Top Tier FL Battery Sales Reference

Internal Sales Team Resource — Q2 2026 Edition

Sales Architecture (Read First)

This section establishes the pitch architecture every FL rep uses — takeover-led lead, multi-cohort bridge, hidden-costs bundle, cohort-routed ownership reframe. Read this FIRST. Utility-specific detail (OUC + NSBU + KUA + FPL + Duke FL deep-dives, FL rate history, VPP landscape, FL bill reading) lives in the sections below.

Standing Rules (Do NOT Violate)

• ❌ NEVER pitch a Duke FL battery program / VPP / BYOB. Duke FL has NO active residential battery program. Duke's residential battery programs (PowerPair, EnergyWise) are NORTH CAROLINA ONLY — they do not extend to Duke's FL service territory. If a customer asks: "Duke's NC battery programs aren't available on Duke FL service." Preserved guardrail from prior Duke FL scrub (commit d70e1c3 + later corrections).
• ❌ NEVER coach reps to disqualify based on home tenure. If a customer plans to sell in 3 years, the right move is the resale story (system raises home value; closing equity pays off loan; warranties carry over per their actual transfer rules) — not "walk away."
• ❌ NEVER claim "all warranties transfer." Workmanship transfers WITH WRITTEN CONSENT. Manufacturer warranties transfer per their own terms. The 5-year Align Solar Protection service contract is NON-TRANSFERABLE. (See verbatim resale language at L1575 — preserve; don't paraphrase.)
• ❌ NEVER fabricate inspection findings. The inspection is mostly about education + diagnosing the bill problem + future-failure prevention.
• ❌ NEVER cross-contaminate utilities. FPL ≠ Duke FL ≠ OUC ≠ NSBU ≠ KUA — different cohorts, different rebates, different cliff exposures. Confirm the customer's utility first.
• ❌ NEVER pitch NSBU $3K rebate as available indefinitely. Hard deadline September 30, 2026 — that's 4 months out at the time of this writing. Pitch the deadline urgency honestly; do not soft-pedal.
• ❌ NEVER misframe OUC's rebate-vs-grandfather decision. OUC's $2K rebate AND the 20-year 1:1 NM grandfather are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE — taking one forfeits the other. Walk the customer through both paths; let them choose.
• ❌ NEVER quote a KUA grandfathered customer the post-cliff math. Pre-May 31, 2023 KUA installs are grandfathered on 1:1 NM through October 31, 2028. Pitch them the lock-in story; don't pre-flight them into post-cliff EDG math five years early.
• ❌ NEVER pitch the Section 25D federal battery-with-solar 2026 residual credit without tax-counsel review. Federal solar ITC expired 12/31/2025. FL has no state-level extension.

The LEAD: Takeover-Led Opening (use for all 5 FL utilities)

The customer booked the appointment because they're frustrated about their utility bill AND their installer is unreachable. Don't open with savings math. Don't open with rebate availability. Don't open with the cliff countdown. Open with:

1. The free system inspection. "I'm here to inspect your existing solar system at no cost. If it's running well, we'll confirm that. If anything's wrong, we'll surface it. Either way, you walk away with a clearer picture of what you own."
2. System takeover. "When your inverter fails — and inverters do fail, usually between year 8 and year 20 — you need someone to handle the warranty claim and the replacement. Top Tier becomes your single point of contact for the next 10 years on the entire system, not just on anything new we install."
3. Then bridge to the bill. "You're still seeing a [OUC / NSBU / KUA / FPL / Duke FL] bill after going solar. The reason depends on which utility you're on and what cohort you're in — let me walk you through it."

FL-specific bridge to weather: Florida's outage profile is the most hurricane-dense in the country. Hurricane Milton (October 2024) was a major Tampa Bay event — most FL customers remember it personally. Hurricane Helene (September 2024) hit the Big Bend region (Steinhatchee / Perry / Apalachee Bay). Hurricane Ian (September 2022) devastated SW Florida (Fort Myers / Sanibel / Cape Coral). These are recent, named events customers will recall — the resilience pitch lands harder when anchored to events the customer lived through.

The battery is the upsell that makes the deal economic for Top Tier; takeover/inspection is the lead the customer agreed to. Reps get paid on battery sales. Don't lose the open by leading with the close.

Bridge — Cohort-Aware "Why You Still Have a Bill"

FL is multi-cohort. Routing the right Bridge template is critical. Cohort identification happens BEFORE the bridge — see the Cohort Identification Protocol below.

Template 1: ONE-TO-ONE NM (FPL / Duke FL / NSBU / OUC pre-July 2025 grandfather)

Verbatim from the proposal copy (lib/why-bill-own-rent.ts, one_to_one_nm cohort):

Your bill should be small. Here's what it covers.

Under 1:1 net metering, [utility] credits your exports at the same rate they charge for imports — so your annual kWh charges should mostly zero out. The bill you still see covers fixed monthly charges (basic service / customer charge, riders, taxes), any consumption above what your solar produces, and time-of-day or seasonal imbalances. A battery doesn't change your daily bill math much under 1:1 NM today — but it's how you lock in your position when net metering rules change. Every state is moving in that direction, and the customers who already have batteries installed are insulated when the change hits.

Per-utility rate substitution + caveats:

• FPL: $30 minimum bill binds at 100% offset; RS-1 tier 1 = 12.258¢/kWh, tier 2 = 14.258¢/kWh. Preserved 1:1 retail NM today.
• Duke Energy Florida: $30 minimum bill; ~$0.135/kWh retail (approximation; verify with customer bill). Preserved 1:1 retail NM. NO Duke FL battery program (preserved guardrail — Duke NC programs do not apply).
• NSBU: Preserved 1:1 retail NM + present-tense $3K residential battery rebate window (deadline September 30, 2026 — see NSBU Rebate Section below).
• OUC pre-July 2025 grandfather: 20-year 1:1 retail NM lock through 2045. If they took the $2K rebate, they forfeited grandfather — verify which path.

Template 2: ONE-TO-ONE NM with cliff overlay (KUA pre-cliff)

KUA pre-5/31/2023 installs are grandfathered on 1:1 NM through October 31, 2028. The proposal calculator routes them to the cliff_grandfathered cohort (which renders the QUALITATIVE OwnVsRent template). Bridge uses the same one_to_one_nm template, AUGMENTED with the cliff countdown framing:

Your bill should be small. Here's what it covers. (Same one_to_one_nm copy as above.)

Plus a cliff-overlay add-on:

"And there's a deadline: KUA's 1:1 net metering grandfather window closes October 31, 2028. After that, your exports get credited at avoided cost (~2-3¢/kWh) against ~11¢ retail import — an ~8-9¢/kWh spread that the battery captures by self-consumption. Installing the battery NOW positions self-consumption value behind the meter BEFORE the cliff hits, so the regime change is a non-event for your home's economics."

Template 3: EDG NET BILLING (KUA post-cliff customers + post-July 2025 OUC TruNet customers)

Verbatim from the proposal copy (lib/why-bill-own-rent.ts, edg_net_billing cohort):

You went solar and still see a bill. Here's why.

[utility] doesn't pay you the same rate for the energy you export as the rate you pay when you import. They credit your exports at an export rate (their "EDG" or net-billing rate), but you buy electricity back at the full retail rate. The spread between the two is where your residual bill comes from. Every kWh your solar produces during the day that you don't use immediately gets credited at the lower export rate. Every kWh you import after sunset costs you retail. A battery stores your daytime production for nighttime use — closing the spread by self-consuming what you'd otherwise export.

Per-utility rate substitution:

• KUA post-cliff (post October 31, 2028 or post-5/31/2023 install): export ~2-3¢/kWh avoided cost vs ~11¢/kWh retail import = 8-9¢ spread ($270/yr typical at moderate offset)
• OUC TruNet (post-July 2025 install or grandfather-forfeited): export ~4.6¢/kWh vs ~14¢/kWh retail = ~9.4¢ spread

Why the customer still sees a bill (per cohort)

1:1 NM customers (FPL / Duke FL / NSBU / OUC grandfather / KUA pre-cliff): Bill covers fixed charges (FPL $30 min; Duke FL $30 min; NSBU $8.25 customer charge; OUC $18.50 customer-charge minimum binds; KUA fixed charges), consumption above annual production, and seasonal/TOU imbalances. Battery doesn't reduce monthly bill in any meaningful way today — value is forward-looking (cliff hedge for KUA + rule-change lock-in + resilience + takeover bundle + present-tense rebate where applicable).

EDG customers (KUA post-cliff / OUC TruNet): Bill driven by the export-vs-retail spread on every kWh. Battery captures the spread by shifting kWh from "exported" to "self-consumed." Spread economics work today AND get stronger as FL retail rates continue climbing.

NSBU Rebate — PRESENT-TENSE Pillar (Hard Deadline September 30, 2026)

Unlike NC PowerPair (which is forward-framed because it's near-exhausted), NSBU's residential battery rebate is actively available TODAY with a hard deadline:

• Program: New Smyrna Beach Utilities Residential Battery Rebate
• Amount: $150/kWh installed capacity, capped at $3,000 per customer
• Launched: May 1, 2026
• Hard deadline: September 30, 2026 (~4 months from this guide revision date)
• Eligibility: NSBU residential customers with existing solar AND new battery install
• Stackability: Stacks with the standard takeover bundle; does NOT stack with any federal credit (federal ITC expired 12/31/2025)

Pitch language verbatim:

"NSBU is running a $3,000 residential battery rebate right now — $150/kWh up to a $3,000 cap. It launched May 1, 2026, and the hard deadline is September 30, 2026, so we have about four months. Top Tier handles the application; the rebate is paid to NSBU customers post-install. This is a real, present-tense incentive — not 'coming soon' or 'waitlisted.' If you're an NSBU customer with existing solar, this is the most incentive-dense window we've seen for FL."

What NOT to say about NSBU:

• ❌ "The NSBU rebate runs all year." (False — September 30, 2026 hard deadline.)
• ❌ "We'll see if NSBU extends it." (Speculative; pitch the current window honestly.)
• ❌ "You can stack the federal ITC on top." (False — federal ITC expired 12/31/2025.)

KUA Grandfather Cliff — October 31, 2028

Pre-May 31, 2023 KUA installs are grandfathered on the favorable demand-credit structure (1:1 NM effective) through October 31, 2028. At the cliff, they transition to avoided-cost export (~2-3¢/kWh against ~11¢ retail import).

Pitch the cliff to pre-grandfather customers:

"You're on KUA's grandfather window — meaning you're getting the favorable demand-credit structure (effectively 1:1 net metering) through October 31, 2028. After that date, your exports get credited at avoided cost — about 2-3 cents per kWh — against the ~11 cent retail import rate. That's roughly an 8-9 cent spread on every kWh. The battery captures that spread on every kWh it shifts from exported to self-consumed. Installing now means when October 2028 hits, your self-consumption value is already behind your meter — the cliff is a non-event for your home's economics."

For post-5/31/2023 KUA installs: Cliff already happened at install. Pitch standard EDG spread capture (~$270/yr at $0.09/kWh × ~3,000 kWh shifted).

Hidden Costs Avoided: The $11K System Takeover Bundle

Pillar 3 of the pitch (after Bridge and Takeover/Inspection lead). When Top Tier takes over the system, you bundle in services the customer would otherwise pay out of pocket over the 25-year horizon. These are estimates, not firm line-item quotes — but they total over $11K of value the customer doesn't see on the proposal's headline savings number. Applies to all 5 FL IOUs equally.

Verbatim from the proposal copy (components/multistate/sections/HiddenCostsAvoided.tsx):

FL-specific tie-ins (load-bearing):

• Hurricane resilience emphasis — Milton 2024 (Tampa Bay), Helene 2024 (Big Bend), Ian 2022 (SW FL). Service-call wait times spike for WEEKS after major hurricanes. Pre-paid service contract = no 8-12 week waitlist for post-hurricane diagnostics.
• FL homeowners insurance crisis — FL property-insurance market has been in active crisis since 2022 (Citizens Property Insurance Corporation took on hundreds of thousands of policies; major carriers withdrew; rate increases broad-based). Self-sufficiency in outages REDUCES claim exposure (fewer food-spoilage claims, fewer secondary-damage claims from sustained outages). Underwriters increasingly favor solar-plus-battery homes.
• Post-hurricane service-call density — In the weeks after Milton 2024, FL service-call queues at major solar installers stretched 8-12 weeks. Pre-paid Align coverage cuts the line for inspection + diagnostics.

The pitch: "On top of the bill math we walked through, you're picking up over $11K of bundled services that aren't sold separately. Especially in FL — after Milton 2024 the service-call queues at FL installers stretched 8 weeks. The 5-year Align contract on your existing system means you're not waiting in line for diagnostics after the next storm. Add the inverter replacement coordination, the workmanship warranty, the warranty handling — it adds up to over $11K of value that's built into the takeover."

What You Own vs What You Rent — Cohort-Routed Reframe

Pillar 4 of the pitch. FL's cohort split routes to different OwnVsRent templates per cohort.

QUALITATIVE template (FPL / Duke FL / NSBU / OUC grandfather / KUA pre-cliff)

Verbatim from the proposal copy (components/multistate/sections/OwnVsRent.tsx, QUALITATIVE branch):

Your bill is small today — your solar's doing what it should.

That depends on net metering rules continuing as-is. The 25-year horizon for you isn't about a dollar gap on the chart — it's about what your monthly loan payment actually buys you that your current bill doesn't.

