Maine Solar Calculator 2026
Maine keeps full 1:1 Net Energy Billing for residential rooftop solar — and with all-in electricity costs among the highest in the nation (around 32 cents/kWh), the savings potential is real. Here's what you need to know before going solar in Maine in 2026.
DISCLAIMER: All estimates are approximations based on regional averages. Actual savings vary by location, roof orientation, utility provider, and installer. This calculator does not guarantee specific savings.
Electricity rates last updated: August 2026 (source: EIA)
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Find out how much you can save based on your location and current energy usage.
Federal Residential Solar Tax Credit (Section 25D)
This credit expired December 31, 2025 and is not available for systems installed in 2026 or later.
The 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) applied to solar and battery storage systems placed in service through December 31, 2025. Systems installed in 2026 or later do not qualify. Many online calculators and contractor quotes still include this credit — be sure any estimate you receive reflects current law. The commercial Investment Tax Credit (ITC, Section 48) has different rules and may still apply to certain business or commercial installations.
Maine Net Energy Billing (NEB): Full 1:1 Credit for Residential Solar
Maine's Net Energy Billing program credits residential solar owners at essentially the full retail supply rate for excess electricity sent to the grid — a genuine 1:1 credit, unlike many states that have shifted to lower avoided-cost or wholesale-rate compensation.
A 2025 law (LD 1777, with changes effective January 1, 2026) reformed NEB, but its most significant changes targeted commercial-scale and community solar projects, not home rooftop systems. The new "project charge" introduced for commercial and industrial NEB participants is set at $0 for systems under 1 MW — a threshold no residential rooftop system comes close to reaching. Residential homeowners retain their 1:1 credit structure.
Active Legal Situation — Check the Maine PUC
As of late December 2025, the Maine Public Utilities Commission delayed enforcement of portions of the new NEB statute while a U.S. District Court considered a preliminary injunction challenging the reforms. Residential rooftop 1:1 credits have remained intact throughout this dispute, but because the broader NEB program is in active litigation and regulatory flux, we recommend confirming current NEB rules directly with the Maine PUC at maine.gov/mpuc before finalizing your solar decision.
NEB Credit Rates: CMP vs. Versant
NEB credits are tied to retail electricity supply rates and vary by utility and rate class. Illustrative 2025–2026 figures suggest approximately $0.27/kWh for Central Maine Power (CMP) customers and approximately $0.32/kWh for Versant Power customers — but these are approximations. Exact credit rates change with rate cases. Confirm current NEB credit rates with CMP or Versant directly before modeling your payback.
Unused NEB credits roll over month to month for up to 12 months. After 12 months, any remaining credits are forfeited — there is no cash payout for accumulated surplus. This makes right-sizing your system to your actual annual consumption more important in Maine than in states with indefinite credit rollover.
Maine Electricity Rates: Supply vs. All-In Delivered Cost
Two separate figures matter here, and confusing them leads to incorrect payback estimates.
Supply-Only Rates (2026)
- CMP: ~12.7¢/kWh standard-offer supply (up from ~10.6¢)
- Versant Bangor Hydro: ~12.95¢/kWh
- Versant Maine Public: ~14.87¢/kWh
Supply-only — does not include delivery charges. Confirm current rates with your utility.
All-In Delivered Rate (2026)
Including delivery charges, the EIA-cited average all-in residential rate in Maine was approximately 32¢/kWh as of early 2026 — among the highest in the nation.
Solar savings are calculated against the full delivered rate you'd otherwise pay, making Maine's economics more favorable than supply-only figures suggest.
Maine's high all-in electricity costs are actually good news for solar ROI: every kWh your system produces replaces grid electricity you'd otherwise buy at roughly 32 cents. Even without the federal tax credit, that makes the math more compelling than in low-rate states.
Maine Solar Incentives in 2026
Property Tax Exemption — Active
Maine's Renewable Energy Investment Exemption fully exempts qualifying solar equipment — including panels, mounting racks, inverters, batteries used for solar storage, charge controllers, and associated wiring — from local property tax assessment. Your solar installation does not increase your property tax bill, regardless of how much it adds to your home's appraised value.
State Rebates — None Available
Efficiency Maine Trust focuses its programs on heat pumps, insulation, and weatherization — not residential solar panel purchases. There is no state rebate for rooftop solar in Maine. Do not factor a state rebate into your ROI estimate.
Federal Tax Credit — Expired
The federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It does not apply to systems installed in 2026 or later. Do not include a 30% federal credit in your calculations.
Maine Utilities and Solar Access
Central Maine Power (CMP, part of Avangrid) and Versant Power are the two dominant investor-owned utilities, together covering the vast majority of Maine residents. Versant operates two separate rate districts: the Bangor Hydro District (eastern and coastal Maine) and the Maine Public District (northern and more rural regions). Both participate in Net Energy Billing.
Some smaller municipal utilities and electric cooperatives — particularly in far northern Maine — may have different policies or may not participate in the standard NEB program. If you're not a CMP or Versant customer, confirm NEB participation and credit terms directly with your utility before committing to a solar installation.
Maine Solar Resource: 4 to 4.5 Peak Sun Hours/Day
Maine averages roughly 4 to 4.5 peak sun hours per day on an annual basis — below the national average, reflecting its northern latitude and winter cloud cover. However, this is still considered solar-viable, and many Maine homeowners achieve meaningful savings. Southern Maine (Portland, Kittery) outperforms northern Maine (Presque Isle, Fort Kent) by a meaningful margin. Treat the 4–4.5 figure as an approximate regional range; actual production depends on your specific location, roof pitch, orientation, and shading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about solar incentives, costs, and savings.
Always Confirm Current Terms
Net Energy Billing credit rates, utility policies, and program details change. Confirm current NEB credit rates and interconnection requirements with Central Maine Power (cmpco.com) or Versant Power (versantpower.com) directly, and check the Maine Public Utilities Commission (maine.gov/mpuc) for the latest NEB program rules, especially given the active regulatory and legal proceedings surrounding LD 1777 as of 2025–2026.