ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Gary Testa’s bike ride along the St. Augustine to Palatka Trail reveals the natural beauty of northeast Florida. The sometimes-shady path leads him 15 miles from his home near the ocean to his destination: Florida Power and Light Company’s (FPL) Trailside Solar Energy Center. 

“I like to bring friends here to show them what I’m investing in,” said Testa. “I feel like I’ve helped build solar fields like this one.”  

Testa’s connection to the site stems from his membership in FPL SolarTogether, the nation’s largest community solar program, which enables customers to benefit from solar energy without installing solar panels on their property.  

By subscribing to a share of a universal solar energy center, participants can reduce their energy bills over time through monthly bill credits without upfront costs. They receive a monthly credit based on the solar energy generated from a growing number of FPL SolarTogether universal community solar energy centers throughout the state. 

Testa and his wife moved to St. Augustine 25 years ago after working and raising a family in New Hampshire. When it came time to invest in solar himself, Testa did his homework. 

“Solar was intriguing to me,” said Testa. “But I was never comfortable with putting all the holes in my roof that installing panels would require and every roof has a limited life.”  

FPL solar energy centers across the state deliver several benefits to customers and the communities where they operate. Each solar site has the capacity to power 14,000 homes with emissions-free energy and helps reduce emissions equal to removing about 17,000 gas-powered vehicles off the road each year.  

One day, Testa was looking for more information on FPL’s website and came across FPL SolarTogether. He joined in 2021 and this summer, he saved more than $40 over the past three peak summer months. His saving will continue to increase the longer he’s in the program. 

Testa was so excited he took the FPL SolarTogether sticker he received in the mail, printed out his monthly data and created a unique, framed certificate that hangs on his living room wall. 

“It’s a frequent conversation starter,” said Testa. “People do a double-take and ask me what it is, which gives me an opportunity to talk about it with others.”  

The program is open to both residential and commercial customers. At the southern end of the state, in Broward County, Felix Abraham said FPL’s SolarTogether program made sense for both his home and business. He joined last year and is already seeing savings.  

“I’m a tiny business renting a space in a commercial square, so I am not allowed to put up solar panels,” said Abraham, who owns a Minuteman Press in Sunrise. “Living in the sunshine state, I was frustrated at not being able to support clean energy.” 

Abraham, like Testa, has already seen savings on his monthly bill and feels like he is doing his part to help his children and future generations.  

Back in St. Augustine, Testa looks back at his Goldendoodle, Oceana, in the basket attached to his bicycle. He thinks about his children and grandchildren living in New Hampshire. 

“I like saving money on my electric bill because of SolarTogether,” said Testa. “But what I love is the idea that I’m doing my part to leave the world a little better than I found it.”