What ~$41K over 15 years (the loan total) buys the FL 1:1-NM customer:

• Ownership of generation + storage. System is yours. Loan paid off at year 15; years 16-25 you own outright with no payment.
• Incremental home value: $3K-$10K. Lawrence Berkeley Lab storage-premium research suggests battery adds this on top of solar's premium.
• Hurricane resilience. Your solar shuts off during grid outages today (anti-islanding). A battery keeps critical loads running. Milton 2024, Helene 2024, Ian 2022 — recurring pattern, not theoretical.
• Locked-in position when net metering rules change. OUC moved to TruNet July 1, 2025; KUA cliff hits Oct 31, 2028; the FL regulatory environment for solar is active. Battery installed now locks the customer's position regardless of future changes.
• Insurance positioning. FL property insurance market crisis is years-deep. Self-sufficiency in outages REDUCES claim exposure.
• 10-year Top Tier workmanship warranty + service path.

The pitch (1:1 NM): "Your FL bill is small today because your net metering is doing what it should. We're not going to walk through a 25-year cumulative-utility-cost chart because in FL on 1:1 NM that chart doesn't tell the right story — your kWh charges already zero out. What ~$41K over 15 years buys you is ownership of the asset, $3-10K of home value Berkeley Lab attributes to battery, hurricane resilience for the next Milton or Helene, a locked-in position before the next regulatory change at OUC or KUA, FL insurance-market positioning, and a single point of contact for service for the next 10+ years."

DOLLAR-COMPARISON template (KUA post-cliff / OUC TruNet post-July 2025)

Verbatim from the proposal copy (components/multistate/sections/OwnVsRent.tsx, DOLLAR-COMPARISON branch):

Over 25 years: are you renting power or owning it?

The 25-year horizon isn't about which line is lower on the chart — it's about whether you walk out with an asset.

For FL post-cliff EDG customers, the dollar math is meaningful — KUA post-cliff has ~$270/yr base spread compounding; OUC TruNet has ~9.4¢ spread compounding. Use the dollar comparison; lead with bill-spread savings; layer resilience + home value as additional value.

Cohort Identification Protocol

Reps must identify cohort within the first 5 minutes. The cohort determines which Bridge template, which OwnVsRent template, and which urgency hook applies.

Ask these questions (in order):

1. "Which utility serves your address?" (OUC / NSBU / KUA / FPL / Duke FL)
2. "When did your solar system get interconnected?" (year + month — drives KUA grandfather classification and OUC July 2025 cohort split)
3. "For OUC customers — did you take the $2K solar rebate at install?" (Yes → grandfather forfeited, on TruNet; No → 20-yr grandfather active)
4. "Do you have a copy of your interconnection paperwork or your most recent utility bill?" (Document the cohort.)

Cohort table (use for routing):

What NOT To Say · FL-specific Quick Reference

Quick Orientation

This guide covers the five utilities most likely to appear in your Orlando-area sales conversations: OUC, NSBU, KUA, FPL, and Duke Energy Florida. Each has different rules, different customer profiles, and different pitch angles.

Top Tier sells batteries and service plans to customers who already have solar. This guide assumes every customer in your conversation already has an existing solar system. If a prospect doesn't have solar, they're not our customer — refer them out and move on.

The Florida pitch centers on three things, since most customers still have favorable 1:1 net metering and existing solar is already capturing maximum value:

1. Hurricane resilience — the dominant emotional driver in this market
2. Future-proofing solar economics — net metering rules are quietly being dismantled across the state and country
3. Cash back rebate (OUC and NSBU customers only) — with NSBU's program ending September 30, 2026

Reps must understand each utility's specific rules to know which pitch angle to lead with.

Default configuration: backup-capable

Florida is a backup-capable battery market by default. Florida customers benefit most from a backup-configured battery because they already have favorable 1:1 net metering — meaning self-consumption alone delivers limited additional financial value. The dominant value driver is hurricane resilience, with financial benefits as supporting value.

Pricing reflects this: Florida's standard quote is $18,500 cash / $23,942 financed (Service Finance, 7.95%, 15 yr) for the backup-capable configuration. Self-consumption-only quotes are available for the rare customer who explicitly wants that, but should not be the default offer.

See "Configuration Options" section under Hurricane Resilience for guidance on when self-consumption-only makes sense in Florida (rarely — primarily for OUC customers maximizing the rebate without backup, or FPL/Duke customers with heavily oversized solar).

The Five Utilities at a Glance

Minimum Bills at 100% Solar Offset

Even with solar production fully offsetting consumption, every Florida utility customer still pays a baseline monthly amount. Reps should know these numbers — customers often ask "if my solar covers everything, why do I still have a bill?" The honest answer is: because of these charges.

These figures become the baseline against which any future net billing change is measured — and they're what the Top Tier sales tool's calculator defaults to for FL utilities, since FL solar systems are typically sized for full offset.

Note on NSBU: Published tariff data is dated October 2021, older than the other three utilities. Numbers may have shifted; reps should verify against the customer's actual bill before quoting.

The Pitch Framework

The three Florida customer archetypes

Reps should identify which archetype they're talking to within the first 5 minutes of conversation. The pitch differs significantly for each.

Archetype 1: The Resilience Buyer

• Has solar installed, working fine
• Lived through Irma (2017), Helene (2024), Milton (2024), or other major storms
• Has children, elderly relatives, medical equipment, home-based business
• Bill economics are secondary — they want backup power
• Configuration: WITH backup capability
• Easiest sale. Lead with hurricane resilience and build the financial story as supporting evidence.

Archetype 2: The Rebate Customer (OUC or NSBU)

• On OUC or NSBU, has solar, eligible for the battery rebate
• OUC: $2,000 max cash back with potential net metering trade-off (no deadline)
• NSBU: $3,000 max cash back, install AND application must be complete by September 30, 2026
• Configuration: depends on customer — can be either
• Strongest financial pitch in Florida. Cash rebate is concrete value vs. future-proofing arguments.
• NSBU customers get the strongest urgency case — the deadline isn't contract signing, it's project completion. Realistic timeline means customers need to sign by July to safely qualify.

Archetype 3: The Future-Proofer

• Knows or suspects net metering rules are changing
• Wants to lock in solar economics while they can
• Especially relevant for OUC customers in the rate transition
• Watches the news, may have heard about FPL rate hike or NC Duke story
• Configuration: depends on customer
• Strong sale once you tell the NC story. Documented evidence sells itself.

The opening pitch (works across all five utilities)

"You bought solar to escape the utility company. Florida hurricanes have proven the grid isn't reliable when you need it most — and behind the scenes, utilities are quietly dismantling the rules that made your solar valuable. A battery does three things: gives your family days of backup power during outages, locks in your solar economics before the rules change, and (for OUC and NSBU customers) gets you up to $2,000-3,000 cash back from the utility itself. Critical for NSBU customers: the rebate program requires both installation AND rebate application to be complete by September 30, 2026 — meaning customers signing after July are taking serious schedule risk. Let me show you what this looks like specifically for your situation."

OUC — Orlando Utilities Commission

The most complex utility in this market because of the recent TruNet Solar rate transition and the battery rebate that comes with significant trade-offs.

Service Territory

OUC serves approximately 250,000 customer accounts in Orlando, St. Cloud, and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties. As a municipal utility, OUC is governed by a Board (not the Florida PSC) and has historically had more customer-friendly policies than the investor-owned utilities. Reps should treat OUC as a fundamentally different beast from FPL/Duke FL.

Net Metering: The TruNet Solar Transition

Critical context: OUC restructured their net metering program in 2024-2025 to phase out full retail rate net metering over 7 years. The structure depends entirely on when the customer interconnected.

Pre-July 1, 2025 customers (Grandfathered Tier):

• Get full retail rate (currently $0.107/kWh) for 20 years
• Solar bank rolls over month-to-month through Fall 2026
• After Fall 2026, no more solar bank — credits apply only within the current month
• Rate scales with retail rate increases

Post-July 1, 2025 customers (Standard Tier):

• Get community solar farm rate for 5 years (through June 30, 2030)
• Then get retail fuel rate after that (the lowest of the three rates)
• These rates are tied to OUC's wholesale generation costs, not retail rates
• Significantly worse economics than grandfathered tier

Brief grace period customers:

• Customers who applied between July 1, 2025 and a deadline in 2025 get full retail through Fall 2026 (a temporary bridge)
• Then transition to community solar rate

The OUC Battery Storage Rebate

Rebate amount: $150 per kWh of designed storage capacity, up to a maximum of $2,000 per customer.

For reference:

• SolarEdge Home Battery (10 kWh): $1,500 rebate
• 2× Enphase IQ 5P (10 kWh): $1,500 rebate
• A 14+ kWh battery system maxes out the $2,000

Eligibility requirements:

• Solar PV system must be 20 kW or smaller
• Battery must support utility dispatch capability — DERMS-ready or OpenADR communication standard
• Must have disconnect AND automatic transfer switch
• Defect warranty must cover the system for 10+ years
• One rebate per service address — customers who previously received an OUC battery incentive are not eligible
• Battery must be paired to an existing or new OUC-approved interconnected solar array
• Rebate is applied as a credit on the customer's OUC bill

The critical trade-off (REPS MUST DISCLOSE):

Taking the rebate forces the customer to forfeit eligibility for the TruNet Full Retail Rate (currently 10.7¢/kWh) for any energy exported to OUC's grid. Battery storage rebate recipients will be credited at the community solar farm rate through June 30, 2030, and at the retail fuel rate thereafter.

This is a big deal for grandfathered customers. A customer who installed solar before July 1, 2025 has 20 years of full retail net metering. Taking the rebate hands that protection back. For high-export customers, the lost net metering value can far exceed the $2,000 rebate.

When the OUC Rebate Math Works

Critical insight: When a customer adds a battery, their export volumes drop dramatically because most solar production gets stored for later self-consumption rather than being sent to the grid. This significantly reduces the cost of forfeiting full retail net metering.

Without a battery: A typical 8 kW solar customer might export 3,500-4,000 kWh per year of excess production.

With a battery: Daily mismatch is captured by storage. Annual exports drop to 500-800 kWh (just seasonal mismatch — heavy spring production months when battery fills early in the day).

For most battery customers, losing full retail rate matters far less than it would for a solar-only customer. The battery captures the value the net metering credit would have provided.

Rebate math examples (with battery installed):

Customer A: Grandfathered, 8 kW solar with battery, annual exports ~700 kWh

• Lost net metering value (700 kWh × $0.057 spread × 20 years) = ~$800 lost
• $2,000 rebate received
• Net benefit of taking rebate: +$1,200
• Recommendation: Take the rebate.

Customer B: Standard tier (post-July 2025), 6 kW solar with battery

• Already on community solar rate — no full retail to lose
• $2,000 rebate received
• Net benefit: +$2,000
• Recommendation: Take the rebate.

Customer C: Grandfathered, oversized 12 kW solar with battery, annual exports ~2,000 kWh

• Lost net metering value (2,000 kWh × $0.057 × 20 years) = ~$2,280 lost
• $2,000 rebate received
• Net cost of taking rebate: -$280
• Recommendation: Close call — likely take the rebate for the upfront cash, but a customer with strong cash position might skip it.

Take the rebate IF the customer:

• Has typical-sized solar (6-9 kW) and is installing the battery as designed
• Is on the standard tier (post-July 2025 install)
• Wants the upfront cash to apply to the loan principal

Skip the rebate ONLY IF the customer:

• Has heavily oversized solar (10+ kW for a smaller home) and grandfathered status
• Plans to add MORE solar later (will increase export volumes further)
• Has the cash to install the battery without needing the rebate
• Strongly values keeping the option to remove the battery later and return to full net metering

The bottom line: For most customers with a battery installed, taking the OUC rebate is the right answer — including grandfathered customers. The battery dramatically reduces the cost of the trade-off.

How To Identify OUC Status From a Bill

Pull up customer's OUC bill or myOUC account:

• Look for "TruNet Solar" or "Net Metering" line item
• Check interconnection date (often listed in account history)
• If customer interconnected before July 1, 2025: grandfathered
• If after: standard tier

If customer doesn't know their interconnection date, ask: "Did you go solar before or after the summer of 2025?"

Other OUC Programs Worth Knowing

Shift & Save (TOU pricing): OUC announced they'd launch a time-of-use pricing structure in 2026 for all customers. As of writing, specific rate periods and dates haven't been finalized. Once active, this creates real TOU arbitrage value for batteries (charging at off-peak, using at on-peak).

New distribution charge (started 2026): OUC added a $5/$10/$15 monthly distribution charge based on customer's monthly peak demand. This penalizes heavy-spike usage and creates additional incentive for batteries that smooth peak demand.

OUC Reliability Reputation: OUC has earned the title of "Most Reliable Electric Utility in Florida" multiple years running based on Florida PSC data. Average outage time is shorter than FPL or Duke FL. Customers may push back on the resilience pitch with "but OUC rarely has outages." Counter: hurricanes are different — Irma 2017 knocked out 65% of OUC. Their daily reliability is excellent; their hurricane resilience is similar to other Florida utilities.

NSBU — New Smyrna Beach Utilities

A small municipal utility serving New Smyrna Beach and parts of Volusia County. Approximately 30,000 residential and commercial accounts. As a community-owned, not-for-profit utility (one of 34 municipal electrics in Florida), NSBU is governed locally rather than by the Florida PSC.

Net Metering

Full retail rate net metering with one important wrinkle: NSBU pays for excess energy at residential kWh rate minus taxes and fees — roughly 12% reduction.

• Average residential rate: $0.1247/kWh
• After taxes/fees deduction: approximately $0.1097/kWh effective net metering rate
• Credits accumulate for 12 months from the customer's solar interconnection anniversary
• Annual true-up paid as a check (not bill credit)

Battery Storage Rebate — Time-Limited Opportunity

HARD DEADLINE: September 30, 2026. This is not a soft target. Both the installation must be complete AND the rebate application must be submitted by September 30, 2026. Customers who haven't completed both will not receive the rebate. This deadline cannot be extended regardless of program funding remaining.

Rebate amount: $150 per kWh of designed storage capacity, up to a maximum of $3,000 per customer.

