The FPL Solar Together program commercial option lets eligible Florida Power & Light business customers subscribe to output from utility-scale solar centers without installing panels. Businesses pay a fixed monthly charge per subscribed kilowatt and receive variable bill credits based on actual solar generation, with the credit rate increasing annually.
Key Facts at a Glance
- FPL SolarTogether subscriptions are sold in 1 kW increments at $6.76 per kW per month.
- The subscription charge remains fixed while the credit rate increases 1.5% annually.
- Credits depend on actual production from 44 participating solar energy centers, so monthly results vary.
- Eligible small and medium businesses may request up to 100% of prior annual usage, subject to capacity.
- Commercial and industrial demand-rate customers currently receive up to a 45% subscription and may waitlist for additional capacity.
- FPL retires associated Renewable Energy Certificates on the customer’s behalf and can provide documentation. (FPL)
What Is the FPL Solar Together Program Commercial Option?
FPL SolarTogether is a regulated community solar subscription offered to eligible FPL customers. A commercial participant buys a billing allocation measured in kilowatts, not physical panels, a rooftop system, or electricity delivered through a dedicated solar circuit.
Electricity from the program’s utility-scale solar centers enters FPL’s shared grid and mixes with electricity from other generating sources. FPL then attributes a portion of the solar centers’ monthly production to each participant through its billing system.
The distinction matters. A participating business supports and receives financial credit for an allocated share of solar generation, but it does not own the equipment or control where the generated electrons travel. FPL describes the program as a way to receive environmental and financial solar benefits with no panels and no upfront installation cost. (FPL)
The program is governed by FPL’s SolarTogether tariff and terms approved through the Florida Public Service Commission. It is therefore a utility rate option, not a private solar lease, power purchase agreement, or equipment-financing contract. (FPL)
How Does FPL SolarTogether Work for a Business?
FPL SolarTogether works through four linked calculations: the business selects a subscription in kW, pays a fixed monthly charge, receives an allocation of actual solar production in kWh, and earns a bill credit based on that production and the applicable credit rate.
| Program component | Measurement | Commercial effect |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription size | 1 kW increments | Determines monthly charge and production share |
| Subscription charge | $6.76 per kW monthly | Remains fixed while enrolled |
| Allocated generation | kWh per month | Changes with solar-center production |
| Credit rate | Dollars per kWh | Increases 1.5% each program year |
| Bill credit | Generation × credit rate | Fluctuates monthly |
| Net program impact | Credit minus charge | May be a cost early and a saving later |
FPL calculates credits from actual production across 44 solar energy centers located throughout its service territory. Cloud cover, temperature, rainfall, seasonal sun angle, equipment availability, and storm damage can therefore change a participant’s credited generation. (FPL)
What Appears on the Monthly Bill?
The commercial electric bill shows a subscription charge and subscription credit as separate line items. The ordinary energy, demand, fuel, time-of-use, tax, and other applicable rate components continue under the account’s existing tariff.
The subscription does not reduce the meter’s recorded consumption. It also does not change the company’s demand rate, time-of-use schedule, demand charges, or load-control credits. FPL expressly states that SolarTogether enrollment does not affect those existing billing structures. (FPL)
A finance team should therefore evaluate the program as an incremental utility charge and credit, not as a direct reduction in measured facility load.
Who Can Enroll in FPL SolarTogether?
An eligible business generally needs an active FPL account in a qualifying rate class, a current balance without delinquency, 12 months of usage data associated with the premises, and at least one month of billed usage. Enrollment remains subject to available program capacity. (FPL)
| Customer situation | Current subscription access | Important condition |
|---|---|---|
| Small or medium commercial account | Up to 100% of prior usage | Subject to subscription availability |
| Commercial and industrial demand account | Up to 45% initially | Additional capacity requires waitlist |
| Commercial tenant | Eligible | Must control the FPL account |
| Building owner | Eligible | Rooftop ownership is not required |
| New location without sufficient history | May be delayed or limited | FPL needs qualifying usage data |
| Delinquent account | Not eligible or may be terminated | Account must remain current |
Why Are Some Demand Customers Limited to 45%?
