A Florida Power and Light solar-farm
A Florida Power and Light solar-farm
Utility-scale solar capacity in the United States has increased 33% since 2025, according to information from the U.S. Energy Information Administration cited by the SUN DAY Campaign, which tracks renewable energy nationally.
President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025 removed solar power tax credits, a move Florida industry groups warned could hurt the state’s solar industry.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds said last week he is not a fan of solar power and questioned its ability to provide consistent energy for Florida.
“We are in the middle of the solar fad, and I’m going to call it a fad,” Donalds said during a campaign event in Daytona Beach Shores.
Donalds said solar arrays take land out of production and argued that solar power is inconsistent because generation declines at night.
His Democratic opponent, David Jolly, has a different view.
“Solar should be a part of Florida’s future,” Jolly told the Florida Phoenix following an appearance before the Tampa Tiger Bay Club.
Jolly said he supports getting more people off the traditional electric grid through solar panels, potentially through incentives or changes involving the Florida Public Service Commission.
He also said Florida’s largest investor-owned utilities are moving toward greater use of solar energy.
About 8% of the electricity generated in Florida comes from renewable sources, mostly solar, according to a 2026 report from the Florida Public Service Commission. Nearly 75% comes from natural gas, 11% from nuclear power, 3% from coal, 2% from purchased power and less than 1% from oil.
Florida Power & Light, the state’s largest electric utility, generated 11% of its energy from solar in 2025. Its 2026 10-year site plan calls for solar to account for 26% of its generation by 2035.
That projection is about 30% lower than in FPL’s 2025 plan. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy attributes the reduction to expiring federal solar tax credits.
Duke Energy Florida plans to add 12 solar sites to its electric grid, increasing solar capacity by 900 megawatts by 2027, spokesperson Ana Gibbs said. Duke expects solar to provide about 30% of the electricity it sells by 2035.
Tampa Electric Co. generated 12% of its energy from solar during the 12 months ending in June 2026, spokesperson Cherie Jacobs said. About 17% of its energy is expected to come from solar next year.
Solar costs also have fallen substantially in recent decades. Solar panels that sold for $5 to $6 per watt around 2000 now cost about 12 cents per watt, according to Dave Ember, chief analyst and co-founder of global energy think tank Ember.
Donalds has promoted small modular nuclear reactors, or SMRs, as another potential source of electricity for Florida.
“I believe that we need to be investing in small, modular nuclear reactors in Florida,” he said. “We have to have a consistent power base.”
Supporters of SMRs say they could offer greater safety, faster deployment and lower costs than traditional nuclear power plants.
The Florida Legislature approved a bill in 2024 requiring the Public Service Commission to conduct a feasibility study on advanced nuclear reactors.
The resulting report, issued in 2025, recommended a more comprehensive study, possibly by a major university, to better define the potential benefits of nuclear development.
Further legislative action stalled when HB 1461, which would have authorized the PSC to regulate advanced nuclear reactors, passed the House 108-0 but did not advance through the Senate.
For now, Florida’s major investor-owned utilities say small modular reactors are not part of their near-term generation plans.
“Regarding SMRs, at this point, they are not yet commercially available at scale or cost effective,” FPL spokesperson Andrew Sutton said.
Sutton said the company has a team evaluating the technology so it could be deployed if it becomes cost effective.
Duke Energy Florida’s 10-year site plan calls for new solar generation and upgrades to existing generation units, but no nuclear deployment. Gibbs said advanced nuclear power remains a longer-term option.
Tampa Electric also is examining small modular reactors, but Jacobs said the technology is not yet commercially viable.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news organization covering state government and politics. This story is republished under a Creative Commons license.
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