My home has 28 Sharp 185 PV panels on the roof. This system has provided 95% of my electricity for the past 12 month period. My electrical bill for the entire year was less than $100. The system is connected to my local utility grid and does not have batteries (grid-tie system). When the power goes out, I lose power also. Grid-tie systems are more efficient at harvesting the maximum power from the available sunshine than are most battery systems and batteries add significantly to system cost.

I love my solar power system which provides, clean, silent, and economical power. The system will be paid for in about 7 years and after that the power will be "free". The money spent on a PV system is less than a car and less than remodeling a kitchen, and the system pays for itself and doesn't depreciate in value as any car or remodeling project does.

I live in the San Jose area and we have abundant sunshine most of the year. We also live in a climate that is moderate enough that I don't need air conditioning at my home. Air conditioning takes lots of electical power and in Florida you must run quite a bit of air conditioning in the summer. That may make solar power a less economical choice for you.

I took a class on PV Design and Installation offered by Solar Energy International and highly recommend them as a source of information and training.

Here is a link that might be useful: Solar Energy International