Participating residential, small- and medium-sized commercial electric utility customers with the City of Tallahassee have subscribed for all or a portion of their monthly electric bill to be powered by solar energy. These customers opted for one of three participation levels: 25, 50 or 100 percent.

The City’s largest electric customers were also eligible to subscribe. In lieu of percentage options, these commercial customers specified a fixed number of monthly kilowatt hours that are designated as solar energy.

Customers who participate pay 5 cents per kWh for their solar energy in lieu of the normal Fuel Charge portion of their bill. This rate will remain fixed until September 30, 2037.

Yes, all City residential and commercial electric utility customers are eligible to participate in the program. This group includes Solar Net-Metering and Nights & Weekends Pricing customers. The program is fully subscribed and enrollment has closed.

Yes, initially participants will pay more. However, by participating in Tallahassee Solar, customers will likely see a lower energy bill over the long term. Tallahassee Solar is unique in that it provides customers with the option of using solar energy without the up-front cost of installing solar panels on their home or business, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

The rate for Tallahassee Solar is 5 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), which is charged in lieu of the normal Fuel Charge. This rate is fixed until September 30, 2037. Customers who do not participate in Tallahassee Solar pay the normal Fuel Charge, which currently hovers around 3.5 cents per kWh. The Fuel Charge is a rate paid by all electric customers to recover the costs of the natural gas used to generate electricity in the City’s power plants.

Since it is expected that in the future the Fuel Charge will rise from its current historically low level, the difference between the two rates will likely narrow. It is expected that the fuel charge will rise above 5 cents per kWh before September 30, 2037. When this occurs, Tallahassee Solar customers will pay less than non-participants.

Yes. Since moving is a part of life, the City has made solar energy portable. As long as customers using solar energy remain a City electric utility customer, their subscription moves with them from residence to residence. Talk with a Customer Service Representative at 850-891-4968 if you’re a current participant and would like to transfer the Tallahassee Solar service to another location.

There will be no change to the way energy is delivered to customers. The solar energy produced will be fed directly into the City’s electric grid and will replace energy that would have otherwise been generated by the City’s fossil fuel power plants.

The average Tallahassee household that participates in Tallahassee Solar at the 100 percent level will save 5.9 tons of carbon dioxide from entering our atmosphere annually. That’s the equivalent of planting 2.4 acres of new forest each year.

The program is fully subscribed and enrollment has closed. The City is not planning to create a waiting list for future projects.

Yes, customers can discontinue service at any time without penalty; however, once they leave, they are no longer eligible to re-enroll in the program.

There are many reasons to participate. Solar power has many environmental benefits. By powering your life with solar energy, you can reduce your carbon footprint, reduce air and water emissions and reduce your family’s use of fossil fuels. Solar power is clean and renewable.

Additionally, Tallahassee Solar allows customers to take advantage of solar energy without installing solar panels on their home or business. It also allows for the use of clean energy without the risk of direct ownership.

Given the volatility of natural gas fuel markets, Tallahassee Solar customers will likely see their energy bill decrease over time as compared with non-participants since their fuel rate is fixed at 5 cents per kilowatt-hour until September 30, 2037.