For reference based on $150/kWh structure:

• SolarEdge Home Battery (10 kWh): $1,500 rebate
• 2× Enphase IQ 5P (10 kWh): $1,500 rebate
• A 20 kWh battery system maxes out the $3,000 cap

NSBU's $3,000 cap is meaningfully larger than OUC's $2,000 cap — combined with the hard deadline, this gives NSBU customers the strongest urgency case in the entire Florida market. With Top Tier's standard 10 kWh battery configurations, both utilities pay $1,500 rebate, but customers with larger storage installations get more from NSBU.

Why the deadline matters strategically:

The September 30, 2026 deadline transforms the NSBU pitch from a financial-and-resilience argument into a time-bound action decision. Reps should treat NSBU customers fundamentally differently than OUC customers:

• OUC customers can think it over, compare quotes, take their time
• NSBU customers have a closing window — every week of delay is real risk

Project timeline math (working backwards from September 30):

To capture the rebate, customers need both installation AND rebate application submission completed by September 30, 2026. Working backwards:

Recommended sign-by dates:

• Sign by July 1, 2026: Comfortable safety margin — most projects complete with weeks to spare
• Sign by August 1, 2026: Tighter timeline — possible but no buffer for delays
• Sign after August 1, 2026: High risk — any permitting delay, scheduling backup, or inspection issue likely costs the customer the entire rebate
• Sign in September: Realistically too late unless project is already in progress

Practical implications for sales conversations:

The pipeline reality is harsher than it might appear. A customer signing on August 15 isn't taking on a 6-week project — they're racing a 6-week project against weather, permitting backlogs, and installer queues, with only 6 weeks until the cliff. Most projects starting in mid-August will not complete in time.

Reps should be especially direct with customers in late summer:

"I want to be straight with you. If you sign today (mid-August), it's possible to hit the September 30 deadline, but it's tight and any delay could cost you the rebate. If you're not certain you want to do this, that's fine — but please don't string this out for two more weeks while you think about it. By Labor Day, even if you said yes, we wouldn't be able to get you across the finish line in time."

The verification items still pending for the rebate program:

• Specific battery technical requirements (likely similar to OUC's DERMS-ready / OpenADR / 10+ year warranty / disconnect + automatic transfer switch requirements, but verify)
• Net metering trade-offs (OUC's rebate forces forfeiting full retail net metering — NSBU's rebate may or may not have a similar trade-off; this is critical to verify before pitching)
• Whether the rebate applies to existing solar customers, new installs, or both
• Whether existing solar customers who add a battery need to renew their interconnection agreement
• Application process — does Top Tier handle it on the customer's behalf, or does the customer apply directly through NSBU?
• Confirmation of what specifically constitutes "completed application" (date submitted vs. date approved)

Pitch Approach for NSBU Customers

The September 30, 2026 deadline makes this the strongest financial pitch in the entire Florida market. Lead with the time-limited opportunity, then build the resilience and financial case underneath.

Pitch script for NSBU customers (emphasizing urgency):

"NSBU launched a battery rebate program on May 1st of this year that pays customers up to $3,000 cash back for installing a battery — but here's the catch: the program ends September 30, 2026. That's not the deadline to sign a contract. That's the deadline to have the battery completely installed AND the rebate application submitted. After September 30, the rebate goes away permanently.

When you factor in permitting, installation scheduling, inspections, and the rebate application itself, the realistic timeline is 2 to 5 months from contract to rebate. Customers really need to be signed by July at the latest to safely capture the $3,000. Customers waiting until August are taking serious schedule risk that could cost them the entire rebate.

Combine that with the resilience benefits — days of backup power during the next major storm — and the timing has never been better, and never will be again. Let me run your specific numbers."

Closing urgency line for the end of the conversation:

"Here's the simple math: if we get you signed in the next two weeks, you have safety margin to hit the September 30 deadline. If you want to think it over for a month, that's fine — but every week of waiting moves you closer to the cliff where even saying yes won't be enough. NSBU isn't extending this program, and we have no control over the deadline."

Why NSBU Launched This Now

Worth understanding for context (helps reps speak credibly about the program):

• Florida hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 caused major outages, including in Volusia County
• Distributed battery storage gives utilities like NSBU additional grid resilience without building new generation
• As a community-owned utility, NSBU's mission focuses on local customer benefit rather than shareholder returns
• The short program window (May-September 2026) suggests NSBU is treating this as a pilot — they may evaluate results before deciding whether to extend or relaunch

The pilot framing reinforces the urgency: there's no guarantee NSBU will run another rebate program after this one ends. Customers should treat this as a one-time opportunity.

NSBU vs. OUC Rebate Comparison

Critical Disclosure for NSBU Customers

"NSBU's battery rebate launched May 1, 2026 and ends September 30, 2026. The rebate pays $150 per kWh of battery storage up to $3,000. Critical to understand: this isn't a contract-signing deadline. The battery must be fully installed AND the rebate application submitted by September 30 to qualify. With typical permitting, installation, and inspection timelines running 2-5 months, we strongly recommend signing the contract no later than early July to safely capture the rebate. Projects signed in August or later carry serious risk of missing the deadline. We're still confirming some specific requirements, including any potential trade-offs with your net metering rate. We'll have those answers before we finalize your quote so you can make a fully informed decision. Even if we determine the rebate has trade-offs that aren't right for your situation, you can still install the battery without the rebate."

This disclosure protects you legally by acknowledging the realistic timeline while honestly setting expectations on the deadline.

KUA — Kissimmee Utility Authority

The Florida exception. Every other utility in this guide sells battery as resilience plus a future-NBT hedge. KUA is already net billing today — Schedule NM-1 credits exports at avoided cost, not retail — so the financial pitch leads with self-consumption capturing the live retail-vs-avoided spread, with the regulatory cliff for grandfathered customers layered underneath. No rebate.

Service Territory

KUA serves Kissimmee, parts of St. Cloud, and unincorporated Osceola County. As a municipal utility, KUA is governed by a local Board (not the Florida PSC) and is a member-city of the Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) — its wholesale supply runs through FMPA's Tri-Party PPA construct, which is what sets KUA's avoided-cost export rate and the timing of the 10/31/2028 cohort cliff (see below).

Reps should treat KUA as fundamentally different from FPL/Duke FL/OUC/NSBU: don't open with hurricane resilience or rebate urgency — open with the self-consumption math.

Net Metering: Schedule NM-1 Is Net Billing (Not 1:1)

KUA's residential solar tariff is Schedule NM-1. It is net billing, not 1:1 retail net metering. The math:

• Retail rate: approximately $0.11/kWh (KUA residential — typical for FL muni utilities; verify against the customer's current bill)
• Export rate (avoided cost via FMPA): approximately $0.02–$0.03/kWh
• Spread: roughly $0.09/kWh — what's bleeding out of the customer's solar value today, every time the meter exports

That's not a future risk. That's the live state for every KUA NM-1 customer.

Why this is structural, not a billing oversight: KUA buys wholesale power through FMPA. FMPA's Tri-Party PPA construct anchors KUA's capacity costs to wholesale rates. The retail-vs-wholesale spread is what KUA uses to amortize those capacity costs — so exports get credited at the wholesale (avoided-cost) side, not retail. This isn't going to change through normal program tweaks; it's how FMPA muni economics work.

Aggregate program cap: Residential solar interconnections under Schedule NM-1 are capped in aggregate at 2.5% of KUA's prior-year peak demand. As of this guide's writing, current headroom against that cap is not published in the filed tariff and must be confirmed against KUA's most recent operational disclosure (board minutes, annual report, or direct ask) before quoting a new-install customer. If headroom is exhausted, new applications may be queued rather than approved.

The Two NM-1 Cohorts (5/31/2023 Boundary)

Two cohorts exist under Schedule NM-1, separated by a single date:

Pre-5/31/2023 (Grandfathered Cohort):

• Customers who interconnected on or before May 31, 2023
• Retain stronger demand-credit terms — closer to retail value on exports than the standard NM-1 customer
• Expiration: these favorable terms expire October 31, 2028 per the FMPA Tri-Party PPA construct (see "The October 31, 2028 Cliff" below)

Post-5/31/2023 (Standard NM-1 Cohort):

• Customers who interconnected after May 31, 2023
• Already on avoided-cost-only export crediting from day one
• Pay retail on imports, earn ~$0.02–$0.03/kWh on exports — the full spread is already live for these customers

How to identify cohort: Ask the customer when they interconnected (often listed on the original interconnection agreement or first net-metering bill). If they're not sure, "Did you go solar before or after the summer of 2023?" works as a proxy.

The October 31, 2028 Cliff (Grandfathered Customers)

For the pre-5/31/2023 cohort, the calendar matters. On 10/31/2028 the favorable demand-credit terms expire — every grandfathered KUA solar customer moves to standard NM-1 (avoided-cost-only) export crediting from 11/1/2028 forward.

Practical timing: That's roughly Year 3 of a battery sold in mid-2026. A grandfathered customer who buys a battery today gets the cliff hedge built into the math of their first 25 years.

What the cliff looks like for the grandfathered customer:

• Today (pre-cliff): favorable demand-credit terms keep the bill close to whole on a typical offset — battery savings are modest
• 11/1/2028 onward: full retail-vs-avoided spread applies — every kWh not self-consumed is the ~$0.09/kWh spread leaking out
• Battery installed before the cliff: self-consumption captures that spread on both sides of the date

The cliff is the second pitch leg for grandfathered customers (the first leg is the standard self-consumption math, which applies to everyone). For post-5/31/2023 standard customers, skip the cliff — they're already on avoided-cost terms.

Battery Rebate

None. KUA does not run a battery storage rebate program. Reps should not promise upfront cash; that's an OUC/NSBU mechanism and doesn't transfer.

The distinguishing value of a battery at KUA is regulatory and ongoing: self-consumption captures the retail-vs-avoided spread on every kWh kept onsite, indefinitely.

Pitch Approach for KUA Customers

KUA is the only Florida utility where you can lead the financial pitch with self-consumption math and credibly project ongoing annual savings without invoking a rebate, a TOU rate, or a future NBT transition.

Lead with the spread:

"KUA's Schedule NM-1 is net billing, not 1:1 net metering. Every kWh your solar exports today is worth about 2 to 3 cents. Every kWh you import is worth about 11 cents. That ~9-cent spread is bleeding out of your solar value on every kWh that flows back to the grid. A battery keeps that energy onsite — the same ~3,000 kWh per year you used to export becomes roughly $270/year of retained value, every year, for the life of the battery. No rebate involved, no rate change required. That's just KUA's program structure today."

For grandfathered customers (interconnected on or before 5/31/2023), layer the cliff:

"On top of the self-consumption math: your favorable demand-credit terms expire October 31, 2028. After that you're on standard NM-1 like everyone else — the full ~9-cent spread applies on every kWh that isn't self-consumed. A battery installed now is the only hedge that captures self-consumption value before AND after that cliff. Waiting until 2028 means three years of spread leakage you can't get back."

For all KUA customers, layer resilience and system rescue as supporting value, not the lead:

• Florida hurricane exposure is identical to FPL/Duke FL/OUC — Helene, Milton, and Irma all touched Central Florida. Backup powers essential loads (lights, refrigerator, fans, internet, phones) for 8–12 hours per cycle, indefinitely if solar resumes during daylight.
• 10-year Top Tier workmanship and roof penetration warranty — covers the orphaned-solar problem the same way it does for every other FL utility (see the System Rescue section below).

Critical Disclosure for KUA Customers

"KUA's Schedule NM-1 is net billing, not 1:1 retail net metering — your exports earn approximately $0.02–$0.03/kWh against retail of approximately $0.11/kWh. That spread is real and ongoing; it's what makes self-consumption worthwhile here regardless of any future rate change. KUA does not have a battery rebate program, so the financial pitch is ongoing savings rather than upfront cash. Two items we confirm pre-quote: your current bill against KUA's most recent residential rate schedule (the retail rate and customer charge), and KUA's current Schedule NM-1 program headroom against the 2.5% aggregate cap. If the cap headroom is exhausted, new applications may be queued rather than approved — we'll know before we finalize your quote."

This disclosure does two things: it sets honest expectations (no rebate, net billing is live not future), and it flags the two items that aren't yet in the filed tariff so the customer hears it from the rep, not from KUA after they sign.

FPL — Florida Power & Light

The largest utility in Florida, serving approximately 12 million people across 6 million accounts. Serves most of the Orlando metro area edges, Brevard County (Cocoa, Melbourne, Palm Bay), and parts of southern Volusia.

Recent Rate History (Critical Pitch Context)

November 2025: Largest utility rate increase in US history approved. Florida PSC approved a $6.9 billion four-year rate settlement for FPL covering 2026-2029. The proposal originated as $9.8 billion before being negotiated down. Key facts:

• FPL approved return on equity: 10.95% (national average 9.7%)
• FPL profit margin in 2025: 27.44% — the highest of any investor-owned utility in the US
• National average IOU profit margin: 12.8%
• Average FPL bill increased 45% since 2020
• The Office of Public Counsel (legally designated to represent ratepayers) opposed the settlement and was excluded from negotiations
• Settlement was negotiated privately with FPL plus large business groups (Walmart, Wawa, RaceTrac)
• Multiple PSC commissioners said they "didn't love" the ROE but voted yes anyway

For 2026: Average FPL residential customer bill increases from $134.14 to $136.64 (+$2.50/month, ~2%). This is just the start — additional increases for solar and battery storage projects scheduled for 2027-2029.

Net Metering

Full retail rate net metering — for now.

• Residential systems sized to ≤ 115% of annual usage
• Excess credits roll over month-to-month within calendar year
• Any credits remaining at year-end are paid out in January at the COG (Cost of Generation) rate — typically $0.02-0.03/kWh
• $30 monthly minimum bill that cannot be offset by solar (increased from $25 effective January 2026)
• No solar-specific rebates or incentives

Key wrinkle: The annual reset means heavy summer producers who haven't used credits by December lose almost all that excess value. Customers who install solar without batteries and then stay on for 10+ years often have years where they "give back" significant credits at penny-per-kWh rates.

