SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / FL / Madison

Madison 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 declining-population rural north FL county with no solar ordinance; FPL territory; no active developer pipeline; stable trajectory; no moratorium; agricultural land available (I-10 corridor); USDA REAP rural energy eligible; primary constraint is lack of developer interest
Assessment Snapshot
Population
17735
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; agricultural zone setbacks apply by default per general LDC
Zoning Mechanism
CUP required in agricultural zones; county commission review; no established solar pre-application process; county staff capacity limited
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
Madison County is a small rural north FL county with a declining population and agricultural economy; no organized solar opposition; no recorded board positions on solar; FPL serves the county; large agricultural and timberland parcels available along I-10 corridor
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Commissioner Alston Kelley (D1/Chair), Commissioner Donnie Waldrep (D2), Commissioner Ronnie Moore (D3), Commissioner Alfred Martin (D4), Commissioner Rick Davis (D5)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC / Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) | FPL (NextEra Energy) transmission zone
Utilities
Florida Power & Light (FPL / NextEra Energy), Tri-County Electric Cooperative (rural distribution portions)
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; no active developer pipeline identified; [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