Installed solar panels on my home in The Villages in 2005. Florida had a program at that time giving me $4/watt. Received $12,000 for a system that cost me $15,000. The system generated about 4 megawatts/year, giving me a savings of about $600/year. By the sixth year the system had paid for itself and the $600 was true savings. Needed to replace the roof in 2020, so I scrapped the system at that time. Total savings over the life of the system was about $6,000. I did all the work to install and remove to avoid labor costs. These types of systems will never be cost effective unless the state or federal government subsidize them as they did mine.

Last home?
 

I would echo another post in that you may be making a huge investment with questionable payback on a home that may not be your last - we just purchased our 2nd home and we had thought we would never move from our first one. I thing I've always wondered is how to solar panels (and solar water heating) affect roof replacement which is a real problem in FL. What has to be done when the roof needs to be replaced? Also - how do solar panels affect the resale value of your home - I would not look at a house with them. I'm not sure of the "saving the environment" aspect either with the mining and manufacture necessary and then the disposal.

To replace a roof, the solar company needs to remove all solar panels, store them, and then re-install them after the new roof is completed. You can expect to pay about $4,000 to $5,000 for the solar panel work. One problem you may have is that the original company who installed the solar system may be the only company who will do the work.

Almost all solar companies will tell you that the solar system will increase the value of your house, but I don't believe it. They will also provide a 25-year warranty for parts and labor. I don't believe that any small company can service a warranty for 25 years.

Relative to other states, electricity is cheap in Florida. Plus, the electric companies don't want you to make electricity and compete with them. They are in the business of selling electricity. I would not do panels in Florida.

Now there is an informative opinion. SMH

Also ask about follow up repair service over the years. Also warrantee and does it cover labor.

Helpful to work with an organization like Solar United Neighbors who represent a consortium of the interested parties to negotiate better deals with solar businesses

Church in Eustis used them and was very happy with the service and price

You are spot on. Take a look at YouTube videos for “solar panels roof leaks” It’s stunning. One repairman shows that every hole a Utah roof leaked. He says it is very common. Each panel needs multiple holes.Roofers do not want to work on nor warranty roofing with those solar paneled roofs.it’s a boondoggle. There are many articles about solar companies that have quickly gone out of business leaving warranty holders out-of-luck. I’d never buy a house with solar panels. I would not buy a house where I have to look at them either since they are not only ugly, they are a ticking time bomb of expensive maintenance issues. Who wants to have THAT next door?

I don't live in TV, I have condo in Rossmoor CA and have 12 solar panels
 

I don't live in TV. I have condo in Rossmoor CA and I have 12 solar panels, I will pay $10 TOTAL for our PGE bill this year. The cost of panels after tax credit was approximate $12K, so probably 5 years to recoup our $ outlay, perhaps less as our cost of energy goes up. I think of it similar to buying an annuity, put money in, get your money back, if I live long enough PGE pays me for my expenditure. I'm not sure how solar panels hold up in your hurricanes, that would be a concern for me. We have written into our contract that the solar panels would be removed for a new roof installation BUT our roof is only 12 years old so probably not an issue. This is similar to my purchase of my 2011 Prius, I'm happy every time I fill it up with gas at $5.50 per gallon, same way with seeing my PGE bills at negative numbers. One of the oddities of our bills is that it costs us more in the winter for heating than it does in the summer with the air conditioner blasting but that could perhaps be explained with the intensity of the sun in our summers. We are all electric in our condo but many newer condos have gas heating and stoves and in that situation many owners do not buy solar panels. Also we are supposedly grandfathered in to rate increases such that our solar exchange will increase as the rates go up. It is my understanding with the new PGE policies that the rates will not be as favorable in the future installations.