Sunprint
The short answer
Two things set North Florida apart. Winters are colder than in Central and South Florida, so heating shows up on bills, and the biggest utility, JEA, credits the power your panels send to the grid at its fuel rate, 4.326 cents a kWh in October 2026, instead of the 12 to 14 cents you pay for a kWh. Solar still works here: 1 kW of panels makes about 1,455 kWh a year in Jacksonville. It just pays best when you use that power at home.
Jacksonville against Miami
NOAA climate normals, 1991 to 2020, at each city's international airport; NREL PVWatts, south-facing panels at a 20 degree tilt.
Heating degree days measure how much heating a climate calls for. Jacksonville's 1,228 a year are about 12 times Miami's, while Miami needs far more cooling. That is why a Jacksonville bill can climb in January as well as in August.
The utilities here
| Utility | Fixed monthly charge | 1,000 kWh bill | Credit for power you send out | $200 bill: savings a year with solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JEA | $21.00 | $142 | Fuel rate, 4.3 cents in Oct. 2026 | $1,630 to $2,050 |
| Beaches Energy | $4.50 | $120 | Retail monthly, avoided cost yearly | $1,760 to $2,230 |
| Clay Electric | $37.00 | $148 | Wholesale rate | $1,480 to $1,860 |
| Florida Public Utilities | $24.40 | $150 | Retail monthly | $1,610 to $2,010 |
JEA serves Jacksonville and most of Duval County, Beaches Energy serves Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and part of Ponte Vedra, Clay Electric serves much of Clay County, and Florida Public Utilities serves Amelia Island. FPL also serves parts of all four counties; our FPL guide has its numbers. Of the four utilities in the table, Beaches has the smallest fixed charge at $4.50 and Clay the largest, at $37.
Who serves each county
The U.S. Energy Information Administration's 2024 utility survey lists these electric utilities in each county this guide covers. Some serve only a small part of a county, so your bill is the only sure answer for your address.
- Duval
- Beaches Energy, Clay Electric, FPL, JEA
- Clay
- City of Green Cove Springs, Clay Electric, FPL, JEA
- Nassau
- Florida Public Utilities, FPL, JEA, Okefenoke Rural Electric
- St. Johns
- Beaches Energy, FPL, JEA
Source: EIA Form 861, 2024 service territory data. Utilities without a link don't have their own guide yet; our smaller-utilities guide lists them.
Winter bills and winter sun
Monthly output of 1 kW of panels, Jacksonville and Miami
kWh per month, south-facing at a 20 degree tilt
Jacksonville, 1,455 kWh a yearMiami, 1,552 kWh a year
Source: NREL PVWatts v8 with NSRDB weather data, 1 kW of panels facing south at a 20 degree tilt, standard modules, roof mount, 14 percent system losses.
December is the weakest month for solar here, about 92 kWh per kW against 146 in May, and it lines up with heating season. So panels sized from a summer bill won't erase a winter one. If your house heats with electric strip heat, our JEA bill guide explains why winter bills jump and what a heat pump changes.
Sizing for JEA's credit
Because JEA pays its fuel rate for exports, every 1,000 kWh you send out instead of using at home is worth roughly $78 to $97 less at October 2026 rates. Ways to keep more of the value:
- Size the system to your daytime use rather than your whole bill.
- Shift flexible loads, like the pool pump, dishwasher or EV charging, into sunny hours.
- Add a battery if you want backup power anyway; JEA's own battery rebate is no longer on its rebate list.
Older JEA systems that passed final inspection by March 31, 2018 keep retail-rate net metering for 20 years. Our JEA solar guide has the full rules.
Your estimate in three steps
- Enter your billYour ZIP code, your utility and last month's bill.
- See your estimateA yearly savings range based on your utility's rates and Florida sun.
- Choose what's nextAsk for a quote call if you want real pricing, or just keep the number.
See what solar could save you
It takes about a minute. You don't need a site visit, a commitment or a sales call to see your number.
Common questions
Which utility serves North Florida?
JEA serves Jacksonville and most of Duval County. Beaches Energy Services serves Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and part of Ponte Vedra Beach, Clay Electric Cooperative serves much of Clay County, and Florida Public Utilities serves Amelia Island in Nassau County. FPL also serves parts of Duval, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties. Your bill names your utility.
Does North Florida get cold enough to affect solar?
Cold doesn't hurt panels, but winter is the weakest season for solar here: about 92 kWh per kW in December against 146 in May in Jacksonville, in NREL's model. That lines up with heating season, when Jacksonville averages January lows near 43°F.
Is solar worth it in Jacksonville with JEA?
It can be, if you use most of the power at home. JEA credits exports at its fuel rate, 4.326 cents a kWh in October 2026, against 12 to 14 cents for each kWh you buy, so a system sized to daytime use keeps the most value.
How much does 1 kW of solar make in Jacksonville?
About 1,455 kWh a year for south-facing panels at a 20 degree tilt, in NREL's PVWatts model.
Can an HOA in North Florida stop me from installing solar?
Not outright. Florida Statute 163.04 bars associations from prohibiting solar, though they can set where panels go within limits.
Related guides
- Solar for JEA customers
- Why is my JEA bill so high?
- Solar for Beaches Energy customers
- Solar for Clay Electric customers
- Solar battery backup in Florida
- Can my HOA block solar in Florida?
Savings are modeled from each utility's rate for a system covering 75 to 95 percent of a year's use; your roof, usage and equipment will change them. Sources: Florida PSC comparative rate statistics, December 31, 2025 (PDF) · JEA rates and monthly fuel rates · NREL PVWatts v8 (NSRDB weather data), queried October 2026 · NOAA NCEI U.S. climate normals, 1991 to 2020 · U.S. EIA Form 861, 2024 service territory data · Florida Statutes 163.04. Reviewed October 2026.
Next guideSolar for JEA customers: how the fuel-rate credit works →