Solar in Orlando in 2026: OUC or Duke changes everything (and where subscription applies)

In Orlando the first question is not what the system costs, but who sends your bill. If it is Duke Energy, you have 1:1 net metering and access to the solar subscription. If it is OUC, the city’s municipal utility, new systems no longer get the full retail rate for what they export, and the subscription does not apply.

Which utility serves Orlando, and does 1:1 net metering apply?

Two. OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission) is the municipal utility: it serves the city of Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of Orange and Osceola counties. Duke Energy Florida serves the rest of the metro area. In practice, the city is OUC and the suburbs are Duke, with some FPL in the east of the county.

With Duke: 1:1 net metering under Florida PSC Rule 25-6.065. Each exported kWh is worth the same as one consumed, surplus rolls month to month, and at the end of the calendar year Duke pays the leftover at its COG-1 rate (as-available energy). $30 monthly minimum bill. Details in Duke Energy: rates and net metering.

With OUC: the program is called TruNet and it changed on July 1, 2025. According to OUC’s official page:

In addition, from fall 2026 OUC removes the solar bank: there is no longer a kWh credit that rolls forward; generation is credited in the same month it comes in. OUC interconnection fees are $0 for Tier 1 (up to 10 kW), $340 for Tier 2 and $1,300 for Tier 3. OUC also requires that the system not exceed the home’s energy needs.

Heads up: a salesperson who shows you savings in OUC territory calculated “with 1-to-1 net metering” is showing you a program that no longer exists for you. Ask for the projection with the Community Solar rate on exported energy and real self-consumption. The result is usually smaller systems, or a battery, or not doing it.

The general mechanics of the credit are in net metering in Florida.

How much does a solar system cost in Orlando in 2026?

There is no public, verifiable price per watt for Orlando alone, and we will not invent one. The sourced reference is the Florida average: $2.71 per installed watt before incentives, according to SolarReviews (updated October 2026). Outside the HVHZ, the permit is simpler than in Miami-Dade or Broward.

The totals are our own arithmetic: the cost per watt SolarReviews publishes for each size, multiplied by the size. With Duke the credit is 1:1; with new OUC rules, exports are worth less and the payback gets longer. Prices and payment options in solar panel cost in Florida 2026. Remember the 30% federal credit for purchases (25D) ended for systems placed in service after 12/31/2025; confirm with your tax preparer.

How many sun hours does Orlando get?

Orlando receives 5.4 peak sun hours per day on a fixed-tilt panel, per TurbineGenerator. A peak sun hour is one equivalent hour of full irradiance. A 10 kW system yields on the order of 54 kWh on an average day before losses. Central Florida’s summer storms cut production from June through September, right when you use the most: that is why design uses monthly data.

What is the typical bill in Orlando?

There is no public, verifiable average bill for Orlando alone. As a reference, the average Florida household used 1,104 kWh a month and paid $156.09 in 2024, according to EIA, and the state’s average residential price was 15.03¢/kWh in July 2026. Duke cut its 1,000 kWh bill by about $50 between January and June 2026; if your proposal was built before March, the savings are inflated. How to read a Duke bill: how to read your Duke Energy bill.

Roof and hurricanes in Orlando

Orange is not in the HVHZ, but the Florida Building Code requires engineer-stamped wind load calculations. Orlando has a lot of shingle roofs in 80s-2000s subdivisions that are on their second or third life: if the roof has less than 5 years left, roof first. More in solar and hurricanes in Florida.

HOAs in Orlando

The metro area is HOA territory. Florida Statute 163.04 prevents prohibiting solar collectors; the association can require architectural approval and set placement without reducing output.

Is solar subscription available in Orlando?

Yes, in the Duke-served part. Our subscription partner operates in Central Florida with FPL, Duke and TECO: fixed monthly payment for 3 or 5 years, no credit, debt or lien, no upfront cost, 30% savings guaranteed by contract on the total bill including the minimum charge, with an annual true-up. Disqualifiers: OUC, tile or metal roof, roof with less than 4 years of life, heavy shade, bill under $100, less than 12 months in the home. Details in solar subscription: how it works. With high bills and a good roof, buying may save more: we compare it with your numbers.

When solar does NOT make sense in Orlando

• You are an OUC customer with an application after July 2025 and you use power at night: exports are worth little and there is no bank.
• Bill under $100.
• Shingle roof with less than 5 years of life.
• Heavy shade from oaks (Orlando has many) on the south face.

What to check before deciding

• The logo on your bill: OUC or Duke.
• If Duke, that the proposal uses a bill from after March 2026.
• If OUC, that the projection uses the Community Solar rate for exports.
• Your 12 bills and the roof condition.
• If you qualify for subscription (Duke), compare it against purchase with the same 12 months.