Founder | BPI® Energy Auditor Certified Professional
Is anything better than getting a rebate? Yes! Earning your rebate by being better to the planet.
In Florida, there are many incentive programs in areas such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation where you can earn back cash and more. And we’ve put together a list of these programs to help you out.
Here are some energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation rebate programs in Florida:
- Florida Power & Light Air Conditioning Rebate Program
- Florida Public Utilities Residential Electric Rebates
- OUC Residential Energy Rebates
- Miami-Dade County Residential Appliance Rebate Program
- Florida Public Service Commission Net Metering
- OUC Solar Thermal Rebate Program
- Florida Solar Tax Credit
- Tampa Bay Water Wise Rebate Program
- Miami-Dade County Water Conservation Rebates
- Longwood Water Conservation Rebate Program
- Ocoee Water Conservation Incentive & Rebate Program
- OUC Residential Water Rebates
Are you eager to learn how you can save money both in the short-term and long-term by making eco-smart choices for your home? You’ve come to the right place.
In this extensive guide, we’ll go through each of the above incentives and rebate programs so you can see where you qualify and how much money you could save or earn back!
Florida Energy Efficiency Rebates and Incentives
Florida Power & Light Air Conditioning Rebate Program
Do you need a rebate now? Like right away? Then try FPL’s Air Conditioning Rebate Program.
You can get an instant rebate of up to $150 by upgrading your air conditioner. Just buy yours through a participating independent contractor and ensure your new AC has a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (or SEER) between 16 and 17.
Outdoor and indoor air conditioning units both count for the rebate, whether yours is an air-cooled AC or a straight-cooled unit.
The air conditioner must go in a single-family detached home. When your participating independent contractor sends you an invoice, the $150 will appear as a credit.
Florida Public Utilities Residential Electric Rebates
As an FPU user, you should know about their Residential Electric Rebates.
The Residential Heating & Cooling Efficiency Upgrade Program gives you money to put towards a new air conditioner or heat pump.
If yours is a new HVAC unit of the two mentioned, then the dealer incentive is $25 and the customer rebate is $100.
That’s also the case if you get an air conditioner replacement or a heat pump replacement.
When you stop using resistance heating and upgrade to a heat pump instead, now your dealer incentive is $75 (the rebate amount is still $100).
OUC Residential Energy Rebates
For Orlando Utilities Commission or OUC customers, their Residential Energy Rebates give you lots of great opportunities to save money.
Here are your options:
- Heat pump or air conditioner upgrades can earn you $90 to $1,630 depending on the SEER of your HVAC unit.
- Energy Star windows that are certified through the National Fenestration Rating Council or NFRC can earn you $1.25 per square foot.
- Energy Star heat pump water heaters could earn you back 100 percent of your costs as a rebate (with a limit of $500).
- Duct replacement or repairs with Underwriter Laboratory or UL-sanctioned duct tape and mastic can be eligible for a rebate of 100 percent of your costs (with a limit of $100).
- Ceiling insulation upgrades with an R-value of 30 or higher are worth $0.10 per square foot.
- Attic insulation with an R-value up to 30 or higher are worth $90 if processed with another qualified rebate.
Miami-Dade County Residential Appliance Rebate Program
The Miami-Dade County Residential Appliance Rebate Program is for residents who are willing to upgrade their appliances, such as refrigerators or washers, to an Energy Star-qualified appliance. Per household, you could earn $350.
Florida Renewable Energy Rebates and Incentives
Florida Public Service Commission Net Metering
The Florida Public Service Commission or PSC’s net metering program is for renewable energy sources of all kinds, including hydroelectric, waste heat, hydrogen, oceanic, biomass, wind, geothermal, and/or solar energy.
You need to send a report to the Florida PSC every year indicating what your renewable energy systems are, their type, location, and size to be eligible for a rebate.
OUC Solar Thermal Rebate Program
If the OUC is your electricity provider, then look into their Thermal Rebate Program.
You can get a rebate of $900 if you hire a solar contractor on the OUC’s list of recommended contractors.
Your rebate would be point-of-sale and only occur if you send the OUC a reimbursement application.
Adding solar screen or window installation for southerly, westerly, or easterly-facing windows with a shading coefficient of 0.5 or under can save you $0.55 per square foot.
Getting a solar thermal water heater can put $900 worth of rebates towards installation.
OUC also has a solar PV system battery incentive. Your battery must have an 8-kilowatt-hour capacity and a 10-year warranty against defects to qualify. Then you can earn back $2,000 by showing proof of purchase, proof of warranty, and manufacturer’s specifications.
Florida Solar Tax Credit
For Floridians statewide, you might be eligible for the Florida Solar Tax Credit.
According to Sunpro Solar in Tallahassee, this credit only kicks in if you buy a new solar energy system for your home.
While this will cost $15,000, you can save 26 percent off your overall costs through the Florida Solar Tax Credit. That would be $3,900 in savings overall.
Should you not use your credits during the year for any reason, the money doesn’t disappear.
Instead, your rebates continue into the next year and the year after that until the money is depleted.
Florida Water Conservation Rebates and Incentives
Manatee County Water Conservation Rebate Programs
In Manatee County, you’ll certainly want to get on board their Water Conservation Rebate Programs.
