At FPL's $0.138/kWh — and with 5.62 NREL peak sun hours per day — Miami's solar economics remain compelling for a 10.2kW system. Note that the 30% federal residential tax credit (Section 25D, IRS) expired for homeowner-purchased systems installed after December 31, 2025, so the gross system cost is the relevant purchase figure for 2026 buyers; payback period calculations should reflect that change. Under Florida's net metering rule for investor-owned utilities (Fla. Admin. Code R. 25-6.065), the excess energy your panels send back is credited against later bills at the retail rate for up to 12 months, and credits still unused at the end of the calendar year are paid at the utility's lower as-available energy rate. This is general information, not tax advice.
Miami, Florida: 2026 Market Data
📊 LOCAL MARKET DATA
- Average system size: 10.2 kW
- Typical purchase cost (2026): $29,580 — the 30% federal residential credit (§25D) expired Dec 31, 2025; a lease or PPA still captures it via §48E
- Net metering: retail kWh credits; year-end excess paid at as-available rate (Fla. Admin. Code R. 25-6.065)
- State tax credit: 0%
- Federal residential credit (§25D): expired for purchases after Dec 31, 2025; lease/PPA still gets 30% via §48E
- Median household income (Miami): $62,462
Data from U.S. Census Bureau, DSIRE, NREL
Solar Installation Costs in Miami: 2026
If you're weighing solar for your Miami home, here's what the numbers actually look like. The average system installed locally comes in at 10.2 kW, which is a solid size for the strong sun South Florida gets year-round. For a homeowner-purchased system installed in 2026, it's important to know that the federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D, IRS) expired for systems installed after December 31, 2025 — meaning a 2026 purchase no longer qualifies for that 30 percent federal credit. The gross installed cost is the figure Miami homeowners purchasing their own system are now working with. If you prefer not to purchase outright, a solar lease or PPA is worth considering: because the installer or financing company owns the system, they can still claim a 30 percent credit under the commercial clean energy credit (Section 48E, IRS) — provided the system is placed in service by December 31, 2027 or construction began by July 4, 2026 — and they often pass those savings through as a lower rate to you. Florida doesn't offer a state solar tax credit, so understanding which ownership structure applies to you is now especially important in shaping your final cost. Retail-rate credits under Florida's net metering rule offset what you draw from the grid in later months, but a year-end surplus is paid out at a lower rate, so sizing a system to your own usage protects its value. With a median household income of $62,462 in Miami, this is a significant investment, so treat it that way. Get quotes from several installers rather than settling on the first one, and read every contract carefully before signing. Ask questions about warranties, financing terms, and the fine print so you know exactly what you're committing to. This is general information, not tax advice.
$0.138/kWh on FPL: What That Means for Miami Solar Math
Florida Power & Light charges Miami residents roughly $0.138 per kilowatt-hour, and that number is the backbone of every solar calculation in the city. When you're paying that rate to FPL, every kilowatt-hour your panels produce is essentially money you keep. For the average Miami household pulling around 1,100 to 1,300 kWh monthly, that translates to a monthly bill often topping $150, especially when the AC runs nonstop through humid summers. Solar flips that equation by letting you generate power at a fixed upfront cost rather than paying FPL's rate indefinitely. The higher the utility rate, the faster your panels pay for themselves, which is exactly why Miami's solar math works better than markets with cheaper electricity. And since FPL rates have trended upward over the years, locking in your own generation acts as a hedge against future increases. That $0.138 figure isn't just a price tag, it's the engine behind your long-term savings projection.
Miami vs Tampa: Production Hours and System-Size Implications
The federal residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) expired for systems purchased after December 31, 2025, so a 2026 cash or loan purchase no longer earns the 30% credit — though a lease or PPA may still capture it via the Section 48E commercial credit. Florida doesn't have a state income tax, so there's no traditional state solar tax credit, but the state does offer something valuable: a sales tax exemption on solar equipment, saving you the typical 7 percent at purchase, plus a property tax exemption so your home's increased value from solar won't bump up your tax bill. On the FPL side, you benefit from net metering under Fla. Admin. Code R. 25-6.065, where excess power you send back earns credits at the retail rate for up to 12 months, with any credits left at year-end paid at FPL's lower as-available energy rate. Combine the tax exemptions and FPL's net metering arrangement, and the effective cost of going solar in Miami improves; note that the federal §25D credit expired for 2026 purchases (a lease or PPA may still capture 30% via §48E). Just confirm your installer handles the exemption paperwork correctly, since that step is sometimes overlooked.
| Company | Type | Published warranty or guarantee | Published ownership options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmetto | Installer | 90% performance guarantee and 25 years of free maintenance (Energy Plan subscription) | Subscription (Energy Plan), cash, loan |
| SunPower | Installer (Complete Solaria, Inc. d/b/a SunPower) | 10-year workmanship; manufacturer warranty up to 25 years | Cash, loan, lease, PPA |
| Sunrun | Installer | Owned: 10-year workmanship, 5-year roof penetration; subscription: 25-year maintenance and repair1 | Subscription, purchase |
| Tesla | Installer and panel maker | 25-year panel product warranty; output at least 98.0% after year 1, then no more than 0.45%/yr decline2 | Not read3 |
1. Sunrun states its 25-year subscription maintenance promise is not available in Florida.
2. Tesla's module warranty covers the panels only; it states it does not cover the installer's workmanship.
3. Tesla: tesla.com refused automated retrieval on September 10, 2026, so payment options were not read and are not shown.
Sources: warranty terms as published by Palmetto · SunPower · Sunrun · Tesla.
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Miami Households on FPL: Who Saves the Most
Miami and Tampa both enjoy Florida sunshine, but the production differences matter when sizing your system. Miami sits slightly further south and gets reliable, consistent sun, though afternoon thunderstorms and coastal cloud cover can shave a bit off peak production during summer months. Tampa, on the Gulf side, sees comparable annual sun hours but a slightly different cloud pattern. For Miami homeowners, this means you can often size your array a touch smaller than you'd assume, since panels here perform strongly across the year. A Miami home using 1,200 kWh per month might fully offset its usage with an 8kW system, where a household with the same usage elsewhere might need more capacity. The practical takeaway is that Miami's strong year-round irradiance lets your dollars stretch further per panel. When comparing quotes, ask installers to base their production estimates on local Miami-Dade data rather than statewide averages, because that precision affects both your system size and your projected return.
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