A newly filed bill aims to encourage the development of solar energy while ensuring agricultural lands used for solar installations are restored once solar facilities reach the end of their use.
Crestview Republican Rep. Nathan Boyles filed the measure (HB 193). Fleming Island Republican Sen. Jennifer Bradley filed an identical bill (SB 200) in the Senate, cosponsored by Pensacola Republican Sen. Don Gaetz.
The bill aims to protect and preserve Florida’s farmlands, encourage the growth of solar energy in the state, regulate solar facility development and strengthen oversight of storm protection planning.
Under the legislation, counties would be able to adopt ordinances that require solar facilities that have a capacity of one megawatt or more to be decommissioned within 24 months of coming to the end of their use.
This is to ensure the land these decommissioned solar facilities once stood on can efficiently be converted back into land for Florida’s agricultural use, according to the bill.
A facility would be presumed to be at the end of its life if it fails to produce power for more than 12 months, excluding downtime due to natural disasters, or if it is abandoned, which is defined as having had no construction for 24 months, or no reconstruction for 12 months after a disaster.
However, owners are able to refute this by submitting a plan and assurances that the solar facility will continue operations.
Counties would be able to secure financial assurances, including bonds, letters of credit or other financial guarantees from the owners of solar facilities to cover the cost of decommissioning. Counties would be further able to take action and complete the decommissioning process themselves, while claiming the financial guarantees, if an owner fails to act.
The Department of Environmental Protection would be directed to develop and annually update best management practices for solar facility construction. That would need to include guidelines on stormwater runoff management, percolation testing and structural resilience to 100-year storm events. Solar facility operators would be required to adopt these practices.
The provision would not apply to solar facility applications submitted before July 1, 2021.
The bill also amends existing statutes governing storm protection plans, mandating that any new upgrades must show they will help customers more than they will cost.
The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) would be required to evaluate these plans and must take into consideration the reduction in restoration and outage times, and the reliability of improvements — especially in low-performing areas. They would also need to consider the feasibility of installing solar facilities in rural and flood zones, and the estimated cost, benefits and rate impacts over the first three years.
The PSC would be responsible for implementing the bill’s amendments by Oct. 31, 2026.
If passed, the bill would take effect July 1, 2026.