Query: Currently, Florida is one of only five states in the nation that prohibit citizens from buying electricity from companies that will put solar panels on your home or business.

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Solar power in Florida <=SEP=> Solar power in Florida has been increasing , as the cost of solar power systems using photovoltaics ( PV ) has decreased in recent years . In 2008 , Florida adopted a net metering rule that allows any electric utility customer generating up to 2 MW ( 2,000 kW ) of power to use net metering , which provides a retail rate credit for kilowatt-hours of electricity delivered to the utility , rolled over from month to month , and paid out in cash by the utility once a year at the avoided cost rate .   In 2006 , the State of Florida enacted the Florida Renewable Energy Technologies and Energy Efficiency Act , which provided consumers with rebates and tax credits for solar photovoltaic systems . The program was closed in 2010 . Later , the Florida Public Service Commission mandated that the state 's large utilities offer individual solar rebates . The program opened in 2011 and was closed in 2015 after the Commission deemed it to not be cost-effective for non-solar customers .   The federal Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit ( income tax credit on IRS Form 5695 ) for residential PV and solar thermal was extended in December 2015 to remain at 30 % of system cost ( parts and installation ) for systems put into service by the end of 2019 , then 26 % until the end of 2020 , and then 22 % until the end of 2021 . It applies to a taxpayer 's principal and/or second residences , but not to a property that is rented out . There is no maximum cap on the credit , and the credit can be applied toward the Alternative Minimum Tax , and any excess credit ( greater than that year 's tax liability ) can be rolled into the following year .   In 2009 , Florida Power & Light built the state 's first solar power plant , the FPL DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center . At the time , the 25-MW plant was the largest of its kind . In 2010 , FPL built the world 's first hybrid solar-natural gas energy center .   Florida has low electricity costs compared with other states , which makes individual solar investment less attractive . Florida ranks ninth nationally in solar resource strength according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and tenth in solar generation by the Solar Energy Industries Association .

Florida <=SEP=> Florida -LSB- ˈflɒrᵻdə -RSB- ( Spanish for `` land of flowers '' ) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States . It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico , to the north by Alabama and Georgia , to the east by the Atlantic Ocean , and to the south by the Straits of Florida and Cuba . Florida is the 22nd-most extensive , the 3rd-most populous , and the 8th-most densely populated of the U.S. states . Jacksonville is the most populous municipality in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States . The Miami metropolitan area is Florida 's most populous urban area . The city of Tallahassee is the state capital .   A peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico , the Atlantic Ocean , and the Straits of Florida , it has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States , approximately 1350 mi , and is the only state that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean . Much of the state is at or near sea level and is characterized by sedimentary soil . The climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south . The American alligator , American crocodile , Florida panther , and manatee can be found in the Everglades National Park .   Since the first European contact was made in 1513 by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León -- who named it La Florida ( -LSB- la floˈɾiða -RSB- `` land of flowers '' ) upon landing there in the Easter season , Pascua Florida -- Florida was a challenge for the European colonial powers before it gained statehood in the United States in 1845 . It was a principal location of the Seminole Wars against the Native Americans , and racial segregation after the American Civil War .   Today , Florida is distinctive for its large Cuban expatriate community and high population growth , as well as for its increasing environmental issues . The state 's economy relies mainly on tourism , agriculture , and transportation , which developed in the late 19th century . Florida is also renowned for amusement parks , orange crops , the Kennedy Space Center , and as a popular destination for retirees .   Florida culture is a reflection of influences and multiple inheritance ; Native American , European American , Hispanic and Latino , and African American heritages can be found in the architecture and cuisine . Florida has attracted many writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings , Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams , and continues to attract celebrities and athletes . It is internationally known for golf , tennis , auto racing and water sports .

Presidency of Donald Trump <=SEP=> The presidency of Donald Trump began at noon EST on January 20 , 2017 , the day that Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States , succeeding Barack Obama . Trump , a Republican , was a businessman from New York City at the time of his victory in the 2016 presidential election over Democrat Hillary Clinton . His running mate , former Governor Mike Pence of Indiana , took office as the 48th Vice President of the United States on the same day . Trump 's term in office is set to end on January 20 , 2021 , though he is eligible for election to a second term and has declared his intention to run .   During his first few months in office , , Trump has issued 36 executive orders and 25 presidential memoranda . The executive orders 13769 and 13780 dealing with denying admission to the US of people from several foreign countries have been blocked by federal courts . Trump 's nominee to the Supreme Court , Neil Gorsuch , was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 7 , 2017 .

Electricity generation <=SEP=> Electricity generation is the process of generating electric power from sources of primary energy . For electric utilities , it is the first process in the delivery of electricity to consumers . The other processes as transmission , distribution , energy storage and recovery using pumped-storage methods are normally carried out by the electric power industry . Electricity is most often generated at a power station by electromechanical generators , primarily driven by heat engines fuelled by combustion or nuclear fission but also by other means such as the kinetic energy of flowing water and wind . Other energy sources include solar photovoltaics and geothermal power .