Solar power is one of the most rapidly growing renewable sources of energy. As a property owner in Florida, you can take advantage of our year-round sunshine to reduce your electric bill while improving the environment by going solar. In the past five years, prices for solar photovoltaic panels have reduced significantly. 

Lantana is currently designated as “SolSmart Gold.” SolSmart is a new national technical assistance and designation program, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative through the Solar Foundation, designed to recognize communities that have taken key steps to address local barriers to solar energy and foster the growth of mature local solar markets. The SolSmart program seeks to address “solar soft costs,” or business process or administrative costs that can increase the time and money it takes to install a solar energy photovoltaic (PV) system. For more information about SolSmart, please visit their website at https://www.gosparc.org/. 

If you are considering a solar energy project, please read more about the resources and services available below.  

Permitting for Solar Projects in Lantana

Most solar energy projects will require a building permit from the Town of Lantana Building Division. The Town of Lantana has permitted 41.5 kW in solar energy systems in recent years! For questions about the solar permitting process, please contact us at buildingpermit@lantana.org or 561-540-5780.

Neighborhood Solar Co-Op Program

In October 2017, FL SUN and the League of Women Voters of Florida launched solar co-op in Palm Beach County. A solar co-op is a group of homeowners that bundle their buying power to secure a volume discount on rooftop solar PV systems. They use free-market principles to solicit competitive bids from area solar installers in order to secure the best price, and ensure a quality product. These discounts are usually 10% to 20% below local market prices on solar PV installations. Co-op members select one installer.  Co-op members are not obligated to sign a contract submitted by the co-op’s chosen installer. Town of Lantana homeowners are eligible to participate in this program.   

 Florida Solar Laws

Florida Statute 163.04 forbids any entity, including homeowner’s associations, from prohibiting the installation of solar or other renewable energy devices on Florida buildings. An association may require approval of a system installation, and may establish restrictions for installations. However, any such restrictions must be reasonable, not arbitrary, and applied in a uniform manner for all association members. Also, any restrictions must not have the effect of impairing the performance or increasing the cost of a solar system.   

In particular, a homeowner association may not prevent the installation of solar collectors on the roof of a home. The association may determine where on the roof the collectors may be installed, so long as the collectors face within 45 degrees of due south. Finally, any requirement(s) that a system be screened from view by trees, fences, ground mounting racks, or a remote roof location that is hidden from the street, may violate Florida statutes.

 What is Net Metering?

Net Metering is a process that may assist Lantana residents in implementing solar projects at their home In Florida, net metering rules were adopted in 2008. Net metering allows utility customers who connect approved, renewable generation systems, such as a solar photovoltaic system, to the electric grid to sell electricity back to the utility company up to 2MW.   

When customers generate electricity from their solar array for their home or business, it may reduce the amount of energy they need to purchase from the utility and may lower their monthly electricity bills. If their system produces more energy than they need, the excess power is sold back to the grid for up to 2MW. That amount of energy is deducted from their monthly bill or credited toward a future bill in the same calendar year.  

To be eligible, a home or business owner needs to apply with the utility company and have their electric meter replaced with one that measures excess power supplied to the grid. Lantana residents may reach out to Florida Power and Light or visit their website for more information. 

Consumer Protections and Solar Energy

Solar PV may be new to many of our Town’s residents. The Town has provided some additional links below, which may provide additional information to aid in an informed solar purchasing decision. 

IREC Clean Energy Bill of Rights

Residential Consumer Guide to Solar Power. 

Incentives for Solar

The Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is a federal incentive to promote the use of solar energy. Section 25F residential of the ITC allows the homeowner to apply the credit to their personal income tax.  

Click here to view a list of Federal Tax Incentives for Solar. 

Solar Financing Options

One example of a financing option related to solar energy is the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. PACE is a financing mechanism that operates through local providers in order to enable low-cost, long-term funding for energy efficiency, renewable energy, wind hardening projects, and/or water conservation projects.  PACE financing is repaid as an assessment on the property’s regular tax bill, and is processed the same way as other local public benefit assessments (sidewalks, sewers) have been for decades. PACE can be used for commercial and residential properties.  PACE is available to Lantana residents and you may contact one of the following PACE Providers for more details on their program.  Click on the icons of the providers below to access their website.