The 2022 Net Metering Bill (Pitch Context)

In 2022, the Florida Legislature passed HB 741, which would have phased out full retail net metering. Key facts:

• The bill was literally written by FPL and delivered to State Senator Jennifer Bradley
• FPL donated $10,000 to Bradley two days after she sponsored it
• DeSantis vetoed the bill — but only after intense public pressure
• 93% of surveyed FL homeowners said they would no longer consider solar if HB 741 passed

This matters for the pitch: It's not speculation that FPL wants to dismantle net metering. They've literally tried it. The veto was 2022. Nothing prevents them from trying again.

Pitch Approach for FPL Customers

Three things to lead with:

1. The just-approved rate hike. "FPL just got the largest rate hike in US history approved. Your bill goes up about $2.50/month right now, and there are more increases scheduled through 2029. FPL has the highest profit margin of any utility in America — 27.44%. That means $54 of every $200 monthly bill goes straight to shareholder profit, not to grid infrastructure or service. Your solar is your only protection."

2. The hurricane resilience story. Florida has been hit hard repeatedly. Helene/Milton in 2024 caused massive outages. Customers in Brevard County remember Irma 2017 vividly. Battery is genuine insurance.

3. The net metering risk. "FPL literally wrote the bill that would have killed net metering in 2022. The bill was vetoed. The lobbying never stopped. The only way to insulate your solar economics is to capture more of your production for self-consumption rather than depending on net metering rules that may not survive."

4. The forward direction is documented, not speculation. FPL has both the regulatory access and demonstrated willingness to dismantle full net metering. The 2022 HB 741 episode (FPL drafted the bill, donated to its sponsor, vetoed only after public pressure) and the November 2025 $6.9B rate case both signal the same trajectory. While FPL hasn't filed specifically for net billing yet, their track record makes the risk concrete enough to plan against. The Top Tier sales tool includes an NBT Impact chart that models this risk for FPL customers — use it.

Duke Energy Florida (DEF)

Serves portions of central Florida — Volusia, Lake, Orange, Seminole, Sumter, Marion, Citrus, Levy, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Brevard counties. NOT to be confused with Duke Energy Progress (separate utility serving NW Florida near Pensacola).

Net Metering

Full retail rate net metering — but with two important wrinkles:

$30 monthly minimum bill. Even if a customer's solar produces enough to fully offset their imports, they still pay $30/month. This is significant — over 25 years, that's $9,000 in unavoidable utility payments regardless of solar production.

Annual payout at non-firm wholesale rate. Excess credits at year-end are paid out at the wholesale rate (~$0.02-0.03/kWh), not retail.

Average customer profile: Duke FL average residential customer uses about 1,450 kWh/month and has a bill around $240. Higher than FPL average ($134/month) because Duke's territory has different customer mix.

Battery Rebate

None. Duke Energy Florida has no solar rebates, battery rebates, or incentive programs beyond net metering itself.

The North Carolina Story (CRITICAL PITCH POINT)

This is the single strongest argument for Duke FL customers — what Duke Energy actually did to their North Carolina customers. The story is documented and traceable.

Why this story matters: What Duke did in North Carolina is the textbook example of a utility moving from 1:1 net metering to net billing (NBT). Under 1:1 net metering, exported solar is credited at retail rate. Under net billing, it's credited at avoided-cost rate — typically a 70-75% reduction in export credit value. Duke Energy is the same company that already executed this transition in NC. The Top Tier sales tool's NBT Impact chart for Duke FL customers models this trajectory specifically. The NC playbook below is the documented precedent.

The NC playbook (verified, recent history):

2017: North Carolina passed HB 589 requiring the NC Utilities Commission to perform an independent cost-benefit analysis BEFORE making any changes to net metering. Duke had full retail 1:1 net metering at the time. Customers were told they had a stable program.

2021: Duke filed to phase out net metering. Solar installers, environmental groups, and the state attorney general intervened.

March 2023: NC Utilities Commission approved Duke's changes WITHOUT performing the legally-required cost-benefit study. Critics including the Republican author of HB 589 called it "the fox guarding the henhouse."

October 1, 2023: Legacy net metering closed to new customers. Anyone applying after this date got worse rates.

January 1, 2027 (coming up): Even "grandfathered" legacy customers transition off legacy net metering. They move to "Bridge Rate" (worse) for up to 15 years, then "Residential Solar Choice" TOU rate (worst). Estimated 30% reduction in solar savings once new rules fully take effect.

September 2024: NC Court of Appeals upheld Duke's changes despite the missing cost-benefit study. Court ruled the commission's review was "de facto" sufficient.

The takeaway: Duke Energy customers in NC who were promised "grandfathered" 1:1 net metering are losing that protection in 2027. The legal precedent now exists for utilities to:

1. Get changes approved without legally-required studies
2. Have those changes upheld in court
3. Phase out grandfather protections

Pitch Approach for Duke FL Customers

Lead with the NC story:

"I want to share something documented and recent that every Duke Energy customer should know. In North Carolina, Duke had the same 1:1 net metering you have today. North Carolina even passed a law in 2017 requiring an independent study before any changes. By 2023, Duke had gotten changes approved anyway, without the legally-required study. Even customers who were 'grandfathered' until 2027 are transitioning to a worse rate next year — losing about 30% of their solar value. The courts upheld it in 2024. It's not speculation. Duke literally did this. Florida customers have the same vulnerability."

This pitch works because:

1. It's verifiable — customers can Google it
2. It's recent (2024 court ruling)
3. It's the same company (Duke Energy)
4. It demonstrates that "grandfathering" doesn't mean forever
5. The legal precedent makes the same playbook easier in other states

Battery Optimization: Rate Plans and Grid Charging Rules

This section addresses two critical technical questions reps will face:

1. Should the customer switch to a TOU rate plan after installing a battery?
2. Can the battery charge from the grid at off-peak rates?

The answers vary significantly by utility, and getting this wrong destroys the post-install economics. Reps must understand these rules.

Grid Charging: The Critical Constraint Most Reps Don't Know About

The grid charging question matters because batteries can theoretically earn money two ways:

1. Solar arbitrage: Store cheap solar production for later self-consumption (avoiding grid imports)
2. Time-of-use arbitrage: Charge battery from grid during cheap off-peak hours, discharge during expensive peak hours

Method #1 works for any solar customer with a battery. Method #2 is heavily restricted in Florida.

FPL's Official Rules (Solar+Battery):

"Energy stored by the battery is only for the customer's use. While it may operate interconnected with the electrical grid, at this time the customer may not export power from the battery to the grid."

This means FPL solar+battery customers can:

• Charge battery from solar production ✓
• Use battery to power their home ✓
• Discharge battery to grid for export credits ✗ (NOT allowed)

The customer cannot use TOU arbitrage in the same way California NEM 2.0 customers do. The battery captures solar value for self-consumption only.

FPL's Standalone Battery Rules (No Solar):

A separate FPL rule applies to batteries installed without solar:

"Battery for backup support — Battery storage systems installed without a renewable generation system and intended as an emergency backup power source may be charged from the electrical grid. No interconnection agreement is required."

This means standalone batteries (no solar) CAN charge from the grid for backup purposes, but they're not part of net metering and don't earn credits for any power they discharge.

Key takeaway for FPL: Solar+battery customers cannot meaningfully arbitrage TOU rates because the battery cannot discharge to grid. The battery's value is purely self-consumption + backup + protecting net metering credit balance from January cash-out.

OUC Rules: OUC's rules are similar — battery stored solar energy stays behind the customer's meter. The key difference is OUC's upcoming Shift & Save TOU rate (launching January 2027) will create real value for batteries through self-consumption timing, even without grid export.

Duke Florida Rules: Duke's interconnection rules align with Florida statute — battery storage paired with solar operates for customer's use only. Solar + battery customers cannot export battery-discharged energy.

NSBU Rules: Battery rules track Florida statute. Customer self-consumption only.

Bottom line on grid charging: Florida is fundamentally different from California. Florida batteries cannot do "buy low, sell high" arbitrage. Their value is in self-consumption (using stored solar to displace expensive imports during peak hours) and avoiding January credit cash-out at penny rates.

Rate Plan Recommendations by Utility

Here's what rate plan each utility's customers should consider switching to after installing a battery:

OUC

Current state (2026): No mandatory TOU rates. All customers on flat residential rate (~$0.107/kWh).

Important upcoming change: Starting January 2027, ALL OUC customers will be enrolled in Shift & Save TOU pricing automatically. Customers can opt out if they want.

Shift & Save peak hours: 2 PM to 8 PM Off-peak hours: All other times (8 PM to 2 PM)

Rep recommendation: OUC battery customers should NOT opt out of Shift & Save. The battery will automatically capture significant value by:

• Charging from solar production during the day (free)
• Discharging during 2-8 PM peak hours (avoiding the highest rates)
• Recharging from solar later in the day if any production remains

This is the rate plan with the strongest natural fit for battery customers. Don't recommend opting out.

DemandLevel charge consideration: OUC's new $5/$10/$15 monthly distribution charge based on monthly peak demand started in 2026. Battery customers may see this charge drop by smoothing their peak demand — a small but real ongoing benefit.

NSBU

Current state: Flat residential rate at approximately $0.1247/kWh.

TOU rates available: None currently. None announced for the future.

Rep recommendation: No rate plan switch available or beneficial. Battery value for NSBU customers is purely:

• Hurricane backup
• The new $3,000 rebate
• Future protection if rate structure changes
• Reducing year-end credit cash-out (modest benefit)

Reps should NOT promise TOU savings to NSBU customers. There's no TOU rate to opt into.

KUA

Current state: Flat residential rate at approximately $0.11/kWh.

TOU rates available: None currently. None announced for the future.

Rep recommendation: No rate plan switch available or beneficial. Battery value for KUA customers comes from the Schedule NM-1 retail-vs-avoided spread captured by self-consumption (~$270/year ongoing) plus, for grandfathered customers, the 10/31/2028 cliff hedge. Don't promise TOU arbitrage — there's no TOU rate to opt into.

FPL

Current state: Most customers on standard RS-1 flat rate (~$0.13/kWh varies with fuel costs).

Optional TOU rate available: RTR-1 (Residential Time-of-Use)

RTR-1 peak hours:

• April 1 to October 31: weekdays Noon to 9 PM
• November 1 to March 31: weekdays 6-10 AM and 6-10 PM
• All weekends and holidays are off-peak

Off-peak rate: ~$0.09/kWh On-peak rate: ~$0.26/kWh

Rep recommendation for FPL battery customers: Switching to RTR-1 can be beneficial, but it's NOT automatic and depends on the customer's usage profile.

Consider RTR-1 IF the customer:

• Has significant evening AC usage during peak hours that the battery will offset
• Has an EV they can charge during off-peak
• Can shift major appliance usage (laundry, dishwasher, pool pump) to off-peak hours
• Already shifts behavior naturally (works outside the home, gone during peak hours)

Stay on RS-1 IF the customer:

• Works from home with high daytime AC usage
• Has young children or elderly relatives at home during peak hours
• Cannot reliably shift usage patterns
• Has high baseload that the battery alone won't cover during peak hours

Important caveat: FPL's RTR-1 enrollment process is unusual — they'll analyze the customer's usage and only enroll them if they'd actually save. If the analysis shows the customer would pay more, they stay on RS-1. This protects customers from accidentally switching to a worse rate, but reps should not assume RTR-1 will work for every customer.

The math for an FPL battery customer with daily evening peak usage:

• Without TOU: 5 kWh of evening usage × $0.13/kWh = $0.65/day
• With TOU (battery covers peak): 5 kWh × $0.09/kWh off-peak = $0.45/day
• Daily savings: $0.20
• Annual savings: ~$73

That's modest. Don't oversell it. FPL TOU isn't a major financial driver for battery customers.

Duke Energy Florida

Current state: Most customers on standard RS-1 flat rate.

Optional TOU rates available: RSVP-1 (Time-of-Use) and RSVP-2 (Seasonal Time-of-Use)

RSVP-1 peak hours: Weekdays 6-10 AM and 6-10 PM (year-round)

Rep recommendation for Duke FL battery customers:

RSVP-1 has similar dynamics to FPL RTR-1. Worth analyzing customer's usage pattern. The dual peak windows (morning AND evening) make it harder for batteries to cover both effectively with a 10 kWh system.

Battery will most effectively cover:

• Evening peak (6-10 PM) — primary value capture
• Morning peak (6-10 AM) — partial coverage if battery is recharged from off-peak overnight

Special note for Duke FL EV customers: Duke offers a separate EV Off-peak Charging credit program (RS-1 EV) for customers who don't want whole-home TOU but agree to charge their EV between 11 PM and 5 AM. Battery customers with EVs should explore this.

Reality check on Duke FL TOU benefit: Like FPL, the daily savings are modest. ~$50-100/year for typical customers. Don't oversell it.

Annual Credit Cash-Out Preservation (FPL and Duke FL)

This is an underrated battery value driver for FPL and Duke FL customers that doesn't depend on TOU rates or rate plan switches.

The problem: Both FPL and Duke FL settle excess credits annually at the wholesale rate (~$0.02-0.03/kWh) instead of retail. Customers with oversized solar who don't use up their credits during the year lose massive value in January.

Example for an FPL customer with oversized solar:

Without battery:

• Generates 14,000 kWh/year, uses 12,000 kWh
• Banks 2,000 kWh of excess credits
• January cash-out at COG rate: 2,000 × $0.025 = $50
• Lost retail value: 2,000 × ($0.13 - $0.025) = $210/year unrealized

With battery:

• Same generation and usage
• Battery captures most surplus for self-consumption
• Net excess maybe 200-400 kWh/year
• January cash-out: 300 × $0.025 = $7.50
• Battery preserved value: ~$180/year

This is real ongoing savings of $150-300/year for customers with oversized solar, separate from any rebate or TOU rate plan. Reps should highlight this for any customer whose January bill shows a credit cash-out.

