It is hard to imagine a better time to invest in solar energy.  In late 2008 Florida became a net metering state.  This forces utilities to buy any excess electricity from you at full retail rates.  At the beginning of 2009, the cap on the 30% tax credit was eliminated.  With the passage of the 2009 stimulus bill wording was stripped from the tax code that formerly required you to reduce the federal tax credit by the amount of any state rebates.  The stimulus bill also set up a special fund with the Department of Energy for solar on business or farm property that will forward a 30% rebate to you in lieu of a tax credit even if you don’t have a tax burden.  They say that the rebate will be sent within 60 days.  In May 2009 the Florida legistlature appropriated $9.4 million in funding for the Florida Solar Rebate Program. This is nearly double last years appropriation and they are looking at adding another $5 Million to the pot this year to suppliment the $9.4 Million.  Amazing!  

Very simply, the sooner you make the change, the sooner you can start saving and stop renting all of your electricity from the utility.  Won’t the price of this technology be cheaper in the future?  Probably not when you consider that the state rebates (which alone cover about half the cost) are now set to end in June 30, 2010.  California had a rebate program before Florida.  Their state rebates dropped off far quicker than the price of the technology dropped.  It really is hard to imagine a better time to invest in solar.