The first of the two programs is their Outdoor Water Conservation Rebate Program.
Your home must have a backflow assembly that’s certified and approved. You also need a rain sensor that passes approval. No cross-connections are allowed.
You must have used 8,500 gallons of water a month for six months before March 2003.
You can be a business or homeowner to apply, but you need an in-ground irrigation system with water from the Manatee County Utilities Department.
If you’re eligible for the Outdoor Water Conservation Rebate Program, then here are the benefits you can enjoy:
- For landscape retrofitting, you can get a 50-percent rebate at a limit of $1,000, but the costs must be documented.
- For landscape irrigation system replacement, the same rebate applies.
- For landscape irrigation system retrofitting or repairing, you can get a 50-percent rebate at a limit of $500.
- For an evapotranspiration irrigation control or soil moisture sensor, you can get a 100-percent rebate (with documentation) at a limit of $250.
- For a rain sensor irrigation shut-off device, you can get a 100-percent rebate at a limit of $125.
- For a community well, you can get a 50-percent rebate for $10,000 per well or $1,000 per person.
- For an irrigation well, you can get a 50-percent rebate (with documentation) at a limit of $1,000.
- For an alternate water source, you can get a 50-percent rebate at a limit of $500.
- For a cistern, you can get a 50-percent rebate (with documentation) at a limit of $500 if your cistern flows at 2,500 gallons minimum.
Manatee County also has an Indoor Toilet Conservation Rebate Program where you can get a rebate valued at $100 each for two toilets, which is a $200 value overall.
Your toilet must have been installed before 1995 with water flowing to it from Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria, or Manatee County.
Tampa Bay Water Wise Rebate Program
For those in Tampa Bay, their Water Wise Rebate Program includes a variety of residential rebates.
Their Multi-Family High Efficiency Toilet Retrofit rebate lets you earn back $75 per toilet if you upgrade yours to more high-efficiency fixtures.
A shallow well installation will earn you $1,000 in rebates. You must have an invoice or receipt for what you spent on the well. You also need a copy of your utility bills and a well completion report to be eligible.
By adding a soil moisture sensor or smart irrigation controller to your property, you can get $250 through Tampa Bay. (Do make sure you take a picture of the soil moisture sensor before burying it so there’s proof that it’s on your property!)
Miami-Dade County Water Conservation Rebates
Here’s another rebate opportunity for residents of Miami-Dade County: Water Conservation Rebates.
In a single-family home, if you upgrade your faucet, showerhead, and/or toilet, you get $25 for each faucet, $25 for each showerhead, and $50 for each toilet.
Your house must have been built before 1996. Your new fixtures have to be certified through EPA WaterSense or the faucets or showers need a flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute or under.
Even older Floridians can get in on the rebates with a Senior High-Efficiency Toilet Rebate through Miami-Dade County.
You’re only eligible for two rebates per home, and your home must have a senior tax exemption. It also must have been built before 1996.
If a Florida contractor (with a license) installs the new toilet and it’s certified through EPA WaterSense, then you can get $200 for a single toilet and $300 for two through the Senior High-Efficiency Toilet Rebate.
Longwood Water Conservation Rebate Program
In Longwood, their Water Conservation Rebate Program can earn you back between $50 and $150 if you get irrigation controls and water-saving plumbing installed in your home. This rebate doesn’t only apply to homeowners, but businesses in Longwood as well.
To be eligible for the rebate program, your new irrigation controllers must have a moisture-sensing device.
If you already have an irrigation system installed, then you’d need to add rain sensors. Eligible toilets use 1.28 gallons of water (or under) for each flush and meet EPA WaterSense approval.
Ocoee Water Conservation Incentive & Rebate Program
Ocoee residents, be sure to check out the Water Conservation Incentive & Rebate Program.
First, you should have registered on Ocoee’s Sensus Customer Portal. Then you can take advantage of these rebates:
- Irrigation system evaluations done through the city
- City irrigation controller and rain sensor installation
- 50 percent off an irrigation system upgrade with eco-friendly spray heads at a limit of $100
- 50 percent off a WaterSense-approved shower or tub faucet that flows at 2 gallons per minute (at a limit of $50)
- 50 percent off a WaterSense-approved sink faucet that flows at 1.5 gallons per minute at a limit of $50
- 50 percent off a WaterSense-approved toilet that flows at 1.28 gallons a flush with a limit of $100
OUC Residential Water Rebates
We’ve talked about the OUC’s other rebates, but we have to point out their Residential Water Rebates as well.
Here are the available rebates for Floridians:
- Water cistern rebates for in-ground cisterns or rain barrels, with $0.02 per gallon of savings available up to $200
- Ultra-low-flow toilet rebates for 100 percent of the cost at a limit of $100 for toilets meeting WaterSense certifications that use 1.28 gallons of water for each flush
- Florida Water Star Certification, which is worth $100 per person in a multi-family home and $300 for a single-family home
Conclusion
Throughout Florida, cash-saving rebates and incentives abound, if you know where to look for them.
If you’re an energy-efficient, water-conserving home or you’re willing to make your property (commercial or residential) that way, then there could be big bucks in it for you.
Whether you join one rebate program or several, we hope this article has inspired you to get back what you give to our planet!