How to identify these customers: Pull the customer's January bill and look for the annual COG/avoided cost payout line item. If they got more than $30 cashed out, the battery delivers real ongoing value by capturing that production for self-consumption instead.

Summary Rate Plan Decision Matrix

Key Talking Points for Reps

• "Florida batteries cannot do California-style arbitrage." The grid charging restriction means batteries can't earn money by buying low and selling high. Don't promise this.
• "OUC customers will benefit most from automatic TOU rates starting 2027." The Shift & Save rollout is well-timed for battery customers.
• "For FPL and Duke customers, TOU is optional and case-by-case." Help the customer evaluate their usage pattern before switching.
• "For ALL customers with oversized solar, the battery preserves January credit cash-out value." This is real ongoing savings of $150-300/year independent of rate plan choice.
• "NSBU has no TOU benefit available." Be honest. Don't promise something that doesn't exist.

Florida Rate History and Future Outlook

This section gives reps concrete, documented rate history and projections for each utility. Reps must be careful to distinguish between what has happened (verifiable) and what is projected (uncertain). Use documented history when telling the rate trajectory story.

FPL Historical Rate Increases

FPL has the most documented rate hike history of the five utilities and the strongest track record of consistent customer bill increases.

The decade-long progression (typical residential 1,000 kWh customer):

Key takeaway: Average FPL bill increased from ~$96 in 2020 to ~$136 in 2026 — that's 42% higher in 6 years. Customers paying $400+ more annually than they did in 2021.

FPL Approved Future Increases (2026-2029)

The November 2025 PSC approval locked in a four-year rate settlement covering 2026-2029. Specific known increases:

• 2026: ~$2.50/month base increase (already in effect Jan 1)
• 2027-2029: Additional approved increases for solar and battery storage projects, plus annual fuel/storm adjustments
• Total settlement: $6.9 billion over 4 years
• Annual average bill increase: ~2.5% per year

However, reps should know the original ask was much larger: FPL initially requested $9.8 billion (would have raised bills $360 over 2 years, or 22% increase). The Office of Public Counsel was excluded from the negotiation that reduced the ask to $6.9B. Critics argue the negotiated settlement still protects FPL's profit margins at customer expense.

FPL's profit position (pitch context):

• Approved return on equity: 10.95%
• 2025 profit margin: 27.44% — highest of any IOU in the United States
• National average IOU profit margin: 12.8%
• FPL's parent company NextEra Energy: $144 billion market cap

When customers ask "why do they keep raising rates?", the honest answer involves both legitimate cost drivers (fuel, hurricanes, infrastructure) AND elevated profit-seeking behavior.

Duke Energy Florida Historical and Future Rates

Duke FL has had a more stable rate history than FPL but is approaching a rate increase cycle.

Recent history:

• 2024: Reached three-year (2025-2027) rate agreement with customer advocacy groups
• 2025: $203 million base rate increase
• 2026: $59 million additional base rate increase (offset partially by fuel decreases — net $44 monthly bill DECREASE for typical residential)

Important nuance for 2026: Duke FL customers actually saw bills DECREASE by approximately $44/month in March 2026 due to lower fuel costs. This is unusual and worth knowing. However, base rate increases continue, and the fuel decrease is temporary. Don't tell Duke customers their rates are dropping — they're not, the temporary fuel decrease is.

2027 outlook: Duke FL's three-year rate agreement expires at end of 2027. Expect another rate case filing in 2026-2027 covering 2028+. Duke has consistently sought 6-9% annual increases when filing rate cases.

OUC Historical and Future Rates

OUC has the most customer-friendly rate history of the five utilities, partly because it's a municipal utility (no shareholders) and partly because it has substantial owned generation that insulates it from fuel volatility.

Recent history:

• 2023: Three fuel rate decreases (June 2023, March 2024, July 2024)
• 2024: Cut fuel rates 5% effective July 2024
• 2025: TruNet Solar transition began July 1
• 2026: New DemandLevel charges ($5/$10/$15 monthly) introduced March 2026
• 2027: Shift & Save TOU rates begin January 2027

Average OUC residential rate (2023): $0.126/kWh — significantly below Florida average ($0.143) and national average ($0.168)

Future outlook: OUC's PeakSHIFT plan is designed to be revenue neutral — meaning the total amount OUC collects shouldn't change, just how it's collected. About 50% of customers will see no change or a decrease in monthly bill. About 80% will see less than $3/month change.

The catch: Solar customers losing access to full retail TruNet (post-July 2025) will see significant negative impact. Customers grandfathered into the 20-year protection are largely insulated.

KUA Historical and Future Rates

KUA is an FMPA member-city muni — rate trajectory tracks the wholesale-power side of FMPA's portfolio rather than IOU rate-case cycles, so the story is different from FPL/Duke FL and from OUC/NSBU.

Recent context:

• Florida muni utilities (NSBU, KUA, OUC) have generally raised residential rates in the 4–7%/yr range through 2024–2026 as wholesale gas + capacity costs flowed through retail rates
• KUA doesn't run major customer-facing IOU-style rate cases — adjustments flow through fuel/capacity passthroughs and periodic board approvals

Current rate: Approximately $0.11/kWh residential (verify against current KUA residential rate schedule before quoting).

Future outlook:

• The retail-vs-wholesale spread is the structural anchor — as long as KUA buys wholesale from FMPA, the ~$0.09/kWh spread on Schedule NM-1 exports persists
• The 10/31/2028 grandfathering cliff is the documented near-term solar-economics change for the pre-5/31/2023 cohort; standard NM-1 customers are already on avoided-cost-only terms today
• The 2.5% aggregate Schedule NM-1 cap is a forward risk for new-install customers — when it tightens it tightens, and applications may queue rather than approve

NSBU Historical and Future Rates

NSBU has had relatively stable rates as a small municipal utility, but proposed rate changes are coming February 2026 (need to verify specifics with NSBU directly).

Current rate: $0.1247/kWh average residential

Proposed February 2026 changes: NSBU has filed proposed rate changes effective 2/1/2026. Specific details require verification before reps quote customers — but the new battery rebate program launching simultaneously suggests NSBU is restructuring its approach to distributed energy resources.

The Rate Story for Reps to Tell

Use this framework when telling the rate increase story to customers:

For FPL customers:

"FPL has raised rates in seven of the last eight years. The average customer bill has gone up 42% since 2020 — from around $96 to over $136. The Public Service Commission just approved another four-year rate plan in November that locks in $6.9 billion of additional increases through 2029. FPL has the highest profit margin of any utility in America. The trend isn't customer-friendly, and there's no reason to expect it to reverse."

For Duke FL customers:

"Duke just settled a rate case in 2024 that gave them $200+ million in 2025 and another $59 million in 2026. Their current rate agreement expires at the end of 2027 — they'll file again for more increases. Across the country, Duke has been consistently seeking 6-9% annual rate increases. Florida is no different."

For OUC customers:

"OUC has historically been more customer-friendly than the investor-owned utilities — they've actually cut fuel rates several times. But the picture is changing. The new TruNet Solar program reduces solar credits significantly, and the DemandLevel charges started in 2026. OUC customers without batteries are seeing their solar economics quietly diminish."

For NSBU customers:

"NSBU has been relatively stable on rates, but they just filed proposed changes for February 2026 — and at the same time launched a brand-new battery rebate program. That suggests they're rethinking how they handle distributed energy. The customers who get their batteries in early are positioned best for whatever changes come next."

For KUA customers:

"KUA's structure is fundamentally different from the IOUs. Schedule NM-1 is already net billing — every kWh you export earns about 2 to 3 cents, and every kWh you import costs about 11 cents. That ~9-cent spread isn't a future rate-case risk; it's what your bill does right now, every month. A battery doesn't speculate about future rate hikes — it captures the spread that's already leaving your account. And if you're in the pre-5/31/2023 cohort with grandfathered demand-credit terms, October 31, 2028 is the date those terms expire. A battery installed before then captures self-consumption value through and past the cliff."

Critical Disclosure for All Customers

When discussing rate trajectories, reps must be careful about projection language:

✓ DO SAY

• "FPL bills have gone up 42% since 2020" (documented fact)
• "The PSC has approved increases through 2029" (documented fact)
• "Duke has filed for rate increases approximately every 3 years" (documented pattern)

✗ NEVER SAY

• "Your bill will be $X by 2030" (speculation)
• "Rates will definitely double in 10 years" (overstated projection)

Stick to documented history. Let customers draw their own conclusions about future trajectory based on the pattern.

The Net Billing Trajectory: What's Coming

The previous subsections covered rate history — what has already happened. This subsection covers the structural change the industry is moving toward and how reps should frame it.

What Net Billing Is

Florida's investor-owned utilities currently offer 1:1 net metering — for every kWh of solar you export to the grid, you receive a credit equal to one kWh of retail electricity. This is what makes solar economics work for most Florida customers today.

The industry trend is away from this structure and toward net billing, also called net billing tariffs (NBT). Under net billing:

• You still get a credit for exported solar
• The credit is paid at a much lower rate — typically the utility's "avoided cost" or wholesale rate
• A typical NBT export rate is $0.03-0.05/kWh versus retail rates of $0.12-0.15/kWh
• Net result: exported solar is worth roughly 25-30% of what it's worth under 1:1 net metering

The Documented Direction

Two specific data points anchor the trajectory:

Duke North Carolina (October 2023): Duke moved its NC customers from 1:1 net metering to net billing. Same parent company that operates Duke Energy Florida. NC Court of Appeals upheld the change in September 2024. Even "grandfathered" NC customers transition to a worse Bridge Rate in January 2027, then to the lowest-tier Residential Solar Choice TOU rate after that. Estimated 30% reduction in solar value once fully implemented. This is documented, completed, and litigated.

FPL (November 2025): PSC approved the $6.9 billion four-year rate settlement — largest in US history. While this specific settlement didn't change the net metering structure, FPL has repeatedly signaled intent — most directly in 2022 when they literally drafted HB 741, which would have phased out full retail net metering. Governor DeSantis vetoed it after public pressure. FPL has the lobbying capacity and regulatory access to try again.

The question for Florida solar customers isn't whether the structure changes. It's when.

The Double Whammy

Most reps focus on the NBT change itself: "instead of $0.13/kWh credit, you'll only get $0.04/kWh." That's true but it understates the actual customer impact.

The real impact compounds two effects:

1. NBT step-up. At the moment net billing takes effect, the no-battery customer's effective bill jumps significantly because exports lose most of their value.
2. Compounding rate increases on a much larger base. After NBT hits, the customer pays retail rates for the share of consumption they pull from the grid. FPL increases ~7%/yr; Duke FL ~6.5%/yr. Every annual rate hike now compounds on a much bigger bill base than the customer ever experienced under 1:1 net metering.

A customer protected by 1:1 net metering today feels rate increases only on their net consumption (often near zero). A customer under net billing feels rate increases on their gross consumption. The two paths diverge year over year, and the divergence widens with every annual adjustment.

This is the "double whammy" — and it's what makes the battery's protection value compound across the 25-year solar lifetime, even though the switch from 1:1 NM to NBT is technically a single event.

The Honest Framing Under Today's Rates

Reps who try to position the battery as a present-day savings tool for customers on 1:1 net metering will run into trust problems. Under 1:1 NM, the battery's bill-math contribution is genuinely modest — solar already offsets at retail rate.

The honest pitch is two-part:

"Right now, while you're on 1:1 net metering, the battery doesn't move your bill much. Your solar already offsets at retail rate — that's hard to beat with a battery, and we're not going to pretend otherwise. What the battery does today is give you hurricane resilience. What it does long-term is position you for when the rules change. The financial case turns on once net billing hits."

This framing puts the rep on the side of truth-telling. Customers who would feel manipulated by a "your bill drops dramatically" pitch respond well to "here's what this protects you against, and here's what it doesn't do today."

The Tool's NBT Impact Chart

The Top Tier sales tool now includes an NBT Impact Comparison chart for FPL and Duke FL customers showing four scenarios over 25 years:

• 1:1 net metering today, no battery (low, flat)
• 1:1 net metering today, with battery (essentially the same as #1 — battery's bill-math value is minimal under 1:1 NM)
• NBT future, no battery (climbs steeply post-NBT)
• NBT future, with battery (climbs gently post-NBT)

The widening gap between the two NBT scenarios is the battery's protection value made visible.

The chart marks the NBT inflection as "NBT" with no year shown. This is intentional. Specific Florida timing isn't predictable; the direction is.

When walking through the chart with a customer, reps should:

• Emphasize the four-line shape, not specific dollar amounts at specific years
• Acknowledge that NBT timing in FL isn't known — let the customer absorb the direction without committing to a year
• Reference the documented Duke NC precedent and FPL's repeated legislative attempts as evidence of trajectory
• Never make statements like "in year 8 your bill will be $X" — the tool's chart is a scenario model, not a forecast

Critical Disclosure for the NBT Conversation

When discussing the tool's NBT projections, reps must be careful:

✓ DO SAY

• "Duke moved their NC customers to net billing in October 2023" (documented fact)
• "FPL filed the largest rate case in US history in November 2025" (documented fact)
• "The industry trend across the country is away from 1:1 net metering" (documented pattern)

✗ NEVER SAY

• "Net billing will hit Florida by [specific year]" (no one knows)
• "Your bill will be $X under NBT" (the chart shows scenarios, not promises)
• "FPL has filed for net billing" (they have signaled direction; they have not filed)

Virtual Power Plants (VPP) in Florida: Current State and Future Potential

This is an important emerging value driver that reps should understand and mention to customers — but with the right framing. VPPs in Florida are still mostly pilot-stage as of 2026, but the trajectory is clear.

