The short answer

Fort Myers ranks second of the seven Florida cities we modeled for solar output, about 1,558 kWh a year from 1 kW of panels, and second for heat, with 4,046 cooling degree days a year in NOAA's normals. The big variable is your utility: FPL and LCEC both credit solar, but on different rates, with different fixed charges.

FPL and LCEC side by side

FPLLCEC
Fixed monthly charge$10.52, with a $30 minimum base bill$20.00; $22.22 on the net metering rider
1,000 kWh before taxes$133.10$136.75
How solar is billedRetail rate, kWh for kWh, rolling month to monthNet metering rider at a flat 8.21 cents a kWh, trued up yearly
$200 bill: savings a year$1,730 to $2,000$1,770 to $2,060
$200 bill: what's left a month$33 to $56$28 to $53
$300 bill: savings a year$2,680 to $3,180$2,770 to $3,220

FPL's January 2026 and LCEC's 2026 tariffs, for a system covering 75 to 95 percent of a year's use. Bills before taxes and fees.

LCEC's solar rider bills what you still buy at a low flat rate, so an LCEC home with solar can end up with a smaller leftover bill than an FPL home, whose $30 minimum base bill sets a floor. Both guides have the details: FPL and LCEC.

Which one is yours

LCEC's own list of the communities it serves includes Cape Coral, North Fort Myers, Sanibel, Captiva, Pine Island, Everglades City, Immokalee, Marco Island, Ave Maria and parts of Lehigh Acres. Naples isn't on it. Your bill is the only sure answer for your address.

Solar panels on a tile roof with a utility pole and power lines behind them
Lee and Collier homes are on FPL or LCEC, and the two bill solar differently.

Federal data matches: the U.S. Energy Information Administration's 2024 utility survey lists FPL and LCEC, and no other electric utility, in both counties.

Lee
FPL, LCEC
Collier
FPL, LCEC

Source: EIA Form 861, 2024 service territory data.

What panels make here

Monthly output of 1 kW of panels, Fort Myers and Pensacola

kWh per month, south-facing at a 20 degree tilt

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Fort Myers, 1,558 kWh a yearPensacola, 1,491 kWh a year

Source: NREL PVWatts v8 with NSRDB weather data, 1 kW of panels facing south at a 20 degree tilt, standard modules, roof mount, 14 percent system losses.

Fort Myers makes about 4 percent more than Pensacola over a year, and the gap is widest from December through February: about 120 kWh per kW in January, for example, against 96.

Permits

Lee County's solar permit guide asks for manufacturer spec sheets for every component and, for photovoltaic systems, wind load calculations signed and sealed by a Florida registered design professional, and it warns that other agencies' permits may be needed. The City of Naples publishes its own step-by-step submittal guide and asks you to confirm your contractor's registration with Collier County. Your installer normally handles both.

Storms and outages

Hurricane Ian made landfall on Cayo Costa on September 28, 2022 with 130-knot winds, about 150 mph, a Category 4 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center. A standard grid-tied system shuts off when the grid goes down, so panels alone won't power a home through an outage; a battery with backup-ready equipment will. Our battery guide covers costs and runtimes.

How it works

Your estimate in three steps

  1. Enter your billYour ZIP code, your utility and last month's bill.
  2. See your estimateA yearly savings range based on your utility's rates and Florida sun.
  3. Choose what's nextAsk for a quote call if you want real pricing, or just keep the number.

See what solar could save you

It takes about a minute. You don't need a site visit, a commitment or a sales call to see your number.

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Common questions

Is Cape Coral on FPL or LCEC?

LCEC's own list of communities it serves includes Cape Coral, North Fort Myers, Sanibel, Captiva, Pine Island, Everglades City, Immokalee, Marco Island, Ave Maria and parts of Lehigh Acres. Your electric bill names your utility, so check it before you read a utility guide.

Is Naples on FPL or LCEC?

LCEC's list of communities does not include Naples. In Collier County it names Marco Island, Immokalee, Everglades City and Ave Maria. FPL is the other large electric utility in the region, but your bill is the only sure answer for your address.

How much can solar save on a $200 bill in Southwest Florida?

About $1,730 to $2,000 a year with FPL and $1,770 to $2,060 with LCEC, for a system covering 75 to 95 percent of a year's use, based on each utility's 2026 rates.

What does Lee County require for a solar permit?

Lee County's solar permit guide lists manufacturer spec sheets for all components and, for photovoltaic systems, wind load calculations signed and sealed by a Florida registered design professional. It also warns that other agencies' permits may be needed. Your installer normally handles this.

Will solar keep my power on during a hurricane outage?

Not by itself. A standard grid-tied system shuts off when the grid goes down, so panels alone will not run your home during an outage. A battery with backup-capable equipment is what keeps lights on.

Savings are modeled from FPL's and LCEC's 2026 rates for a system covering 75 to 95 percent of a year's use; your roof, usage and equipment will change them. Sources: LCEC, about LCEC and communities served · LCEC rate tariff sheet, 2026 (PDF) · FPL residential rates, January 2026 (PDF) · NREL PVWatts v8 (NSRDB weather data), queried October 2026 · NOAA NCEI U.S. climate normals, 1991 to 2020 · Lee County solar photovoltaic permit guide (PDF) · City of Naples solar permit submittal guide (PDF) · National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Ian report (PDF) · U.S. EIA Form 861, 2024 service territory data · Florida Statutes 163.04. Reviewed October 2026.

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