SunPower is bringing sunny solar energy to this Atlantic beach town

The state of solar in Port St. Lucie

Like most of Florida, Port St. Lucie sees no shortage of sunshine—238 sunny days a year,^*BestPlaces.net, Climate in Port St. Lucie, FL, May 2021. more than 15% higher than the national average. Unsurprisingly, those clear skies leave 99% of the rooftops in the city solar viable,^*Google, Project Sunroof data explorer (November 2018). a point that’s caught the eye of Florida Power and Light, in particular. The electricity utility provider has several established solar arrays in Port Lucie County, with a fourth on the way.^*TC Palm, Florida Power & Light gets OK to build its fourth solar center in St. Lucie County, April 2021.

How much solar energy does Port St. Lucie produce?

While no data is available on the residential solar capacity of Port St. Lucie, the area has become a solar hub for large-scale production. It is home to two active 74.5 MW FPL solar arrays: Loggerhead Solar Center opened in 2018, and Interstate Solar Center opened in 2019.

A third plant of the same size, Pelican Solar Center, is under construction, and a fourth, Sundew Solar Center, is planned for completion in 2022, bringing the FPL’s total capacity in the county to 298 MW.^*TC Palm, Florida Power & Light gets OK to build its fourth solar center in St. Lucie County, April 2021. Florida Power and Light. FPL makes history with 14 new solar energy centers under construction across Florida. August 2020.

What are the advantages of going solar in Port St. Lucie?

Switching to solar energy is an excellent way to support Port St. Lucie’s solar energy initiatives and reduce carbon emissions in our community. Utilizing every solar-viable roof in the city would offset an estimated 820,000 cubic tons of carbon dioxide—the equivalent of taking around 173,000 cars off the road for an entire year.^*Google, Project Sunroof data explorer (November 2018).

However, a properly installed and sized solar system can also offer significant cost savings on electricity. Homeowners could stand to save over $17,000 over 20 years of use with a 5 kW solar system.^*Energy Sage, Solar Panels in Port St. Lucie, FL, May 2021. Many homeowners break even on their solar installation costs in just over a decade. Sometimes sooner, depending on available incentives.

For instance, if you opt for a grid-tied system and produce more electricity than you use, you may be able to transfer any excess back to the grid for a credit on your bill through a process known as net metering.^*The availability of net metering varies by location and is subject to change. Visit dsireusa.org for detailed solar policy information. That credit can be used to offset any usage from the grid in times of low production, such as evenings and overcast days.

How much does solar cost in Port St. Lucie?

The cost of a home solar system can vary, even in the same city, due to a range of factors. These include:

• Available roof space

• Quality of the solar system

• Weather

• Angle of the roof

To help you understand the price of going solar in your area, we've analyzed SunPower price quotes as well as quotes gathered by third-party sources for thousands of homeowners across the country.^*Local Solar Installers 2020/2021, Solar Reviews 2021, Energy Sage 2021, Wood Mackenzie 2020, National Renewable Energy Laboratory 2020

In Port St. Lucie, we found that the cost of owning a 5 kW solar system ranges from $13,750 to $20,500, or in other words, from $2.75 to $4.10 per watt. And that's before considering the benefits of any available tax credits or incentives.

St. Lucie County offers a Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF) to help residents afford the costs involved in their solar installation. This fund allows clients to use their energy savings to pay back loans and financing. Residents across the U.S. can also benefit from the 26% federal tax credit to offset installation costs further.^*Tax credits and incentives are subject to change. Visit dsireusa.org for detailed solar policy information.

What's the best way to go solar in Port St. Lucie?

The first step in going solar is to contact a professional solar provider. The right solar system setup for your property will depend on a wide range of factors, including your current energy usage, roof size, budget, and more.

Your solar provider should have the knowledge to answer all your questions while helping you to evaluate these points. They should also provide a custom solar design to meet your needs, a cost and savings estimate, and an overview of any incentives available to you before you sign a contract.

If you’re ready to get started, request a free consultation, and we’ll follow up with a quick call to schedule a time. You can also call us directly at (800) 786-7693.