What Is a VPP?

A Virtual Power Plant is a network of distributed batteries (and sometimes solar systems) that a utility can call on during peak demand events to provide grid services. Customers receive payments for making their stored energy available, typically through:

• Upfront enrollment payments (one-time)
• Annual capacity payments (ongoing)
• Per-event dispatch payments (variable based on actual events called)

VPPs are increasingly common in states with high solar/battery adoption — California, Texas, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and Connecticut — and are beginning to expand into Florida.

Current VPP Programs in Florida (as of 2026)

Duke Energy Florida — No Active Residential Battery Program

Duke Energy Florida does not currently offer a residential battery VPP, DR, or rebate program. Earlier versions of this guide referenced a "Bring Your Own Battery" pilot at Duke FL — that framing was research drift and should not be quoted to customers. No FL utility runs an active residential battery program today beyond net metering itself.

Duke runs the PowerPair battery rebate (up to $9,000) in North Carolina only (Duke Energy Carolinas + Duke Energy Progress NC). The same parent operates Florida but has not extended PowerPair to FL. The closest in-state adjacent dynamic is Duke FL's general DR / EnergyWise smart-thermostat programs — those are not battery programs.

Reps: if a customer asks about "Duke's battery program" expecting an FL offer, the honest answer is "Duke runs PowerPair in NC but doesn't have a residential battery program in Florida today. The battery economic case here doesn't depend on a Duke FL program existing — and if Duke FL launches one later, customers with batteries installed are first in line."

FPL VPP Status

FPL has not launched a publicly-announced residential VPP program as of 2026. They've focused on utility-scale solar+storage (their "30-by-30" initiative to install 30 million solar panels by 2030).

Why FPL hasn't launched a VPP yet:

• Their grid charging restrictions on battery exports complicate residential VPP participation
• Their 27.44% profit margin reduces incentive to enable customer-side energy markets
• They've prioritized utility-owned solar farms over distributed energy resources

Future outlook: Industry observers expect FPL to launch a residential VPP within 2-4 years as battery adoption grows and grid stress increases. Texas and California utility VPPs are showing strong results that pressure other utilities to follow.

OUC VPP Status

OUC has not launched a residential VPP program. However, their PeakSHIFT framework (DemandLevel charges, Shift & Save TOU, TruNet Solar restructuring) creates the infrastructure foundation for one. The DemandLevel charge specifically signals OUC is moving toward charging customers based on their grid impact — which is a precursor to paying customers for grid support.

OUC Solar+Storage Pilot (separate from VPP): OUC has run pilots evaluating residential solar+storage as grid resources. As of 2026, no public residential VPP enrollment program. Customers should monitor OUC announcements for future programs.

NSBU VPP Status

NSBU has no announced VPP program. The new battery rebate launching May 1, 2026 may signal infrastructure development that could support a future VPP, but nothing is publicly announced.

Comparing Florida to Other Markets (Pitch Context)

Where VPPs are paying customers significant money today:

• Texas (ERCOT): Tesla VPP customers earn hundreds annually
• Massachusetts ConnectedSolutions: $200/kWh-summer + $50/kWh-winter for participation = $1,000-3,000/year for typical battery
• California (Demand Response): $250-500+ annual capacity payments
• North Carolina (Duke PowerPair, NC-only): up to $9,000 upfront for solar+storage installs with utility dispatch rights
• Connecticut (Eversource/UI): Up to $200/kWh capacity payment for new batteries

Where Florida is heading:

The economic and political pressures driving VPP adoption in other states are also building in Florida:

• Hurricane season grid stress
• Data center growth driving load increases
• Utilities facing pressure to defer expensive peaker plant construction
• Increasing battery adoption creates aggregator opportunities

Honest projection for the pitch:

"Right now, no Florida utility runs an active residential battery VPP. The trajectory across the country is clear — utilities are increasingly paying battery owners for grid services. Texas, California, Massachusetts, North Carolina all have programs paying customers $200-1,000+ per year. Florida will follow eventually. Your battery makes you eligible to participate when programs launch — and when they do launch, capacity is usually capped and customers with batteries installed go first. We're not asking you to bank on a payment that doesn't exist yet; we're telling you that having the battery installed is the only way to be ready when one does."

How to Use VPPs in the Pitch

✓ SHOULD SAY

• "Other states have residential battery VPP programs paying customers hundreds to thousands per year — Florida utilities are watching these closely (TX, MA, CA, NC have active programs)"
• "Customers with batteries already installed are typically first in line when programs launch — capacity is usually capped, so customers without batteries face long waits"
• "VPP earnings would be ADDITIONAL value on top of your bill savings, rebate, and resilience benefits"
• "Duke runs PowerPair in NC — not in FL today, but it's a sign of where Duke's parent strategy is heading"

✗ SHOULD NEVER SAY

• "You'll definitely earn $500/year from VPP" (No FL program guarantees this)
• "VPP payments will pay for your battery" (Vastly overstating)
• "FPL has a VPP program" (They don't — only utility-scale solar focus)
• "Duke FL has a battery VPP / BYOB program" (They don't — Duke's residential battery programs are NC-only)
• "OUC will launch a VPP next year" (No public announcement)

Honest framing for the pitch:

"VPPs are an emerging benefit nationwide but Florida utilities haven't launched residential battery programs yet — including Duke FL. We can't promise you a specific VPP payment because no Florida program exists to make one. What we can tell you is that having the battery installed makes you eligible to participate when programs do launch — and customers without batteries can't participate at all. The economic case for the battery doesn't depend on a VPP existing; the VPP is upside if and when it comes."

Why VPPs Will Likely Expand in Florida (Pitch Background)

Reps should understand WHY VPPs will likely come to Florida, even though they're not here yet for most utilities:

1. Grid stress is increasing. Florida summer peak demand keeps rising due to population growth, data center expansion, and AC load.
2. Hurricanes prove the case for distributed resources. Centralized grid is vulnerable; distributed batteries are resilient.
3. Utilities need flexible capacity NOW. Building new peaker plants takes 3-5 years. Customer batteries are deployable today.
4. Federal policy supports VPPs. The Inflation Reduction Act explicitly supports utility distributed resource programs. State commissions face increasing pressure to enable them.
5. Other utilities are demonstrating success. When Texas, California, and North Carolina utilities show $50-200M in saved peaker plant costs through VPPs, Florida utilities lose the argument that VPPs are unproven.
6. Battery adoption is growing fast. As more customers add batteries, the addressable VPP market grows. There's already enough installed battery capacity in Florida to make a meaningful VPP — utilities just haven't aggregated it yet.

The pitch frame:

"VPPs aren't a guarantee — but the question isn't really IF they come to Florida, it's WHEN. Customers who install batteries now will have the infrastructure ready when programs launch. Customers who wait may end up trying to install a battery during a program launch rush, when capacity is capped and installers are booked out 90+ days."

Hurricane Resilience: The Foundation of the Florida Pitch

Across all five utilities, hurricane resilience is the dominant value driver in Florida (KUA's exception is the financial pitch lead, not the resilience pitch — see below). Reps must understand this isn't just a sales tactic — it's the genuine reason most Florida customers buy batteries.

Recent Major Storms (Pitch Context)

Hurricane Irma (2017): Knocked out 65% of OUC customers, some without power for over a week. Affected millions across all Florida utilities.

Hurricane Ian (2022): Devastated SW Florida. Hundreds of thousands without power for weeks.

Hurricane Idalia (2023): Big Bend area hit hard.

Hurricane Helene (2024): Major damage across multiple states. FPL and Duke FL customers experienced significant outages.

Hurricane Milton (2024): Direct hit on Tampa area days after Helene. Compounded recovery challenges.

What Battery Backup Actually Provides

For Top Tier customers configured with backup capability:

During grid outage:

• Battery automatically isolates from the grid (anti-islanding)
• Battery powers selected critical loads (lights, refrigerator, fans, medical equipment)
• Solar continues producing during daylight (recharges battery and powers loads)
• Cycle continues indefinitely as long as solar can recharge

Practical capacity for a 10 kWh battery:

• Critical loads only (lights, refrigerator, fans, internet, phones): 24-36 hours without solar recharge
• Light AC use: 6-12 hours
• Refrigerator + lights + fans + phone charging during day with solar: indefinite

The Honest Resilience Conversation

"Let me be straight with you about what this battery does and doesn't do. It's not a generator. It's not going to power your whole house running AC during a 4-day outage. What it WILL do is keep your refrigerator running, your phones charged, your medical equipment working, your lights on, and your fans moving — for days at a time, as long as the sun comes up. After Helene and Milton, customers who had batteries didn't lose food. Their families weren't sleeping in 88-degree houses with kids and elderly parents. Their CPAP machines kept working. That's what you're really buying."

Configuration Options

Top Tier offers two configurations depending on customer priorities:

Self-consumption only (no backup):

• Battery never operates during grid outage
• Lower install cost (no transfer switch, simpler integration)
• Can pursue OUC rebate if applicable (rebate requires automatic transfer switch — but configuration can still be self-consumption only with the switch installed)
• Best for: pure financial customers, customers in low-outage areas, OUC customers maximizing rebate

Backup capable:

• Battery powers critical loads during outage
• Higher install cost (transfer switch, critical loads panel, additional integration)
• More compelling pitch for resilience-driven buyers
• Best for: families with children, medical needs, home-based businesses, hurricane-zone customers

The default in Florida should be backup-capable. Self-consumption only is the exception, not the rule.

Does Self-Consumption Only Make Sense Without Backup?

A common question reps will face: "If I'm not getting backup power, is the battery still worth it?" The answer varies significantly by utility, and reps need to understand which customers can be sold a self-consumption-only configuration with a credible financial pitch — and which cannot.

The summary table:

KUA: SELF-CONSUMPTION IS THE LEAD VALUE DRIVER

KUA is unique in Florida — self-consumption isn't a side benefit or a hedge against future change. It's the headline pitch. KUA's Schedule NM-1 is already net billing today, so every kWh kept onsite captures the full ~$0.09/kWh retail-vs-avoided spread without any rate-plan switch or rebate trade-off.

Annual ongoing value: approximately $270/year from a typical 3,000 kWh of shifted consumption (3,000 × ~$0.09 spread). This is structural — it doesn't depend on a rebate, a TOU window, or any future regulatory change. The spread exists today and will continue to exist as long as KUA buys wholesale from FMPA.

For grandfathered customers (interconnected on or before 5/31/2023): add the 10/31/2028 cliff hedge — favorable demand-credit terms expire and the battery preserves self-consumption value through the transition. That's the second value leg for this cohort.

Recommendation: KUA is the only FL utility where self-consumption only is a defensible standalone pitch on the math alone, no rebate required. Backup-capable is still the right default (Florida hurricane exposure is the same as OUC/FPL/Duke), but for a pure financial customer who declines backup, the KUA numbers stand up.

OUC: SELF-CONSUMPTION ONLY HAS REAL ONGOING VALUE

OUC is the other utility (alongside KUA above) where self-consumption only delivers genuine ongoing financial benefits beyond just the rebate and the rate hedge. Three factors stack up:

1. Shift & Save TOU launches January 2027 — automatic enrollment for all customers. Peak hours 2-8 PM. Battery automatically times itself to discharge during peak hours, capturing real savings.
2. DemandLevel charges ($5/$10/$15 monthly based on monthly peak demand) — battery smooths peak demand and may move customer to a lower tier, saving up to $120/year.
3. TruNet rate transition — customers losing full retail in 2026 onward genuinely benefit from self-consumption capturing their solar value before it leaves the meter at lower export rates.

For OUC self-consumption customers, you can credibly project ~$200-400/year in ongoing savings from these three factors alone, on top of the $2,000 rebate. That's real value without backup.

Recommendation: OUC is where self-consumption only is a defensible standalone pitch. For pure financial customers who don't care about backup, the OUC self-consumption configuration genuinely makes sense.

NSBU: SELF-CONSUMPTION ONLY IS MOSTLY THE REBATE

NSBU has full retail 1:1 net metering today and no TOU rates announced. Self-consumption only doesn't unlock meaningful ongoing savings because:

• Every kWh exported is already worth what every imported kWh costs (minus the 12% taxes/fees)
• No TOU rate to arbitrage
• No demand charge to smooth
• Annual true-up paid as a check, so even excess production has some value

For NSBU self-consumption customers, the value proposition is essentially:

• $3,000 rebate (one-time, deadline September 30, 2026)
• ~$50-150/year from preserving annual true-up value
• The hedge against future rate changes

Recommendation: NSBU self-consumption only is essentially a "take the $3,000 and hedge" play. It works because of the rebate, but there's not much ongoing operational benefit. If a customer doesn't want backup, only sell self-consumption to NSBU customers who can articulate they want the rebate AND the regulatory hedge — don't oversell ongoing savings that aren't there.

FPL: SELF-CONSUMPTION ONLY HAS REAL BUT MODEST ONGOING VALUE

FPL customers benefit from self-consumption in two ways:

1. Annual credit cash-out preservation — Customers with oversized solar lose $150-300/year to January cash-out at penny rates. Battery captures that production for self-consumption instead. This is real ongoing value.
2. Optional RTR-1 TOU rate — For the right customer profile (evening peak users, EV charging, can shift major appliances), switching to TOU plus battery delivers $50-100/year in arbitrage.

Combined for the right customer: $200-400/year in ongoing benefits from self-consumption alone, plus the rate hedge story.

Recommendation: FPL self-consumption only works for customers with oversized solar (heavy summer producers losing January cash-out value) or customers who can credibly shift usage patterns to benefit from TOU. For typical FPL customers without these specific profiles, the financial pitch alone is weaker — push backup configuration.

DUKE FLORIDA: SELF-CONSUMPTION ONLY HAS MODEST ONGOING VALUE

Similar to FPL but slightly weaker due to the $30 monthly minimum bill that battery cannot offset:

• Annual credit cash-out preservation (~$150-300/year for oversized solar)
• Optional RSVP-1 TOU rate (~$50-100/year for right customers)
• $30 monthly minimum bill that battery cannot reduce

Recommendation: Same as FPL — works for oversized solar customers and those who can shift usage to TOU windows. Otherwise push backup configuration.

When to Recommend Self-Consumption Only

Use self-consumption only when ALL of the following apply:

1. Customer has explicitly stated backup is not important to them
2. Customer is on OUC, OR is on FPL/Duke FL with oversized solar
3. Customer values upfront cash (rebate) and/or future-proofing more than ongoing utility independence
4. Customer is a pure financial decision-maker (not emotional/resilience-motivated)

When to Default to Backup-Capable

Use backup-capable when ANY of the following apply:

1. Customer has expressed any concern about hurricanes, outages, or grid reliability
2. Customer has medical equipment, young children, or elderly family members at home
3. Customer works from home or runs a home-based business
4. Customer is on NSBU, FPL, or Duke FL without oversized solar (financial pitch alone is too weak)
5. Customer's primary motivation is anything other than pure financial return

Practical heuristic for reps: Default to backup configuration. Only recommend self-consumption only if the customer is on OUC AND wants to maximize the rebate, OR if you've established the customer is purely financial and falls into one of the specific profiles above.

What This Means for the Pitch Structure

For OUC customers: You can sell the financial pitch on its own credibly. Backup is a strong upgrade option but not strictly necessary for the math to work.

For NSBU customers: Lead with the rebate deadline urgency, but include backup in your standard quote. The financial pitch alone is too weak without backup; resilience is what closes most NSBU deals.

For FPL/Duke FL customers: Open with hurricane resilience. Layer in financial benefits (annual cash-out preservation, TOU optimization where applicable). Self-consumption only is a fallback for specific customer profiles, not your default pitch.

Top Tier System Rescue Value (Beyond Utility Programs)

Independent of any utility-specific rebate, rate plan, or regulatory consideration, Top Tier delivers concrete value by taking over the customer's existing solar system when we install the battery. This is one of Top Tier's strongest value drivers and applies to customers on every utility in Florida.

Reps should understand this as a supporting value lever to layer into utility-specific pitches — not as a standalone pitch by itself.

The Orphaned Solar Customer Problem

Many Florida solar customers fall into a pattern Top Tier is uniquely positioned to solve:

• They installed solar between 2010 and 2018 during Florida's solar boom
• Their original installer has gone out of business, been acquired, or stopped servicing residential customers
• Their original 10-year workmanship warranty has expired or is held by a defunct company
• Their inverter is approaching or already past typical failure windows (8-15 years)
• They have no service relationship for ongoing maintenance or roof penetration issues
• Most other solar companies refuse to service systems they didn't install (liability concerns)

These customers are walking around with a 25-year solar asset and no functional service or workmanship coverage. When something goes wrong — a roof leak around a panel mount, an inverter failure, a connection issue — they're stuck.

The Inverter Failure Reality

Inverters are the weakest link in any solar system. The panels themselves typically last 25-30 years with minimal degradation. The inverter — which converts the panels' DC output to AC for home use — typically fails much sooner.

Typical inverter failure windows:

• SolarEdge string inverters: 8-15 years (manufacturer warranty 12 years standard, 25 years with extended)
• Enphase microinverters: 10-20 years (manufacturer warranty 25 years)
• Industry-wide: 70-90% of solar systems will experience inverter failure within the panel lifespan

When an inverter fails on an orphaned system:

• Solar production stops completely
• Customer's bills jump from low to full retail rates
• Customer needs to find a service provider (most won't quote orphaned systems)
• Out-of-pocket replacement cost: $3,500-5,000
• Time without solar: typically 4-8 weeks while waiting for service, parts, scheduling

What Top Tier System Takeover Provides

When Top Tier installs a battery, the integration work creates the legal and technical basis for us to take over service responsibility for the entire system. This is formalized through a Service Warranty Agreement that includes a brand-new 10-year Limited Workmanship and Roof Penetration Warranty issued by Top Tier — separate from any manufacturer warranty on the equipment itself.

The takeover provides:

1. A new 10-year Top Tier workmanship warranty — Covers workmanship and roof penetrations on the existing system from the date of acceptance, regardless of how old the system is. This is fresh coverage, not advocacy within an expired warranty.
2. Manufacturer warranty claim handling — When equipment defects occur within manufacturer warranty terms (SolarEdge, Enphase, etc.), Top Tier handles the claim and the labor; customer doesn't have to chase the manufacturer or find a service provider
3. Inverter replacement coverage when applicable — If the inverter fails within the manufacturer's warranty, Top Tier handles the replacement; customer pays nothing for the work
4. Single point of contact — Customer no longer has to track down their original installer or hunt for someone willing to service their system
5. Monitoring setup help — Top Tier helps customers access SolarEdge or Enphase monitoring apps (many orphaned customers were never properly walked through setup)
6. Performance verification — Top Tier identifies and addresses underperforming panels, dirty array, shading issues, and similar issues during the takeover inspection

Align Solar Protection service contract — 5-year added coverage on the existing system

Every Top Tier installation includes — at no extra cost, built into the price — the Align Solar Protection service contract. This is a standard inclusion, not an upsell. Customers don't choose it, opt in, or pay separately for it.

Terms:

• 5-year term from system acceptance
• $0 deductible on covered claims
• Insurance-backed: Align's obligations are insured by a third-party policy issued by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, so the coverage holds even if Align itself couldn't perform

What it covers:

• Mechanical breakdown of the customer's EXISTING solar PV equipment — panels, microinverters/optimizers, string/central inverters, and racking
• Parts, labor, and service calls are all paid by the contract

What it does NOT cover:

• The new battery — that has its own 10-year manufacturer warranty; the Align contract is for the customer's pre-existing equipment, not the battery we install
• Normal wear-and-tear, weather/storm/hail damage, pre-existing conditions, or roof issues (those last two are why the inspection exists)

Honest limits — reps must not oversell:

Coverage is contingent on a system inspection and Align's approval. Eligibility depends on equipment age and remaining manufacturer-warranty time:

• Panels and microinverters/optimizers: under 15 years old
• String/central inverters: under 7 years old

Not every existing system fully qualifies. If a customer's inverter is 9 years old or their panels are 16, parts of the system may be excluded — Top Tier discloses what's covered and what isn't at inspection. Never pitch this as "everything is covered" or as the customer's only coverage. It covers mechanical breakdown (defects in materials/workmanship); it does not cover wear, weather, or roof problems.

How it fits the broader coverage picture:

The 5-year Align contract is one added layer in a coordinated three-part coverage stack. It is NOT the customer's only or total coverage — describing it that way is overselling. The layers are:

1. The equipment's own manufacturer warranties — typically longer than 5 years (panels 25 yr, microinverters 25 yr, string inverters 12+ yr) — Top Tier handles the claims
2. Top Tier's 10-year workmanship and roof penetration warranty — covers installation work + roof seal integrity
3. The added 5-year Align service contract — covers mechanical breakdown of the existing PV equipment

These layers stack and overlap. Together they answer the orphaned-customer worry without overpromising.

Manufacturer warranty coordination — separate from the Align contract:

In addition to the Align contract, Top Tier coordinates manufacturer warranty claims at no cost — on both the new battery and the customer's pre-existing solar equipment. This directly answers the hardest worry the existing-inverter pitch surfaces: that no installer will service someone else's system. Top Tier does.

Pitch language for reps:

"Between the manufacturer warranties on your existing equipment — which we handle the claims for — Top Tier's new 10-year workmanship warranty, and an added 5-year Align service contract that covers mechanical breakdown on your existing solar equipment, your system is looked after. The Align contract is included standard — there's no upsell. Coverage on your specific equipment is confirmed at the inspection; if anything doesn't qualify (panels over 15 years, inverter over 7), we'll be straight with you about what's covered and what isn't."

Things reps must NEVER say:

• "Everything on your solar is covered" — wrong; mechanical breakdown only, not wear or weather
• "You don't need to worry about anything ever again" — wrong; age limits + inspection contingency apply
• "The Align contract is your full coverage" — wrong; it's one of three layers
• "You can extend this beyond 5 years" — the term is 5 years, full stop

How the Takeover Works

The system takeover is contingent on Top Tier completing a full site survey and inspection. The inspection confirms the system is:

• In good working order
• Compliant with applicable building and electrical codes
• Installed in a manner consistent with Top Tier's workmanship standards

Top Tier reserves the right to decline takeover if the system is found to be non-compliant, hazardous, or otherwise deficient. If declined, the customer receives written notice within 7 calendar days along with a summary of findings.

Key points reps need to understand and disclose:

• The takeover is NOT automatic — it depends on the system passing inspection
• The 10-year workmanship warranty applies only to the system as identified at acceptance — not to anything added or altered by other parties afterward
• Top Tier is not liable for defects, malfunctions, or damages from work performed by the original installer before the takeover date
• Manufacturer warranties on equipment (panels, inverters, batteries) remain governed by their original terms — Top Tier doesn't extend those, but handles the claims process

Quantifying the Value

The system rescue value is real money, even though it's not always realized:

This is independent of the utility rebate or the loan economics. Even if a customer was getting zero net benefit from the battery itself, the system rescue alone could be worth $5,000-10,000 in avoided out-of-pocket costs and new warranty coverage.

Why Florida Customers Especially Benefit

Several factors make system rescue particularly valuable in Florida:

1. Florida solar boom installations are now hitting failure window. Systems installed 2012-2018 during the state's biggest solar growth years are now 7-13 years old — directly in the inverter failure danger zone, and past most original installer workmanship warranties.
2. Federal ITC is gone. Customers can't replace their solar system at 30% off anymore. Keeping the existing system working matters more than ever.
3. Hurricane damage cascades. Wind, water, and electrical surge events from Florida storms can damage inverters and create roof penetration issues. Customers without a workmanship warranty face full out-of-pocket repair costs.
4. Roof penetration issues are common in Florida. Heat, humidity, and frequent storms stress roof seals around solar mounts. The new 10-year roof penetration coverage is genuinely valuable, especially for older systems.
5. Many Florida solar installers have gone out of business. The 2010s solar boom produced many installers that didn't survive market consolidation. Florida has thousands of orphaned solar customers whose original workmanship warranties are worthless because the company is gone.

Pitch Language for Reps

For an orphaned customer (their installer is gone):

"Most companies won't even quote you on servicing your existing solar because they didn't install it and don't want the liability. Top Tier solves that. Once we integrate the battery and complete our inspection, we issue you a new 10-year workmanship and roof penetration warranty on your existing system. If your inverter fails in year 10, we handle the manufacturer warranty claim. If you have a roof leak around a panel mount, that's our 10-year workmanship coverage. Without us, you're paying $3,500-5,000 out of pocket and scrambling to find a service provider."

For a customer with a working system but skeptical about the financial pitch:

"Beyond the utility rebate and the resilience benefits, there's another value most customers don't think about. Your original 10-year workmanship warranty from your installer has either expired or doesn't matter because your installer is no longer in business. When we take over the system, we issue you a new 10-year workmanship and roof penetration warranty. That alone is typically worth $1,500-3,000 in avoided repair costs over 10 years."

For a customer asking what they get for their money:

"You get four things: a battery system that handles peak shifting, hurricane resilience, and rate hedging. You get the [OUC/NSBU] rebate of $2,000-3,000. You get a brand-new 10-year Top Tier workmanship warranty on your existing system. And we become your service provider for manufacturer warranty issues going forward. The warranty pieces alone can be worth $5,000-10,000 over the life of your system, and most customers don't think about it until something breaks."

When to Lead With System Rescue vs. Layer It In

Lead with system rescue when:

• Customer mentions their original installer is out of business
• Customer asks who will service their system
• Customer has had recent system performance issues
• Customer mentions concerns about roof leaks or aging system
• Customer is a Duke FL or NSBU customer where the financial pitch is weakest
• Customer is older and concerned about being "left high and dry"

Layer it in as supporting value when:

• Customer is on OUC or already enthusiastic about the rebate
• Customer is primarily motivated by hurricane resilience
• Customer is a "show me the math" type who wants to add up every value driver

Honest Caveats Reps Must Disclose

1. Takeover requires passing the site inspection. Top Tier reserves the right to decline systems that are non-compliant, hazardous, or below workmanship standards. Customer gets written notice within 7 days if declined.
2. The 10-year Top Tier workmanship warranty is fresh coverage — but it only applies to the existing system as identified at acceptance. Anything added or altered by other parties afterward isn't covered.
3. Pre-existing damage isn't Top Tier's responsibility. If the customer's system has issues that pre-date the takeover and weren't disclosed during inspection, Top Tier isn't liable for them.
4. Manufacturer warranties on equipment have their own terms. Top Tier doesn't extend or replace SolarEdge, Enphase, or panel manufacturer warranties — but handles the claim process when equipment fails within those warranty terms.
5. Out-of-warranty replacements still cost money. If an inverter fails after its manufacturer warranty has expired (e.g., year 13 on a 12-year warranty), the customer still pays for the replacement equipment — Top Tier handles the work but isn't covering the cost of the new inverter.
6. System rescue requires the battery install. This isn't a service Top Tier sells separately. The battery integration is what creates the basis for taking over the system.

Reps should disclose these caveats in the same conversation where they're pitching system rescue value, not after the customer has signed.

Federal Tax Credit Status (Important for All FL Customers)

The federal residential ITC for direct-purchase solar/battery EXPIRED December 31, 2025.

This is critical for reps to understand because customers may have heard about the 30% tax credit and expect it. It's gone for direct purchases as of January 1, 2026.

