Case Study

9.6 kW Solar Install
in Wellington, FL

How a mid-century home with a $480/month electricity bill became a self-sufficient energy producer — in under three weeks.

Homeowner Rodriguez Family
System Size 9.6 kW
Completion June 2026
$340
Monthly
Savings
1,180
kWh Produced
in 30 Days
17 days
Full Install
to Activation

A $480/month electricity bill — and rising

The Rodriguez family had been watching their FPL bills climb steadily over the past three years. By the spring of 2026, they were paying $480 per month — and with two teenagers home during the summer, the AC was running constantly. A pool pump, two electric vehicles, and a home office only made things worse.

They'd gotten four other quotes. One company wanted to undersize the system to hit a lower upfront price. Another tried to sell them a lease with hidden escalation clauses. The Rodriguez family wanted ownership — not a subscription to their solar.

"We'd already paid off our mortgage," said Carlos Rodriguez. "Adding a 20-year loan felt wrong when we could own the system outright. But no one would give us a straight answer on what we actually needed."

Problems Identified
  • 20-panel, 8 kW system undersized for 3,200 sq ft home with pool, two EVs, and home office
  • Competing bids omitted critical items: panel upgrade to 400W, gutter mounts, electrical panel upgrade
  • HOA approval required — prior contractors failed to account for architectural review board timeline
  • Florida's net metering policy changed in 2025 — older 1:1 credit structure no longer available, so panel efficiency directly impacts bill offset percentage

Right-sized from day one — no surprises

Locke Energy Solutions performed a full energy audit before proposing a single panel. The result was a system that actually covers their consumption — not a compromise that leaves them supplementing with grid power.

01 Step
Full Energy Audit & Load Analysis
We reviewed 12 months of FPL bills, modeled seasonal consumption patterns, and factored in the teenagers' summer schedule and planned EV charging behavior. Baseline: 1,420 kWh/month at $0.165/kWh.
✓ 12-month bill history analyzed  •  EV charging schedule mapped
02 Step
9.6 kW System Design — 24 × QCells 400W Panels
24 panels on a south-facing roof plane, using SolarEdge inverters with power optimization on each panel. This architecture handles partial shading (the oak tree in the side yard) without tanking overall system output.
✓ QCells 400W bifacial panels  •  SolarEdge HD-Wave inverter
03 Step
HOA & Permit Navigation
Our team handled the full HOA architectural review application, responded to the review board's questions, and coordinated the city permit and FPL interconnection approval. Total timeline: 11 days from contract to approved permits.
✓ HOA approved in 11 days  •  FPL interconnection approved
04 Step
17-Day Installation to Activation
Installation took two days. FPL inspection and meter installation took 14 days (industry average is 21–28 days — we expedited by pre-clearing our documentation package). The Rodriguez family flipped the switch on Day 17.
✓ 17 days total  •  4 days faster than industry average

Numbers after 30 days of operation

Monthly Savings
$340
Net of $0.038/kWh pass-through charge from FPL for grid backup service. System produces 118% of monthly consumption.
First-Month kWh Produced
1,180 kWh
June production exceeded 30-day projection by 7.3% due to favorable weather and panel efficiency above spec.
Estimated Year-One Savings
$4,080
Based on current FPL rate structure. If FPL raises rates at historical 3.2%/year, year-3 savings project to $5,400+ annually.
Monthly Bill: Before vs. After Solar
Before Solar
After Solar
Jan
$480 → $140
Feb
$465 → $135
Mar
$480 → $148
Apr
$505 → $162
May
$525 → $134
Jun
$480 → $140

Every other company came in with a pitch. Locke came in with a calculator. They showed us exactly how many panels we needed, what our bill would look like in year 3 when FPL raises rates, and how the battery backup would cover us during hurricane season. We signed the same day. Now, three months in, our bill is exactly what they promised.

C.R.
Carlos Rodriguez
Homeowner, Wellington, FL • 9.6 kW system installed June 2026

What went into this installation

QCells 400W Panels
24 × Q.TRON G6+ 400W bifacial modules. 25-year linear power warranty. 86.59% capacity at year 25.
SolarEdge HD-Wave
Single-phase inverter with per-panel power optimization. Handles partial shade without system-level loss.
200A Panel Upgrade
Main panel upgraded to 200A to accommodate EV charging, pool pump, and home office load simultaneously.
🔋
FPL Net Metering
Grid-tied with FPL's current net metering structure. Excess kWh banked as bill credits for cloudy months.

Ready to bring your
electricity bill down?

Locke Energy Solutions offers free site assessments and honest quotes — no upsells, no lease pitches. We size the system to your actual usage.

Ready to explore your options? See our Solar Panel Installation, Energy Audit, or Battery Storage services.

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