SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / FL / Taylor

Taylor 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
Rural declining-population north FL county; no solar ordinance or moratorium; stable trajectory; FPL territory; large land base with timber and agricultural parcels; no active developer pipeline; USDA REAP rural energy eligible; county would likely welcome solar development as economic stimulus
Assessment Snapshot
Population
21569
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; timber management requirements may apply to forested parcels
Zoning Mechanism
CUP required in agricultural zones; county commission review; very limited county staff capacity for complex solar applications
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
Taylor County is a declining-population rural north FL county with a timber economy; no organized solar opposition; county commissioners are focused on economic development and would likely welcome utility-scale solar as job/revenue generator; FPL serves the county; large land area with potentially available parcels near US 19 and US 27 corridors
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Commissioner Jamie English (D1/Chair), Commissioner Jim Moody (D2), Commissioner Michael Newman (D3)

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 of Taylor 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; no active developer pipeline; large timberland parcels could support solar but no confirmed activity; [TBV FL DEP FPSA registry]
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

Last verified: April 2026 (web research) | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes