OUC approved a battery storage rebate of up to $2,000 per premise for new TruNet Solar customers (effective July 1, 2025). Adding battery storage allows you to capture midday solar production for evening use rather than exporting it at the reduced rate — reinforcing the economics in a post-TruNet environment.
DemandLevel pricing: Beginning early 2026, OUC customers will also see a new tiered fixed charge of $5, $10, or $15 per month based on their monthly peak usage. This is revenue-neutral by OUC’s design, paired with a ~14% reduction in the variable energy rate, but it adds a new dimension to bill management.
If your address is outside Orlando’s city limits — in Orange County suburbs, parts of Osceola County, or Lake County — you are likely on Duke Energy Florida, not OUC. Duke Energy Florida offers traditional full retail net metering with a different structure.
Duke Energy Florida net metering: Credits accrue at the full retail rate, roll month-to-month, and reset annually. At year-end, any unused credits are paid out at the non-firm wholesale rate — approximately 2 cents per kilowatt-hour — rather than the retail rate. Duke Energy’s year-end payout is lower than OUC’s (which paid out at full retail before TruNet), but the monthly credit structure during the year is full retail. Duke Energy requires a minimum monthly bill of $30, which solar credits cannot offset — so even a fully self-sufficient system will still owe $30/month in fixed charges. For Tier 2 systems (over 10 kW AC), Duke Energy charges a $240 application fee and requires $1 million in liability insurance, typically added to an existing homeowner’s policy.
FPL in the metro fringe: Some addresses in the broader Orlando area may be served by Florida Power & Light rather than OUC or Duke. FPL’s net metering program works similarly to Duke — full retail credits monthly, annual true-up at a lower avoided cost rate (approximately 3–5 cents per kilowatt-hour), $16/month minimum bill. See our Miami page for a full FPL program walkthrough.
Determining your utility: Your utility is determined by your address, not your choice. Before engaging any installer, verify your utility provider. If you’re in OUC territory, understand TruNet’s implications for sizing and timing. If you’re on Duke, the economics are more straightforward but the $30 minimum bill is a permanent fixture. Most installers serving the Orlando market are familiar with all three utilities and will quote accordingly — but it’s worth asking explicitly which utility they’re assuming when you review proposals.
