Ask Axios: Answering common questions about solar panels in Florida

The big picture: Florida has the capacity to produce more solar power than most states, but homes are still a fraction of its solar panel installations, per the national trade group Solar Energy Industries Association.

• That's in part due to state policy.

Between the lines: Florida, unlike many states, doesn't have power purchase agreements, which arrange for a developer to install a solar energy system on a customer's property and sell the power generated to the customer at a fixed rate often lower than the retail rate.

• The state also doesn't have a renewable portfolio standard policy, which would require utilities to fulfill a certain percentage of a state's energy needs through renewables like solar.

Here are some other reader questions about solar panels:

How does getting solar affect homeowners insurance?

Residents across the state have reported being dropped by their homeowner's insurance companies for getting solar panels.

State of play: Solar panels are typically included in most homeowners insurance policies with no separate coverage required. But smaller regional insurers have recently tightened underwriting rules that impact solar, Insurance Information Institute spokesperson Mark Friedlander told Axios.

• This is likely because of the panels' vulnerability to damage caused by hurricanes and storms — and Florida being the most hurricane-prone state.

What they're saying: "Florida is the most volatile homeowners insurance market in the country," Friedlander told Axios.

• "There are a lot of companies having issues with their financial standing and that has further restricted underwriting to be more selective in the properties they underwrite, or they're not writing new policies at all."

Pro tips: If you're planning on installing solar panels and find out your insurer doesn't cover them, you can ask your insurance agent to find another company that will, Friedlander said.

• "It might be more challenging in Florida, but it's worth checking into," he said.
• And even if your policy covers solar panels, you have to notify your insurer that you're getting them to be sure they're noted in your policy.

How long does it take to break even on your investment?

It varies. Laura Tellez, Solar United Neighbors' South Florida program associate, told Axios that it's dependent on customers' situations and how they financed their solar panels.

• But she usually tells people they'll break even between 7-10 years, and the lifetime of the solar system can go beyond 25 years.

FYI: The nonprofit provides education around solar and organizes co-ops, including one in Hillsborough.

Be smart: When you Google "is solar worth it," there are websites that say they'll tell you if you enter information for your home. What they actually do is give your information to a ton of companies who want to sell you solar and will bombard you with calls and texts.

What's the environmental impact of solar panels?

For those concerned about their panels breaking and being thrown away, Tellez said "it's very rare that a panel will be defective."

• "Solar energy is very, very long-lasting," she added.

The other side: Conservative advocates of nuclear energy and fossil fuels have largely pointed out that the panels create toxic waste, even when it's possible to recycle parts of them.

Reality check: A 2021 Harvard Business Review study projects the volume of solar waste surpassing that of new installations by 2031.

• By 2035, researchers project discarded panels would outweigh new units sold by 2.56 times — raising the overall cost of the energy-producing asset over its lifetime.

Yes, but: The study noted what solar advocates are also pushing for: better regulations to make solar panel recycling more accessible in the U.S. And we can't turn back to fossil fuels, researchers concluded.

• "The science is indisputable: Continuing to rely on fossil fuels to the extent we currently do will bequeath a damaged if not dying planet to future generations," the study reads.