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Union 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
One of FL's smallest counties; no solar ordinance or moratorium; stable trajectory; FPL territory; limited private agricultural land due to institutional uses (Florida State Prison); no active developer pipeline; USDA REAP rural eligible
Assessment Snapshot
Population
15477
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; institutional land (Florida State Prison) not available for solar development
Zoning Mechanism
CUP required in agricultural zones; county commission review; extremely limited county staff capacity given small population base
Acreage Caps
None established
Density Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
No county cap; FPSA applies for facilities >75 MW; institutional land constraints limit developable area

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Neutral
Basis for Assessment
Union County is among Florida's smallest counties by both population and land area; Florida State Prison occupies a significant land area; no organized solar opposition; commissioners would likely welcome economic development; limited private agricultural land is the primary constraint; FPL serves the county
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Commissioner Donna Jackson (D1), Commissioner Channing Dobbs (D2/Chair), Commissioner Melissa McNeal (D3), Commissioner Mac Johns (D4)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC / Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) | FPL (NextEra Energy) transmission zone
Utilities
Florida Power & Light (FPL / NextEra Energy), Clay Electric Cooperative (rural distribution portions of Union 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; very limited private agricultural land; no active developer pipeline; [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