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Florida’s warm climate and high energy usage lead to relatively high electricity bills despite our relatively low rates per kilowatt-hour (kWh) compared to the rest of the nation. The average monthly bill in the Sunshine State is $130.40, but factors like home size, energy tariffs, seasonal demand, and lifestyle choices all affect your costs. Fortunately, you can take steps to lower your bill, from optimizing energy use to investing in solar power solutions. This guide breaks down key factors influencing your electricity costs and how to achieve significant savings while staying cool and efficient year-round.
What Is The Average Electricity Bill in Florida?
The average electricity bill in Florida is $130.40 per month. While the electricity rates are below the national average, the higher consumption results in relatively high monthly bills.
If you want to reduce your monthly bill, you can save money with solar panels, regardless of how big your home is or how many appliances you have. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus + 220W will easily run a refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, or other appliances. Then, recharge it when the sun shines with its super-efficient 220W bifacial solar panel. You can recharge it every day, even when it’s cloudy, and you will cut your bills significantly.
What Factors Influence The Average Electricity Bill in Florida
Several factors will influence your monthly bill in Florida. Let’s take a look at some of the most important ones.
Size of Home
Larger homes use more energy to heat and cool them, and heating and cooling account for about 40% of all household electricity consumption. Larger homes also have more appliances and lights and usually have more people living in them, leading to higher consumption and bills.
All homes, regardless of size, can easily reduce electricity consumption by 75% when they install solar panels. If you install a solar generator sized for your home instead of just solar panels, its storage batteries will allow you to use solar at night, during bad weather, and during peak tariff hours to save even more money. With enough panels and storage, you could eliminate your monthly electrical bill.
Location
Electricity rates vary significantly in different regions. For instance, the northeastern USA typically pays more for power than those in the south. Areas with extreme heat or cold also pay more than those with moderate year-round temperatures and lower heating or cooling costs. However, even within the same state, your electricity rates can vary based on your location, the local utility company, and their energy sources—whether coal, natural gas, nuclear, or renewables.
Energy Tariff and Rate
Utility companies offer different tariffs based on whether they use coal, natural gas, nuclear, or renewable energy to generate electricity. They may also charge different rates in winter and summer. Some companies are also now switching to Time-of-Use (TOU) rates, where they vary throughout the day. The highest rates are usually between 4pm and 9pm when demand is highest, and the lowest after 9pm when demand is lower.
If you are on a TOU rate, you can save significant cash by switching your appliance use to off-peak hours, like running your washer, dryer, and dishwasher at night. If you cannot avoid using power during those peak hours, you can use one of the EcoFlow Portable Power Stations to save money. Simply plug those heavy energy usage appliances into it and use battery power to run them during peak usage. Then, recharge your power station late at night when the rates are much lower, or better yet, use solar panels.
Time of Year
Winter and summer typically see spikes in electrical demand due to the heating and cooling of our homes. While winters are mild in Florida, summers are hot, and air conditioning use spikes, increasing our monthly bills.
House Age and Insulation
Older homes tend to be poorly insulated and have old, inefficient single-pane windows. These reduce the efficiency of your HVAC system significantly, and since that’s the largest energy usage in your home, this will dramatically impact your bills. You can save money by sealing your doors and windows, replacing damaged or old single-pane windows, and better insulating your attic and walls.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle factors also play an enormous role in your monthly usage. For instance, if you like to set your thermostat low in the summer heat, you will have a much higher bill than others who set theirs higher or use more efficient evaporative coolers. How many and what kinds of appliances you have and how often you use them, such as electric heat, air conditioners, a pool, or a hot tub, will also significantly impact your cost.
If you enjoy your air conditioning, you can stay cool and save money using a solar generator that’s large enough to power your AC. For instance, you can use the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus to run your AC during the day and recharge it at night when your tariff rates are lower. Or, better yet, recharge it during the day using solar panels and pay nothing for your air conditioning. When you purchase expandable systems like the EcoFlow DELTA Series, you can always add additional batteries and reduce your grid energy even further.
How to Calculate the Average Electricity Bill in Florida
Electricity bills vary throughout the year, so it can be hard to know your average bill. Here are two easy ways to calculate it.
Look at Your Electrical Bill
Look at your monthly bills for the entire year and add them all up. Then, simply divide by 12 to find the monthly amount.
Yearly Electricity Bill Total / 12 = Monthly Average Electricity Bill
Therefore, if your total bills total $1200 for the year, then $1200 / 12 = $100 per month.
Use Average Monthly Bills and Household Occupancy
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2023, the average monthly electric bill for U.S. residential customers was $136.84. That number is based on a monthly consumption of 855 kilowatt-hours with 2.63 people living in the home.
So, to find the bill for a 1-person household:
Average Monthly Electricity Bill / Average Household Occupancy
= $136.84/2.63 = $52.03.
What if you have five people in your home? Simply multiply that number by five.
No matter your usage, the size of your home, or how many people live there, you can save a lot of money on your monthly bills using one of the EcoFlow DELTA Series Portable Power Stations. Alternatively, you can eliminate your bills when you get enough solar panels and batteries and gain complete energy independence.
Frequently Asked Questions
The average Floridian family uses 1,096 kWh of electricity each month. Although the rates per kWh are lower than those in many other states, the usage is higher, resulting in a relatively hefty average monthly bill of about $130.40.
Final Thoughts
Electricity costs in Florida can add up quickly, but with the right strategies, you can cut expenses and improve energy efficiency. Understanding your energy consumption, adjusting usage habits, and investing in solar power solutions can make a big difference. Whether you aim to reduce your bill or move toward energy independence, solutions like EcoFlow DELTA Series Solar Generators can help you save money while still keeping your home powered up.