FPL currently limits commercial and industrial demand-rate customers to a subscription equal to 45% of the company’s prior 12-month energy usage. Those customers may join a waitlist to increase their allocation toward 100% when capacity becomes available.
The 45% rule is a capacity-allocation restriction, not a technical limit on the facility. Released subscriptions may become available when another participant reduces or ends enrollment, and FPL offers capacity based on waitlist order. (FPL)
Does the Business Need to Be Near a Solar Center?
No. An eligible business may participate from anywhere inside FPL’s service territory. The subscribed solar centers do not need to be in the same municipality, county, or utility circuit as the commercial premises.
This makes SolarTogether relevant to offices, leased retail locations, warehouses, medical practices, restaurants, schools, and other accounts that lack usable roof space.
How Much Does a Commercial Subscription Cost?
The fixed monthly subscription charge is $6.76 for each subscribed kW. A 10 kW allocation costs $67.60 per month, while a 100 kW allocation costs $676 per month before subtracting the production-based credit. (FPL)
| Subscription size | Monthly charge | Annual charge |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kW | $33.80 | $405.60 |
| 10 kW | $67.60 | $811.20 |
| 25 kW | $169.00 | $2,028.00 |
| 50 kW | $338.00 | $4,056.00 |
| 100 kW | $676.00 | $8,112.00 |
| 250 kW | $1,690.00 | $20,280.00 |
These figures show the gross subscription expense only. The net result equals the monthly credit minus the charge.
How Are Bill Credits Calculated?
FPL calculates the credit by multiplying the participant’s allocated monthly generation by the applicable subscription credit rate. The credit rate increases by 1.5% annually, but the allocated kWh changes with actual solar-center production.
Monthly program impact formula:
Allocated solar kWh × current credit rate − subscribed kW × $6.76
FPL converts a business’s prior usage into an allowable subscription during enrollment. A business should not assume that annual kWh divided by a generic solar yield will exactly reproduce FPL’s approved allocation because FPL controls the program conversion and confirms the resulting subscription level.
When Does the Program Begin Saving Money?
FPL currently states that bill credits are expected to exceed subscription charges by the fourth year. Earlier program materials referred to a simple payback within seven years, so businesses should use the current enrollment projection rather than a fixed universal break-even date. (FPL)
The exact crossing point is not guaranteed. Production varies, and a participant that leaves and later rejoins loses the accumulated credit-rate progression from its earlier enrollment.
Practitioner insight: Evaluate SolarTogether over at least two views. The CFO view tracks annual net cash impact, while the sustainability view tracks renewable generation and REC documentation. Combining both into one “solar ROI” figure can hide an early budget cost.
Does SolarTogether Include Renewable Energy Certificates?
Yes. FPL retires Renewable Energy Certificates associated with the program on the participant’s behalf and will provide documentation upon request. One REC represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt-hour of renewable generation. (FPL)
The participant does not take ownership of the certificates. FPL states that the RECs are uniquely numbered, tracked through a certified renewable energy registry, and retired rather than transferred to the customer.
This structure may support corporate renewable-energy or emissions reporting, but the precise claim language should follow the company’s reporting protocol. A business should avoid saying that its facility physically operates on solar electricity at every moment because electricity from the solar centers enters the shared grid.
FPL’s description is direct: “FPL will retire RECs on a customer’s behalf.” (FPL)
How Does a Business Enroll?
Commercial enrollment involves verifying the account, reviewing the proposed subscription, obtaining internal approval, submitting the request, and checking the first active bill.
- Confirm account eligibility. Verify the rate class, payment status, usage history, account ownership, and service-territory location.
- Review the maximum subscription. FPL converts historical consumption into an eligible kW allocation.
- Choose a subscription level. The business may select less than the maximum when budget stability matters more than maximum renewable coverage.
- Complete enrollment. Submit the request through FPL’s business enrollment process.
- Join the waitlist when necessary. Capacity is offered in waitlist order when subscriptions become available.
- Record the projected start date. FPL provides confirmation of the subscription amount, charge, and expected billing start.
- Audit the first two active bills. Confirm the kW charge, production credit, start date, and account assignment. (FPL)
A company with multiple sites should record each participating account separately. Subscription economics can differ because usage history, rate class, account ownership, and available capacity differ by meter.
Can the Subscription Be Changed, Moved, or Cancelled?
A business may reduce or cancel its subscription after completing the first billing cycle. Cancellation carries no termination fee, but FPL does not provide a refund and prevents re-enrollment for 12 months, subject to later availability. (FPL)
Re-enrollment restarts the participant’s program tenure. Previous annual credit-rate increases do not carry forward, which can materially delay the point at which credits exceed charges.
A subscription can transfer to another metered FPL account held in the same customer name. FPL may match the subscription to another account with similar usage or resize it to fit the receiving account. It cannot transfer to a different customer or outside FPL territory. (FPL)
Practitioner insight: Do not cancel merely because one cloudy month produces a weak credit. Cancellation sacrifices the accumulated credit-rate schedule and triggers the 12-month lockout.
SolarTogether vs SolarVantage vs Owned Solar
SolarTogether is usually the simplest option for tenants and businesses that cannot install equipment. Owned solar generally offers stronger long-term asset value and direct energy avoidance, while SolarVantage targets property-controlling organizations that want on-site solar without managing construction and maintenance themselves.
| Decision factor | SolarTogether | SolarVantage | Privately owned solar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment location | FPL solar centers | Customer site | Customer site |
| Upfront construction capital | $0 | $0 stated by FPL | Commonly substantial |
| Monthly structure | Charge plus variable credit | Fixed on-bill charge | Loan, cash purchase, or PPA |
| Roof or land control | Not required | Required | Required |
| Maintenance | FPL manages solar centers | FPL manages asset | Owner or contractor |
| Dedicated outage power | None | Not automatic | Only with compatible storage |
| REC treatment | FPL retires for participant | Site project generates RECs | Depends on ownership and contracts |
| Tax-credit position | Participant owns no facility | FPL states incentives may be available | Owner may qualify if requirements are met |
| Early cash savings | Not guaranteed | Project-specific | Project-specific |
| Portability | Same-name FPL account | Site-specific | Site-specific asset |
FPL’s current SolarVantage page says the program provides on-site solar, no upfront construction capital, FPL-managed design and maintenance, a fixed on-bill charge, and the potential to claim available upfront tax incentives. That current description contradicts blanket claims that SolarVantage customers can never receive tax benefits. (FPL)
For privately owned qualifying clean electricity projects, Internal Revenue Code Section 48E replaced the former business Energy Investment Tax Credit framework for qualifying property placed in service after 2024. Eligibility, credit percentage, labor requirements, domestic-content rules, prohibited-foreign-entity restrictions, depreciation, and ownership structure require project-specific tax review. (IRS)
What SolarTogether Does Not Provide
FPL SolarTogether does not create on-site electricity, lower measured demand, power the building during an outage, improve roof value, or give the subscriber ownership of solar equipment.
A grid outage can still interrupt the participant’s facility. The subscription is a billing and environmental-attribute arrangement, not a battery, generator, microgrid, or islandable solar system.
The program also does not eliminate the underlying FPL bill. Energy charges, demand charges, riders, taxes, and other tariff components continue to apply.
These limitations are significant for hospitals, refrigerated operations, data systems, hotels, assisted-living facilities, manufacturing lines, and businesses whose primary objective is resilience rather than renewable-energy participation.
Which Businesses Benefit Most?
SolarTogether fits commercial tenants, multi-location companies, businesses with unsuitable roofs, organizations avoiding capital expenditure, and companies that need documented renewable-energy participation without owning infrastructure.
| Business profile | Fit | Main reason |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant with 2-5 years left on lease | Strong | No roof control or installation required |
| Retail portfolio with FPL accounts | Strong | Account-based enrollment and portability |
| Business with shaded or aging roof | Strong | Solar production occurs off-site |
| Owner occupying property for 15 years | Compare first | Owned solar may offer higher lifecycle value |
| Facility needing hurricane backup | Weak alone | Subscription supplies no backup electricity |
| Demand-intensive manufacturer | Limited | Demand charges remain unchanged |
| Company needing immediate savings | Cautious | Early credits may remain below charges |
| Company pursuing REC-backed reporting | Strong | FPL retires and documents RECs |
A partial subscription can be rational. Subscribing below the maximum reduces early cash exposure while allowing the company to establish REC reporting procedures and observe actual bill performance.
Practitioner insight: Maximum eligibility is not automatically the optimal subscription. The better level is the amount that satisfies the organization’s renewable-energy target without breaching its accepted first-year utility budget variance.
What Are the Main Risks and Mistakes?
The most common mistake is treating SolarTogether as rooftop solar without panels. It is a separate utility subscription with different economics, ownership rights, resilience value, and tax consequences.
Other avoidable errors include:
- Assuming the credit is fixed rather than production-based.
- Assuming FPL guarantees a precise fourth-year break-even.
- Comparing gross credits with zero cost instead of subtracting the $6.76-per-kW charge.
- Expecting lower demand charges.
- Cancelling during a weak production period without considering the lockout.
- Claiming direct REC ownership when FPL retires the certificates.
- Describing the facility as physically powered entirely by solar.
- Ignoring account-name requirements before relocating.
- Using an old SolarVantage or federal tax-credit description.
- Enrolling at the maximum without finance approval.
Is FPL SolarTogether Worth It for a Commercial Customer?
FPL SolarTogether is worth considering when a business values easy renewable participation, has no practical site for panels, cannot use capital, or leases its premises. It is less compelling when the primary goal is immediate bill reduction, on-site resilience, demand-charge management, or long-term ownership economics.
A sound commercial decision should answer five questions:
- Does the business own or control the roof or land?
- Can it use tax benefits from an owned or structured on-site project?
- How much early net cost can the operating budget accept?
- Does the sustainability program require retired REC documentation?
- Does the facility need backup power or only renewable-energy participation?
Request FPL’s actual proposed subscription, charge, credit schedule, and projected start date before approval. Then compare at least ten years of subscription cash flow with SolarVantage and an owned-solar proposal using the same usage profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a commercial tenant join without installing panels?
Yes. A commercial tenant can participate when the business holds an eligible FPL account and satisfies the program requirements. SolarTogether does not require roof ownership, landlord construction approval, structural engineering, insurance modifications, or equipment installation because the subscribed generation comes from FPL solar centers.
Does SolarTogether lower commercial demand charges?
No. FPL states that SolarTogether does not alter the participant’s existing rate structure, time-of-use charges, demand charges, or load-control credits. A facility seeking demand-charge reduction should evaluate operational load management, efficiency, controls, batteries, or on-site generation designed around the demand interval.
Can a business claim the 48E tax credit for SolarTogether?
A SolarTogether subscriber generally does not own the generating facility, so the subscription itself is not equivalent to purchasing eligible clean electricity property. Businesses considering Section 48E should obtain tax advice and compare an owned project or a structured on-site offering where tax-benefit rights are explicitly documented.
What happens if SolarTogether is full?
FPL may offer a waitlist when subscription capacity is unavailable. Customers are notified according to their place in line as capacity opens through participant cancellations, reductions, or program expansion. Joining or leaving the waitlist does not carry a penalty. (FPL)
Will SolarTogether keep a business running during a hurricane?
No. SolarTogether does not supply dedicated electricity to the subscribed property during an outage. Storm damage at FPL solar centers may also reduce credited production until repairs are completed. Businesses requiring continuity need a properly designed battery, generator, microgrid, or other backup-power system.
How long are the program’s solar centers expected to operate?
FPL states that SolarTogether energy centers are designed for an operating life of approximately 35 years. A participant does not commit for that full period and may cancel after the first billing cycle, subject to the 12-month re-enrollment restriction and loss of previous credit-rate progression. (FPL)
Conclusion
The FPL solar together program commercial option gives eligible businesses a panel-free route to utility-scale solar participation through a fixed $6.76-per-kW monthly charge and escalating production-based credits. It works best for tenants, capital-constrained organizations, and businesses prioritizing documented renewable-energy participation, but it should not be mistaken for immediate savings, demand reduction, asset ownership, or backup power.
Before enrolling, compare the actual FPL proposal against SolarVantage and privately owned solar. Use the same account history, evaluation period, REC assumptions, tax treatment, and resilience requirements for every option.