SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / FL / Monroe

Monroe County, FL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

65
Risk Grade
Poor
Florida Keys — isolated island chain served by KEYS Energy Services isolated grid, not connected to mainland FRCC; utility-scale solar is physically impossible due to island geography and grid isolation; no moratorium, no hostile policy; grade B reflects permissive local policy; high risk score (51) reflects geographic constraint; KEYS community solar and rooftop programs active
Assessment Snapshot
Population
74228
State Rank
#20
Compliance
35%
Trajectory
50

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
No solar-specific setbacks relevant to utility-scale applications; island geography and KEYS isolated grid are the binding constraints, not county ordinance
Zoning Mechanism
No utility-scale solar CUP mechanism needed or applicable; KEYS Energy Services manages all generation procurement for the Keys grid internally; distributed solar permitted via KEYS net metering and community solar programs
Acreage Caps
Not applicable — no utility-scale solar development possible
Density Caps
Not applicable
Spacing Rules
Not applicable
Size Restrictions
Grid capacity constraints apply — KEYS isolated grid has very limited capacity for additional generation

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Neutral
Basis for Assessment
Monroe County and KEYS Energy Services are not hostile to solar and have actively promoted distributed rooftop solar; the geographic and grid isolation constraints — not policy — make utility-scale solar development impossible; the Florida Keys face unique climate and resilience pressures that make solar a priority for distributed applications
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Commissioner Craig Cates, Commissioner David Rice (Mayor Pro Tem), Commissioner Michelle Lincoln (Mayor), Commissioner Jim Scholl, Commissioner Holly Merrill Raschein

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC / Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) | Keys Energy Services (KEYS) — isolated island grid, not interconnected with mainland FRCC
Utilities
Keys Energy Services (KEYS) — Monroe County municipal electric utility, Florida Power & Light (FPL — upper Keys / Card Sound Road area only; majority of county served by KEYS)
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 utility-scale solar projects; KEYS Energy Services has deployed rooftop solar on public buildings and offers net metering; Key West has a community solar program; [TBV KEYS Energy Services annual report for distributed solar capacity]
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