SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / FL / Broward

Broward County, FL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

35
Risk Grade
Excellent
Urban county with strong county-level climate policy; FPL territory with active distributed/C&I solar; limited utility-scale land but improving trajectory from Climate Action Plan commitments and rooftop market growth
Assessment Snapshot
Population
1944375
State Rank
#9
Compliance
45%
Trajectory
20

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
Urban zoning setbacks apply; rooftop/carport solar by-right; utility-scale very limited by land availability
Zoning Mechanism
Site Plan Review / CUP for any ground-mount utility-scale; by-right for rooftop and parking canopy solar
Acreage Caps
None established
Density Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
No county cap; urban land scarcity is practical constraint; FPSA applies >75 MW

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Neutral–Supportive
Basis for Assessment
County Climate Action Plan (2021) commits to significant renewable energy; Mayor and county leadership publicly supportive of solar; Fort Lauderdale and other municipalities have sustainability programs; urban density limits utility-scale but strong distributed market
Political Risk Factors
Improving
Board Members
Commissioner Nan H. Rich (D1), Commissioner Mark D. Bogen (D2/Mayor), Commissioner Michael Udine (D3), Commissioner Lamar P. Fisher (D4), Commissioner Steve Geller (D5), Commissioner Beam Furr (D6), Commissioner Alexandra P. Davis (D7)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC / Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) | FPL (NextEra Energy) transmission zone
Utilities
Florida Power & Light (FPL / NextEra Energy), City utilities (Hollywood, Pompano Beach — municipal distribution in limited areas)
State Permitting Process
Florida Power Siting Act (FPSA) — Florida DEP has siting jurisdiction for facilities >75 MW. Below 75 MW, county land use authority governs via CUP/SUP process. Florida Statute §163.3205 (2024) limits county restrictions on solar in agricultural zones — cannot prohibit as a matter of law. No state-level preemption below 75 MW threshold. FPL (NextEra Energy) dominates utility-scale procurement in southern and eastern FL; Duke Energy Florida serves central west coast; Tampa Electric (TECO) serves Hillsborough/Polk corridor; Florida Power & Light interconnects through FPL transmission. County commission approves CUPs for projects <75 MW in unincorporated areas.
State Incentives
Florida has no state RPS (Renewable Portfolio Standard) — only a voluntary goal (100% clean energy by 2050). Key incentives: Federal ITC (30% base + energy community/domestic content adders). Florida Statute §163.3205 (2024) limits local government ability to restrict solar on agricultural land — counties cannot ban solar outright on ag-zoned land. Net metering available. Property tax exemption for residential solar (FL Const. Art. VII §3). No state income tax. USDA REAP for rural projects. FPL, Duke Energy Florida, and Tampa Electric IRP programs include significant utility-scale solar procurement.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Broward County Government solar (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport solar canopies, county facilities); Port Everglades solar program; FPL distributed solar across service area; [TBV utility-scale ground-mount in unincorporated areas]
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
None on record

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Last verified: April 2026 (web research) | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes