New Florida Net-Metering Law

The interconnection of solar energy systems in Florida into the power grid has been slightly more than complicated for residential and commercial customers in Co-op or Municipal power areas. Last year the Public Service Commission passed a net-metering law that required all investor owned utilites, such as FPL and Progress Energy to Net-Meter small renewable energy generators. This was not so for small cooperative utilities and Municipal utilties such as Lake Worth Power in Florida, Sarasota Power or Ft. Pierce utilites.

By July 1st 2009 all Utilites in the State will have to have technology in place to accurately “buy back” excess daily generated power by solar energy systems such as Photovoltaics on residential and commercial properties. Not only are they required to buy back, but they are required to buy back at the rates at which the utility charges, up to 100% of the annual building usage.

This is a huge step for the Florida Solar Energy Industry and gives solar energy contractors in Florida a much larger playing field. It is also particularly beneficial because in many small cooperative and municipal power grid areas the cost of energy is significantly higher than on FPL and Progress energy’s grid. The solar energy savings will be great for those customers and they can still take advantage of the upcoming State Rebate Incentives and Federal Tax Credits on qualified properties.

Section 366.91(6), Florida Statutes, requires all municipal electric utilities and rural electric cooperatives to adopt a net metering policy and develop an interconnection agreement by July 1, 2009. Here’s the language:

“(6) On or before July 1, 2009, each municipal electric utility and each rural electric cooperative that sells electricity at retail shall develop a standardized interconnection agreement and net metering program for customer-owned renewable generation. Each governing authority shall establish requirements relating to the expedited interconnection and net metering of customer-owned generation….”