SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / FL / Jefferson

Jefferson County, FL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

45.5
Risk Grade
Good
Small rural north FL county with no solar ordinance and no confirmed pipeline; Talquin Electric territory; stable trajectory; no moratorium; agricultural land available but county has not been a solar development priority; FL §163.3205 provides baseline protection
Assessment Snapshot
Population
14761
State Rank
#17
Compliance
35%
Trajectory
50

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
No solar-specific setbacks adopted; agricultural zone setbacks apply by default per general LDC
Zoning Mechanism
CUP required for utility-scale solar in agricultural/rural zones; county commission review; no solar-specific permitting pathway established
Acreage Caps
None established
Density Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
No county cap; FPSA applies for facilities >75 MW (FL DEP siting jurisdiction)

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Neutral
Basis for Assessment
Jefferson County is a small rural county bordering Leon County (Tallahassee); no organized solar opposition; conservative rural community; Talquin Electric serves most households; very limited utility-scale solar interest to date
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Commissioner Jessica Gramling (D1), Commissioner Eugene Hall (D2), Commissioner J.T. Surles (D3), Commissioner Austin Hosford (D4/Chair), Commissioner Ben White (D5/VC)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC / Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) | Talquin Electric Cooperative (distribution) / Duke Energy Florida (transmission)
Utilities
Talquin Electric Cooperative (primary distribution), Duke Energy Florida (transmission; portions of county)
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
No confirmed utility-scale solar projects; very limited developer activity in Jefferson County; [TBV FL DEP FPSA registry]
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