Solar power in Maine on rooftops, utilizing 6,300

megawatt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of Power (physics), power or radiant flux in the International System of Units, International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantification (science), ...

s (MW) of solar panels, can provide 60% of the electricity used in

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

according to a 2016

U.S. Department of Energy The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government that oversees U.S. national energy policy and manages the research and development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons in the United States. ...

study. Maine and Vermont are tied for the second highest rooftop solar potential in the country, only behind the state of California. A 2020 estimate suggests that a typical 5.6

kilowatt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...

(kW) residential system will pay for itself in 6-7 years and generate a profit of $45,000 over the rest of its 25-year life from the tax credits and utility savings.

Net metering Net metering (or net energy metering, NEM) is an electricity billing mechanism that allows consumers who generate some or all of their own electricity to use that electricity anytime, instead of when it is generated. This is particularly importa ...

is available to all consumers for up to at least 100 kW generation. Excess generation is rolled over each month but is lost at the end of each year. Maine provides a range of additional programs to incentive

efficient energy use Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is the process of reducing the amount of energy required to provide products and services. For example, insulating a building allows it to use less heating and cooling energy to ...

, as well as promote the transition to solar and other forms of renewable energy.

Statistics

Installed capacity

Solar

insolation Solar irradiance is the power per unit area (surface power density) received from the Sun in the form of electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range of the measuring instrument. Solar irradiance is measured in watts per square metre (W/m ...

in Maine is roughly 33% greater than

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, the leader in solar installations in 2012.

Utility-scale generation

Net-metering policy revisions

In early 2017, the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) made a decision to phase out solar credits over 15 years. Current customers and new customers up until January 1, 2018 would be grandfathered and receive the current incentives and terms as of 2017. The policy applied to residential solar customers only, not large-scale or community projects. The decision was the result of the commission effort to find a middle ground between solar supporters and opponents of net metering. Maine Gov. Paul LePage "lambasted the utility regulators" in a "rare press conference." He said he wants all three commissioners replaced immediately because of their decision. (He appointed all three of them to their seats). He also said that he wants to possibly expand the commission from three seats to five seats. The net-metering policy in force prior to 2017 was restored in April 2019 under Maine Gov.

Janet Mills Janet Trafton Mills (born December 30, 1947) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the 75th governor of Maine since January 2019. She previously served as the Maine Attorney General on two occasions. A member of the Democratic Party ...

Notable and large installations

In October 2007, Maine's largest solar array was the 15.12 kW solar array installed at Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell for $166,000, which through June 11, 2012 has generated 73,416 kWh. Since then average solar costs have dropped substantially, and continue to decline. In 2011 Maine's largest solar array, 41 kW, was installed on the roof of a new,

LEED Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction ...

grocery store in Augusta. A 500 kW system is proposed for otherwise unusable land at the former Loring Air Force Base. A 9.9 MW solar farm was proposed for Monroe, to be built in 2016. In November 2021 a 76.5 MW solar array opened in Farmington as the largest in New England.

References

External links

Incentives and policiesMaine Solar Energy Association
{{Energy in the USA Energy in Maine