Sunprint
The short answer
Gainesville Regional Utilities used to credit solar exports at the full retail price. Since April 2024, GRU credits the excess energy from new systems at its current fuel adjustment rate, which is only a few cents per kWh. So what a system saves depends on how much of its output you use at home.
At about 14.7 cents per kWh, a $300 monthly bill needs roughly 12 to 15 kW of solar to cover most of your use, and a $400 bill needs roughly 16 to 21 kW. GRU also requires a capacity check before you build, which most utilities do not.
What a kWh is worth here, in cents
The export figure is GRU's rate at the time of its April 2024 vote. It moves with fuel costs, so check GRU's current rate.
How GRU credits solar
- GRU's net energy metering page says excess energy exported to its system is credited at GRU's current fuel adjustment rate.
- Whether or not you export anything, you pay the applicable customer charge and any demand charge for the maximum measured demand in each billing period.
- On April 17, 2024, the GRU Authority voted 3 to 0 to lower the rate for excess energy from new installations. Before that, GRU bought excess energy at full retail price.
- GRU staff said at the meeting that existing solar customers' billing would not change, because their interconnection agreements do not allow it.
- Local news put the fuel adjustment rate at about 3.5 cents per kWh at the time of the vote. It moves with fuel costs.
GRU wants a Letter of Intent before you build, so the capacity check comes first.
What that means in numbers
Picture a month when the panels produce 1,000 kWh. If 600 kWh is consumed in the house and 400 kWh flows to the grid, the 600 you consume avoid purchases worth about 14.7 cents apiece, near $88. The 400 exported are paid at the fuel adjustment rate. Using 3.5 cents as a stand-in, that is $14. All in, about $102, versus roughly $147 had every kWh earned the retail price. This is an illustration, not a quote.
Rates
The calculator's 14.7 cents per kWh for GRU comes from federal EIA averages. GRU's own rates page lists the current charges, and any forecast of future rates, including ours, is only an estimate. Our guide to why GRU bills run high breaks down its two tiers, the monthly fuel adjustment and its rate history.
What a monthly GRU bill needs
Sizes below assume 14.7 cents per kWh and a system meant to cover 75 to 95 percent of a year's use. Savings and the bill left over use GRU's residential rate: a $17.00 customer charge, 8.46 cents for the first 1,000 kWh and 12.13 cents above that, plus the 5.00-cent fuel adjustment GRU charged from June to September 2026.
| Monthly bill | System size | Savings a year if you use it all at home | Bill left each month |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200 a month | 8.0 to 10.1 kW | $1,680 to $2,090 | $26 to $60 |
| $300 a month | 12.2 to 15.4 kW | $2,640 to $3,250 | $30 to $80 |
| $400 a month | 16.4 to 20.8 kW | $3,610 to $4,400 | $33 to $99 |
| $500 a month | 20.6 to 26.1 kW | $4,570 to $5,550 | $37 to $119 |
These are planning numbers, not a quote, before taxes and fees. GRU credits power you send to the grid at the fuel adjustment, 5.00 cents in those months, against 13.46 cents for the first 1,000 kWh you buy and 17.13 cents after that. So every 1,000 kWh you export instead of using at home is worth about $85 to $121 less than the table shows.
How to connect solar to GRU
GRU asks you to contact it before you buy panels or start construction, at 352-393-1413 or through its contact page. Its process, run by your contractor by email at DL_Solar@gru.com, works like this:
- The contractor emails a Letter of Intent, with the system's address as the subject line, so GRU can check that the circuit has capacity and the system is not oversized.
- GRU replies, usually within one to two business days. A capacity approval is honored for one year of inactivity.
- The contractor submits a one-line electrical diagram and a mounting elevation drawing. Tier 2 and Tier 3 systems also need a site plan and panel layout.
- GRU Engineering and Metering review the drawings, which takes four to five weeks on average.
- You or the contractor submit the Interconnection Agreement, with every page initialed, and proof of insurance. GRU then executes the agreement.
- The contractor installs the system, and the city or county inspects it. That step usually takes two to three business days.
- GRU sets the net energy metering meter and runs an acceptance test.
GRU requires UL- or ETL-listed modules, all necessary permits, and final connection by a licensed electrical contractor. Insurance depends on size: at least $100,000 of liability coverage for Tier 1, $1,000,000 for Tier 2 and $2,000,000 for Tier 3. GRU also recommends a shade report showing a solar window of at least 70 percent that trees and buildings will not block.
GRU process at a glance
A capacity approval is honored for one year.
Rebates and tax credits
The homeowner 30 percent federal tax credit ended on December 31, 2025. Our Florida incentives guide lists what remains.
Which utility do I have?
Your bill names your utility. GRU serves Gainesville, and Clay Electric also has a district office in Gainesville, so nearby homes may be on Clay. Compare every utility we cover at solar by utility, or read our Clay Electric guide.
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 Gainesville Regional Utilities?
At about 14.7 cents per kWh, a $300 monthly bill needs roughly 12 to 15 kW of solar and a $400 bill needs roughly 16 to 21 kW. Because GRU now credits exports at its fuel adjustment rate, using your solar at home is worth much more than sending it to the grid.
Is solar worth it with Gainesville Regional Utilities?
It depends on how much of your solar power you use at home. Since April 2024, GRU credits exports from new systems at its fuel adjustment rate, about 3.5 cents per kWh when the board voted, instead of retail. Compare our estimate, which is a top end at GRU, with each quote.
What does GRU pay for solar power sent to the grid?
GRU's net energy metering page says excess energy exported to its system is credited at GRU's current fuel adjustment rate. Before April 2024, GRU credited it at the full retail price.
What changed at GRU in April 2024?
On April 17, 2024, the GRU Authority voted 3 to 0 to lower what GRU pays for excess solar energy from new installations. GRU staff said existing solar customers' billing would not change.
How much is GRU's fuel adjustment rate?
It was about 3.5 cents per kWh when the board voted in April 2024, according to local news coverage. It changes with fuel costs, so check GRU's fuel adjustment page for the current figure.
Do I still pay a fixed charge to GRU with solar?
Yes. GRU says that whether or not excess energy is delivered to its system, you pay the applicable customer charge and any demand charge for the maximum measured demand in each billing period.
How do I connect solar to GRU?
Your contractor emails GRU a Letter of Intent to check that the circuit has capacity and the system is not oversized, then submits drawings, an Interconnection Agreement and proof of insurance. GRU installs the net energy metering meter after the city or county inspection.
How long does the GRU process take?
GRU says its capacity response usually takes one to two business days, the technical review of drawings averages four to five weeks, and the city or county inspection step usually takes two to three business days. A capacity approval is honored for one year.
What insurance does GRU require?
Tier 1 systems may carry general liability insurance of at least $100,000. Tier 2 systems must carry at least $1,000,000 and Tier 3 systems at least $2,000,000.
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: GRU: net energy metering · Mainstreet Daily News, April 2024 · Gainesville Info on the April 2024 meeting · U.S. EIA Form 861 utility data, 2024 and 2025 early release
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