SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / FL / Volusia

Volusia County, FL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

41
Risk Grade
Good
Mid-sized FL county with FPL territory; no solar moratorium or restrictions; stable trajectory; standard CUP process; western rural Volusia has agricultural land for development; primary constraint is limited confirmed pipeline; Daytona Beach metro limits eastern opportunities but western agricultural areas are viable
Assessment Snapshot
Population
553284
State Rank
#16
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; CUP conditions may include visual buffering near residential areas
Zoning Mechanism
CUP required in agricultural zones; county commission review; no formal solar pre-application process; standard review timeline
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
Volusia County commissioners have an economic development orientation and no solar opposition; rural western communities (Pierson fern capital, Barberville agriculture) have landowners open to solar lease arrangements; Daytona Beach/Ormond Beach urban communities would not host utility-scale solar; no organized solar opposition countywide
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Commissioner Jeff Brower (Chair), Commissioner Jake Johansson (At-Large), Commissioner Don Dempsey (D1), Commissioner Matt Reinhart (D2/VC), Commissioner Danny Robins (D3), Commissioner Troy Kent (D4), Commissioner David Santiago (D5)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC / Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) | FPL (NextEra Energy) transmission zone
Utilities
Florida Power & Light (FPL / NextEra Energy) — primary utility for most of Volusia County, Duke Energy Florida (western Volusia County portions near Alachua/Putnam County borders)
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
FPL has some procurement activity in Volusia County; limited confirmed utility-scale projects; western rural Volusia (Pierson, Barberville, DeLeon Springs areas) has solar development potential; [TBV FL DEP FPSA registry and FPL IRP for Volusia County]
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