Florida added over 3GW of utility-scale solar in one year, surpassing California

Florida just passed California in new solar installations, adding over 3 gigawatts of utility-scale solar in one year. This marks the first time Florida has outpaced longtime leaders like Texas and California in solar capacity growth. It happened in a state that, as of 2024, removed climate change from its official state policy.

“This is not a fluke,” said Sylvia Leyva Martinez, senior analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “Florida is now shaping national solar growth.” The push came almost entirely from utilities. Florida Power & Light alone built more than 70% of the new solar infrastructure in the state last year.

Florida skips red tape as utilities drive solar growth

Developers in Florida don’t face full siting reviews for projects under 75 megawatts. That’s the result of a state-level rule that makes it easier and faster to build large-scale solar. It means lower costs and shorter construction timelines. That’s how the state added more solar than California last year — without relying on rooftop panels.

“There’s no silver bullet,” said Syd Kitson, who created Babcock Ranch, a town designed to be almost fully solar-powered. “But one thing Florida got right is acceptance. Here, people want solar. And we’re proving it works.”

Babcock Ranch runs on its own microgrid, separate from the state’s big power grid. It stayed online during Hurricane Ian in 2022, even as large parts of southwest Florida lost power. “We didn’t lose power, internet, or water,” said Don Bishop, a resident. “That changes how you think about energy.”

Natural gas prices are rising. Demand from industry is going up. For utilities, that means solar is now cheaper — even without subsidies. “Utilities aren’t building solar because it’s green,” said Martinez. “They’re doing it because it’s cheaper.”

But the picture isn’t all positive. In July, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill, a law that rolls back federal tax credits for solar and wind. Homeowners lose the federal investment credit after 2025. For developers, project deadlines are tighter and sourcing rules are stricter.

“It won’t kill the market,” said Zoë Gaston, another Wood Mackenzie analyst. “But it makes the math harder.”

Rooftop solar in Florida is expected to drop by 42% in the next five years. That’s the analysts’ forecast. Utility-scale growth is still going, but now grid constraints are showing up. Power companies are now investing heavily in storage, smart grid tech, and system upgrades to stay ahead of demand.

At Babcock Ranch, engineers are testing new microgrid models that can be rolled out to other neighborhoods. “We’ve been testing this for years,” said Kitson. “Now it’s about scale. It’s about showing others they can do it too.”

Still, the state is not moving away from natural gas anytime soon. And without clear political direction, some experts say Florida’s momentum may not last. “Florida has the solar resources,” said Mark Jacobson, an engineering professor at Stanford University. “What’s missing is political consistency.”

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