What still exists:

• Commercial ITC for third-party-owned systems (lease/PPA models)
• Florida 100% property tax exemption for solar and accompanying battery storage
• Florida 6% sales tax exemption on solar equipment

What's gone:

• 30% federal tax credit for purchased systems
• This represents ~$5,500-7,500 of lost incentive value on a typical $18,500 install

How to handle the conversation:

"You may have heard about the 30% federal tax credit. Unfortunately, that expired at the end of 2025 for direct purchases. Some lease and PPA models still qualify because the leasing company can claim a commercial credit. But for cash or financed purchases like ours, the federal credit is no longer available. The trade-off: you own the asset directly, no monthly lease payment, and Florida's property and sales tax exemptions still apply."

This is honest and disarms customers who might be expecting a credit that doesn't exist.

Loan Economics

Service Finance loan structure for the backup-capable configuration (Florida default):

Important: Service Finance does NOT allow re-amortization. Lump sum payments shorten the loan term but do not lower the monthly payment.

For OUC customers receiving the rebate ($1,500-2,000) or NSBU customers receiving the rebate (up to $3,000), the rebate can be applied to loan principal — shortens the term, doesn't lower the monthly payment.

Note on pricing: Florida's $18,500 base price reflects the backup-capable configuration which includes additional hardware (transfer switch, critical loads panel, integration work) needed for outage backup. Self-consumption-only configurations are priced lower — verify with operations for those specific quotes when applicable.

Battery Products

Top Tier offers five batteries across two configurations. In Florida the default configuration is backup-capable — driven by hurricane resilience as the dominant pitch. Self-consumption only is offered as an exception; see the "Configuration Options" section under Hurricane Resilience for guidance on when to recommend each.

Standard batteries — pair with the customer's existing inverter:

• SolarEdge Home Battery (10 kWh / 5 kW continuous, 10-year manufacturer warranty) — pairs with SolarEdge inverters; DC-coupled; cheapest entry; 5 kW continuous limits backup loads to essentials.
• 2× Enphase IQ Battery 5P (10 kWh total / 10 kW continuous, 15-year manufacturer warranty) — pairs with Enphase microinverters; AC-coupled; 10 kW continuous output supports more backup loads simultaneously than SolarEdge.
• SolarEdge Nexis Battery (10 kWh / 7 kW continuous, 10-year manufacturer warranty) — pairs with SolarEdge inverters; DC-coupled; modular — expand block by block as the customer's needs grow. Backup configuration pending crew training; currently self-consumption only.

Specialty backup-capable options — for customers who want maximum capacity or whole-home backup:

• Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5 kWh / 11.5 kW continuous, 10-year manufacturer warranty) — AC-couples onto an existing solar system regardless of inverter brand; built-in inverter, no separate gateway; highest continuous output; whole-home backup viable. Sizing nuance: each PW3 supports roughly 7.68 kW of existing AC inverter output — larger arrays need a second unit or solar production gets throttled.
• Franklin aPower 2 (15 kWh / 10 kW continuous, 15-year manufacturer warranty) — AC-coupled, works with any inverter brand; largest capacity in the lineup; strong warranty story; no per-unit sizing ratio.

All five batteries meet typical utility rebate and VPP program requirements (including OUC):

• 10+ year defect warranty
• DERMS-ready / OpenADR compatible (utility dispatch capable)

Customer Qualification Questions

Adapt these for Florida customers:

1. "What utility serves your home?" Critical first question. Different utilities = different pitches.
2. "How long have you had solar?" For OUC, determines grandfather status.
3. "What size solar system do you have?" Affects rebate eligibility (OUC requires 20 kW or smaller) and export volume estimates.
4. "Did you live through Irma, Helene, or Milton? How long did you lose power?" Surfaces resilience priority.
5. "Do you have anyone in your home with medical needs, young children, or work-from-home requirements?" Confirms backup priority.
6. "How much did your last electric bill come to?" Establishes baseline.
7. "Are you familiar with the changes happening to net metering rules in Florida?" Tests whether they're a Future-Proofer archetype.
8. "Do you have access to your solar monitoring? Is your system producing what it should be?" Diagnostic — surfaces orphaned customers whose installer is no longer servicing them.
9. "Are you the original installer's customer or has the company changed hands?" Identifies system rescue opportunity.

Walk-Away Profile

When NOT to push the sale:

• Customer is on Duke Energy Florida and pays off solar with cash already (no urgency)
• Customer rejects backup configuration AND is on grandfathered OUC tier with heavy export (rebate trade-off doesn't pencil)
• Customer's current bill is under $100/month with no major weather concerns
• Customer is 75+ with no dependents and no medical needs (resilience pitch loses force)
• Customer wants their bill to drop in year 1 (will not happen with new federal ITC gone)

Required Customer Disclosures

Every quote in Florida must include:

1. ☐ Battery configuration explicitly stated (backup-capable OR self-consumption only)
2. ☐ Year 1 monthly cost increase disclosed (no longer offset by federal ITC)
3. ☐ Net metering rules and recent legislative attempts explained
4. ☐ Service Finance loan is unsecured and includes dealer fees (~$5,442 above $18,500 cash price)
5. ☐ Service Finance does not allow re-amortization — lump sum payments shorten term, not monthly payment
6. ☐ Federal ITC expired December 31, 2025 for direct purchases
7. ☐ Florida property tax exemption applies; Florida sales tax exemption applies
8. ☐ System takeover terms explained — Top Tier issues a new 10-year Limited Workmanship and Roof Penetration Warranty on accepted systems (does not extend OEM equipment warranties)
9. ☐ Takeover contingent on passing site inspection — Top Tier reserves right to decline non-compliant systems
10. ☐ Inverter failure timing is statistical, not guaranteed — replacement costs of $3,500-5,000 are estimates based on typical equipment
11. ☐ NBT Impact projections shown in the customer's proposal are scenario models based on documented industry precedent (Duke North Carolina October 2023 transition, FPL November 2025 rate filing) — they are not forecasts of specific Florida timing or specific future bill amounts
12. ☐ The NBT inflection year in the tool's chart is a modeling assumption (year 8), not a prediction — actual Florida timing of any net billing change is unknown and unknowable
13. ☐ Today's battery bill savings under 1:1 net metering are modest — the financial value compounds primarily after any net billing transition takes effect, which is why the long-term protection framing is honest and the "saves you money today" framing is not

For OUC customers specifically (additional disclosures):

1. ☐ Battery storage rebate ($150/kWh up to $2,000) requires forfeiting full retail TruNet rate
2. ☐ Customer's grandfather status verified before recommending rebate
3. ☐ Loss of full retail net metering can exceed rebate value for high-export customers
4. ☐ Community solar farm rate applies through June 30, 2030; retail fuel rate applies thereafter

For NSBU customers specifically (additional disclosures):

1. ☐ NSBU battery rebate program requires both installation AND rebate application complete by September 30, 2026 — hard deadline
2. ☐ Rebate is $150/kWh up to $3,000 (final cap confirmed)
3. ☐ Customer signed early enough to safely complete project before deadline (recommend by July 1, no later than August 1)
4. ☐ Customer informed that signing in August or later carries serious risk of missing the deadline
5. ☐ Net metering trade-offs (if any) being confirmed with NSBU before final quote
6. ☐ Specific battery technical requirements and application process being confirmed

Objection Handling

"Why would I add a battery if I already have great solar economics?"

"Two reasons specific to Florida. First, hurricane outages. Your great solar economics don't help when the grid is down — your panels actually shut off automatically for safety. A battery is the only way to keep power flowing during outages. Second, those great economics depend on net metering rules that are under constant attack. Duke just took grandfathered protection away from their NC customers. Your protection is one regulator vote or one settlement away from changing."

"What if hurricanes never hit my area?"

"Florida averages 1-2 named storms hitting somewhere in the state every year. Even storms that don't directly hit cause major outages from rain, wind, and flooding. Helene and Milton in 2024 caused power outages hundreds of miles inland. If you're confident hurricanes are no risk to you, the resilience case is weaker — but most Floridians don't make that bet."

"I heard the federal tax credit is 30%"

"It was. It expired December 31, 2025. The 30% credit is no longer available for direct purchases starting January 1, 2026. Some lease/PPA companies can still claim a commercial version, but for cash or financed purchases, the credit is gone. Florida's property tax and sales tax exemptions for solar still apply, which is roughly $1,300-1,600 in savings on a typical install."

"Why is OUC offering this rebate?"

"Two reasons. First, OUC wants more grid resources during hurricanes — every battery is a small grid asset. Second, OUC is transitioning away from full retail net metering and using the rebate as part of that transition. The rebate is essentially OUC paying customers to shift from depending on grid net metering to depending on their own battery storage. That's why the rebate requires giving up full retail rate — they're trading you cash for the right to dial back your net metering."

"What happens to my solar warranty if you take over service?"

"Your existing manufacturer warranty stays in place. What we add is service coverage — when something needs warranty work, we handle the warranty claim and the labor. Most installers won't service someone else's system because they don't want the liability. Top Tier can because the battery integration creates a legitimate basis for us to take over the full system."

"Service Finance loan rate is high — why don't I just use a HELOC?"

"If you have HELOC capacity, that's almost always cheaper. We're happy to build a quote for HELOC or cash payment instead of the Service Finance loan. The Service Finance loan is for customers who don't have HELOC capacity or prefer not to use their home equity. The total cost of the system is $18,500 cash; the loan adds about $5,400 in dealer fees over the term."

"What if I want backup but also want the OUC rebate?"

"You can have both — but not the maximum rebate. The OUC rebate requires forfeiting full retail net metering. If you're grandfathered and have heavy exports, the rebate may cost you more than it pays. We'll run your specific numbers. For most customers in the standard tier (post-July 2025), taking the rebate while configuring for backup is straightforward."

"What if my inverter fails after you install the battery?"

"If your inverter fails within its manufacturer warranty, we handle the warranty claim — you don't pay for the replacement work. If it fails after warranty expires, you'd pay for new equipment, but we still handle the labor through our 10-year workmanship coverage on the install. Either way, you're not scrambling to find a service provider, and you're not paying $3,500-5,000 out of pocket like an orphaned customer would."

"Can't someone else just service my existing solar?"

"Try it before you decide. Most solar companies in Florida won't quote service-only on systems they didn't install — they don't want to inherit liability for someone else's work. The ones who will, charge premium rates. Top Tier can take it on because we're already integrating the battery, and we issue you a new 10-year workmanship warranty after our inspection confirms the system is in good shape. That's coverage you literally cannot get from anyone else without redoing the entire install."

"Will FPL/Duke add charges or fees later?"

"Honestly, possibly. Duke's NC playbook included adding monthly minimum bills, non-bypassable charges, and demand fees on solar customers. FPL's profit margin is the highest of any utility in America — they have every incentive to find new ways to charge you. We can't guarantee what regulators will approve. What we can do is reduce your dependence on the utility by capturing more of your solar production for self-consumption."

"What if I sell the house before the loan is paid off?"

"Solar plus battery raises your home's value at sale. Your closing equity pays off whatever's left on the loan, so the new owner inherits a fully-owned system with no payment to take over. Most warranties carry over: Top Tier's 10-year workmanship and roof penetration warranty transfers to the new owner with written consent (we coordinate this at closing), and the manufacturer warranties on your inverter and battery transfer per the manufacturers' own terms. The 5-year Align Solar Protection service contract is non-transferable — the seller benefits from the inspection and 5-year coverage. The next owner gets a turnkey, manufacturer-warrantied hurricane-resilient home; you get a higher sale price."

What To Say · What NOT To Say (Florida Edition)

Reading a Florida Utility Bill

OUC Bill

• Look for "TruNet Solar" line items
• Solar production credits typically appear as separate line item
• Customer charge, energy charge, fuel charge are separate components
• New $5/$10/$15 distribution charge based on monthly peak demand (started 2026)
• Account-level interconnection date often visible in account history (myOUC online)

NSBU Bill

• "Customer-Owned Generation" or "Net Metering" line items
• Annual true-up date determined by interconnection anniversary (not calendar year)
• Bill shows monthly net usage; annual true-up paid as physical check
• Total bundled rate around $0.1247/kWh

FPL Bill

• "Net Metering Credit" line shows kWh exported during the period
• Page 2 typically shows energy bank balance (cumulative credit kWh available)
• January annual true-up note shows COG payout if applicable
• $30 monthly minimum charge that solar cannot offset (effective January 2026)

Duke Florida Bill

• Net metering credits appear monthly
• $30 monthly minimum bill regardless of solar production
• Annual settlement for excess credits at non-firm wholesale rate
• Watch for any TOU rate adoption in future bills

Final Thoughts for Reps

Three things to internalize about the Florida market:

1. Most customers have favorable solar economics today. The pitch isn't "you're losing money to your utility." It's "you're at risk of losing your protection." Don't try to manufacture a bill problem that doesn't exist — instead, surface the genuine risks (regulatory changes, hurricanes, profit-driven utility behavior).
2. Hurricanes drive emotional decision-making. Reps who've never lived through a major Florida hurricane should learn what these customers experienced. Watch documentary footage of Irma, Helene, Milton outage recoveries. Understand what "10 days without power in August" feels like with kids and elderly parents.
3. Utilities are aggressively profit-focused in Florida. FPL's 27.44% profit margin is real. The rate hike in November 2025 was real. The 2022 attempt to kill net metering was real. The NC Duke playbook is real. Reps don't need to fear-monger — they just need to tell customers what's documented.

The strongest Florida rep is one who:

• Identifies the customer's archetype quickly
• Knows which utility serves them and the specific rules
• Can explain the OUC rebate trade-off honestly when relevant
• Tells the NC Duke story with documented specifics
• Treats backup configuration as the default, not the exception
• Discloses the federal ITC expiration without trying to hide it
• Walks away from bad-fit customers

This document is for internal Top Tier sales use only. Update annually as utility programs, rates, and regulations change. The Florida solar regulatory landscape is changing rapidly — verify specific program details before quoting customers.