Sunprint
The short answer
The co-op buys the solar power your system sends to the grid at wholesale rates, not at the retail rate you pay. It does this instantly, in the same billing cycle, so there is no banking of credits for later. That makes it one of the utilities where using your own solar power matters most.
At about 14 cents per kWh, a $300 monthly bill needs roughly 13 to 16 kW of solar to cover most of your use, and a $400 bill needs roughly 17 to 22 kW. Clay is a member-owned cooperative with district offices in Keystone Heights, Gainesville, Lake City, Orange Park, Palatka and Salt Springs.
How Clay's solar billing works
- When you sign the Interconnection Agreement, your account is enrolled in Clay's Avoided Cost net billing program.
- Power your panels make is used by your home first. Only the excess that flows out to the grid is bought back, at current wholesale base rates, and it appears as a credit on your next bill.
- Clay's meter records the kWh it delivered to you and the kWh it received from your system. Your bill shows only the net excess, so it will not show everything your panels made.
- You still pay the monthly access charge and any other Clay services you chose, even if you use no grid power.
- Systems interconnected before May 1, 2022 are grandfathered in Clay's older banked net meter program until 2037.
The buyback is wholesale, so the more of your own solar power you use at home, the more you keep.
Two Clay programs, two lanes
What Clay charges
Clay's residential rate has three parts: a fixed monthly access charge, an energy charge that is lower for the first 1,000 kWh than above it, and a Power Cost Adjustment that follows wholesale power costs. Clay buys its wholesale power from Seminole Electric Cooperative.
These amounts change, so check Clay's rates page for the current numbers. Clay's access charge rose to $32 in July 2023, changed again in November 2024, and has been $37 a month since June 1, 2025. Our calculator uses Clay's average residential rate of 14.0 cents per kWh from federal EIA data. Rates beyond today's are not set, so any long-range projection, ours included, is an estimate.
What a monthly Clay bill needs
These sizes use 14.0 cents per kWh and a system that covers 75 to 95 percent of yearly use. The last two columns come from the PSC's December 2025 figures for Clay, which include the $37 monthly access charge Clay has charged since June 1, 2025.
| Monthly bill | System size | Savings a year if you use it all at home | Bill left each month |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200 a month | 8.4 to 10.6 kW | $1,480 to $1,860 | $45 to $77 |
| $300 a month | 12.8 to 16.2 kW | $2,410 to $3,010 | $49 to $99 |
| $400 a month | 17.2 to 21.8 kW | $3,340 to $4,150 | $54 to $122 |
| $500 a month | 21.6 to 27.4 kW | $4,260 to $5,300 | $59 to $145 |
Planning figures, not a quote, before taxes and local fees. Clay buys back power you send to the grid at its wholesale rate, so this is the top end: every kWh you export instead of using at home is worth less than the table assumes.
How to connect solar to Clay Electric
- Talk to Clay's Energy Services team before you invest. Clay asks members to do this, and the address is solar@clayelectric.com.
- Have your system installed with a manual, lockable disconnect between the inverter and your home's electrical service, outside and accessible to Clay.
- Submit Clay's net meter application. Clay installs the net meter, photographs the installation and charges a $60 trip fee.
- Clay sends you and your contractor a letter and the signed Interconnection Agreement, and your account is set up on the current net meter program.
Clay allows systems up to 90 percent of your service entrance rating or its transformer rating, whichever is less. Its current page says systems of 20 kW and larger need pre-approval of the proposed drawings, and it will not upgrade the grid to fit an oversized system. An older Clay application form gives 50 kW for pre-approval, so confirm the number with Clay.
What the co-op says solar costs
Clay's own rule of thumb is about $4 per installed watt, so a 5 kW system costs roughly $20,000 up front. Your quotes will vary. Clay also says federal tax incentives for residential solar ended on January 1, 2026 and that Florida offers no direct incentives, so read our incentives guide for what remains.
Which utility do I have?
Your bill names your utility. Clay serves parts of the region around Gainesville and Jacksonville, so nearby homes may be on Gainesville Regional Utilities, JEA or Duke Energy Florida instead. Compare every utility we cover at solar by utility, or read our JEA guide, another utility that pays less for exports.
Your estimate in three steps
- Enter your billYour ZIP, utility and last month's bill.
- See your estimateA yearly savings range for your home.
- Choose what's nextAsk for a quote call, or just keep the number.
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Common questions
How much solar do I need with Clay Electric?
At about 14 cents per kWh, a $300 monthly bill needs roughly 13 to 16 kW of solar to cover most of your use and a $400 bill needs roughly 17 to 22 kW. Because Clay pays less for power you send to the grid, what that system saves depends on how much you use at home.
Is solar worth it with Clay Electric?
It depends on how much of your solar power you use at home. Clay Electric buys the excess at wholesale rates, not retail, and you still pay the access charge. Systems connected before May 1, 2022 keep an older banked program until 2037. Compare our estimate, which is a top end at Clay, with each quote.
What does Clay Electric pay for solar power sent to the grid?
Wholesale rates, not retail. When your system generates more than you use, Clay classifies the extra as excess generation and buys it back instantly at current wholesale base rates. The amount shows up as a credit on your next electric bill.
Are older Clay Electric solar systems grandfathered?
Yes. Clay says systems interconnected before May 1, 2022 were grandfathered into its older banked net meter program until 2037, and those accounts also show a net balance reading.
Will I still pay Clay Electric an access charge with solar?
Yes. Clay says that even if you use no power from the grid in a billing cycle, you still pay the access charge and any other Clay services you chose. The access charge covers fixed costs of serving your address, such as the meter and the wires.
How do I connect solar to Clay Electric?
Contact Clay's Energy Services team before you invest, at solar@clayelectric.com. After installation, Clay installs a net meter and photographs it, charges a $60 trip fee, and sends you and your contractor a letter with the signed Interconnection Agreement.
How big a system does Clay Electric allow?
Clay allows systems up to 90 percent of your service entrance rating or the co-op's transformer kVA rating at your location, whichever is less. Clay's current web page says systems of 20 kW and larger need pre-approval, while an older application form says 50 kW, so confirm with Clay before you buy.
What equipment does Clay Electric require?
Clay requires a manual, lockable disconnect between the inverter and your home's electrical service. It has to be outside and accessible to Clay, preferably next to the utility meter.
Is it safe to run my solar system during a power outage?
Clay says not to run your solar system during an outage. It also says to disconnect the system before using a generator, because the generator could damage the inverter.
Are there rebates or tax credits for solar in Clay Electric territory?
Clay says federal tax incentives for residential solar ended on January 1, 2026 and that the State of Florida does not offer direct incentives for buying a system. Our Florida incentives guide covers anything else.
Related guides
- How much solar do I need for a $300 to $700 electric bill?
- How much electricity does a 10, 15 or 20 kW solar system produce?
- Florida solar incentives: what is still available
- Solar in North Florida
- Florida net metering explained: why credits vary so much
- How to check a solar company in Florida
Sources: Clay: solar questions · Clay: getting started · Clay: is solar right for me · Clay: rates · Clay: July 2023 rate news · Clay: November 2024 rate news · Florida PSC comparative rate statistics, December 31, 2025 (PDF) · Clay's summary of rate schedules, effective June 1, 2025 (PDF) · U.S. EIA Form 861 utility data, 2024 and 2025 early release
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