35.8

Risk Grade

Good

Orlando metro county with high urban density limiting utility-scale land; Duke Energy FL and OUC territory; active clean energy goals and Climate Action Plan; CUP process workable in rural fringe; improving trajectory; no moratorium; primary constraint is land availability not policy; outer rural areas in southwest Orange County have solar potential

Assessment Snapshot

Population

1429908

State Rank

#10

Compliance

45%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

Moderate setback requirements in urbanizing areas; standard agricultural zone setbacks for rural fringe parcels; CUP conditions include visual buffering near residential developments

Zoning Mechanism

CUP required in agricultural and rural zones; county commission review; Climate Action Plan has created internal preference for streamlining clean energy applications; urban development pressures limit large solar parcels

Acreage Caps

None established; development density effectively limits parcel size

Density Caps

None established

Spacing Rules

None established

Size Restrictions

No county cap; FPSA applies for facilities >75 MW; urban density is the practical constraint on facility size

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Supportive

Basis for Assessment

Orange County and the City of Orlando have adopted clean energy and climate goals; county and city governments are among the most solar-supportive in Florida; Duke Energy FL and OUC both have renewable procurement programs; no organized utility-scale opposition; primary constraint is land availability in the densely developed metro area

Political Risk Factors

Improving

Board Members

Commissioner Jerry L. Demings (Mayor/Chair), Commissioner Nicole H. Wilson (D1), Commissioner Christine Moore (D2), Commissioner Mayra Uribe (D3), Commissioner Maribel Gomez Cordero (D4), Commissioner Kelly Martinez Semrad (D5), Commissioner Michael Scott (D6)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

SERC / Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) | Duke Energy Florida transmission zone

Utilities

Duke Energy Florida (unincorporated Orange County), OUC — Orlando Utilities Commission (City of Orlando and adjacent service territory)

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

Duke Energy FL has procured solar in Orange County via IRP agreements; OUC has community solar programs; some utility-scale approvals in rural southwest Orange County; [TBV specific project records from FL DEP FPSA registry and Duke Energy FL IRP]

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None on record

Explore the Full Tracker

View risk assessments for all 3,100+ US counties, compare states, and download detailed ordinance data for your solar development pipeline.

Launch SolarRisk Tracker

Orange County, FL — Solar Development Risk Assessment