SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / FL / Nassau

Nassau County, FL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

32
Risk Grade
Excellent
Fast-growing Jacksonville suburb with large rural western land base; FPL and JEA territory; no moratorium; improving trajectory; no solar restrictions; standard CUP process; primary constraint is limited confirmed large-scale pipeline relative to growth; USDA REAP eligible for rural areas
Assessment Snapshot
Population
88625
State Rank
#5
Compliance
35%
Trajectory
20

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
No solar-specific setbacks; agricultural zone setbacks apply; rural western Nassau has large parcels suitable for utility-scale development
Zoning Mechanism
CUP required in agricultural and rural zones; county commission review; standard review process; no formal solar pre-application requirement
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–Supportive
Basis for Assessment
Nassau County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida, adjacent to Jacksonville; rural western Nassau has large agricultural parcels; no organized solar opposition; county commissioners have an economic development orientation; JEA and FPL both serve portions of the county, with active IRP procurement
Political Risk Factors
Improving
Board Members
Commissioner John F. Martin (D1), Commissioner A.M. 'Hupp' Huppmann (D2), Commissioner Jeff Gray (D3/VC), Commissioner Alyson R. McCullough (D4/Chair), Commissioner Klynt A. Farmer (D5)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC / Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) | FPL (NextEra Energy) / JEA (municipal utility) mixed transmission zone
Utilities
Florida Power & Light (FPL / NextEra Energy) — southern and rural Nassau County, JEA (Jacksonville Electric Authority — northern Nassau County portions near Duval border)
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
Limited confirmed utility-scale projects; FPL has evaluated Nassau County rural areas; JEA IRP may include Nassau procurement; [TBV FL DEP FPSA registry and JEA IRP for Nassau County projects]
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