Solar Panel Cost in Maine (2024 Local Savings Guide)

Solar Panel System Installation Cost in Maine

The biggest factor that will influence the price of your solar energy system is size. Every home has different energy needs, and the solar electricity system is sized accordingly. While the standard system size in Maine is 6 kW, adding or reducing the size by just one kilowatt will change your price by around $3,640. The table below provides standard system sizes in Maine with average costs for each before and after the federal tax credit.

Ready to see your system size and how much switching to renewable energy can save you? Check out our review of the best solar companies in Maine to find an installer that can provide an accurate estimate.

See also: Calculate the costs and savings you can get from installing solar panels

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What Determines the Cost of Solar Panels in Maine?

Your choice of solar equipment, financing option and installer will all determine the cost of your solar power system. Net metering, rebate programs and other incentives can also save you money, so make sure to take advantage of the solar incentives in Maine.

Solar Equipment

Although Maine gets enough sunlight to make solar feasible for most homeowners, Northeastern states don’t receive as much sunlight as states closer to the equator. 

As such, most homeowners will require high-efficiency monocrystalline solar panels, rather than cheaper polycrystalline panels, to generate the power necessary to offset their energy use. Talk to your local installer about which solar panels will be best for you. 

Although snow and rain can help clean your solar panels, making them more efficient, excessive snow buildup can block the sun and even cause damage to your system. 

Snow is definitely a consideration for homeowners looking to install solar panels in Maine, so make sure you look for panels that have good snow load ratings and a comprehensive warranty that covers weather-related damage. We recommend REC solar panels.

Solar Financing Options in Maine

In addition to solar incentives like statewide net metering, property tax exemptions and the federal solar tax credit, Maine residents are also eligible for local rebates and financing programs. 

In 2011, Efficiency Maine established the Maine Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, which makes renewable energy more accessible to property owners by offering low-interest, long-term loans for home upgrades like solar panel installation. Currently, the PACE program covers 176 municipalities in Maine. 

You can check with your local government to learn about local rebates and financing options, which can lower the total of your solar PV system by 10%-20%.

We should also mention that cash purchases usually lead to the greatest savings over time because you own your system and avoid interest, but they are the least accessible. They’re likely to come even less accessible in the future, as the net metering policy in Maine is expected to get less beneficial in the coming years, much like it did in 2023 in California. If that does happen in Maine, batteries will become a necessity, and installation costs will likely go up by between $10,000 and $20,000.

That would make solar installation far more expensive — an average of $41,840 in Maine for panels and two batteries — and financing would likely become the only viable option for far more customers.

Maine Solar Installation Company

Although Maine does not have a huge residential solar industry, there are still great installation companies in the state. ReVision Energy and Maine Solar Solutions are both locally owned and operated companies known for their excellent customer service, reputation and feasible prices. 

Larger companies like SunPower operate nationwide, reaching parts of Maine. SunPower offers some of the industry’s most powerful products, an all-inclusive warranty and panels that are Cradle to Cradle certified sustainable. 

However, if you want the best of the best, you’ll have a price tag that reflects it. If you’re looking for a company to meet you where your budget needs are, try reaching out to a few local installers. You can visit our page to learn about some of Maine’s most reputable solar companies. 

Additional Considerations and Costs

Check out these additional considerations and costs that you should know about before going solar: 

• Permits: Solar panel installations on the residential level typically do not require a permit in Maine. However, you should still check with your local municipality before installing. Solar installations that occupy 20 or more acres or could impact natural resources, therefore requiring a permit from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. 
• Interconnection agreements: Unless you plan to be 100% disconnected from the grid, you’ll need the approval of your electricity provider in what’s called an interconnection agreement. These agreements often come with a fee. For example, Central Maine Power charges a $100 interconnection fee for basic solar installations.
• Warranties: All solar panel companies are required by law to offer a minimum warranty for their equipment. However, most solar panel companies offer a 25-year warranty, far longer than the legal requirement. The best product warranties typically come from more expensive manufacturers, so think about that as you consider costs.  
• HOAs: Maine is covered under a solar entitlement law, which restricts homeowners associations (HOA) from preventing residents from installing solar panels on their homes. 
• Environmental zoning: Environmental zoning is generally only required for industrial-sized solar projects in Maine.
• Batteries: Batteries are more of a luxury now than they are a necessity, but that could change if Maine’s net metering credit rate dips, as it’s doing in many other states. Batteries average around $10,000 each, and total installation costs could go up by between $10,000 and $20,000.

Watch Below: How Well Will Your Solar Panels Still Work When Covered In Snow?

Maine Solar Incentives

All Maine residents can take advantage of several solar rebates and incentives, which together can lower your total cost by thousands of dollars and save you much more money on energy bills over time. Below are the incentives available to homeowners in the Pine Tree State.

Federal Solar Tax Credit For Maine Homeowners

The biggest solar rebate afforded to Maine residents is the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC). This rebate totals a massive 30% of your installation costs, which, in Maine, averages out to a savings of $6,552.

The federal tax credit will decrease to 26% in 2033 and 22% in 2034 before expiring in 2035. 

Net Metering Policies in Maine

Net metering is a policy that allows you to overproduce with your renewable energy system and get compensated for any excess energy. Your system is connected to the grid via an inverter. When your electricity generation is less than what your home is using, the grid supplies the difference to keep your home powered. When you’re overproducing — like on a sunny day — the additional energy gets routed to the grid, and you earn energy credits.

Maine has a solar-friendly governor who mandated net metering throughout the state, so residents can take full advantage of net metering. The state has a robust Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) goal of creating 80% of the entire state’s energy via renewable resources by 2030, and this incentive helps reach that goal.

You’ll earn credits for all overproduction, and those credits can be applied to future energy bills. This helps offset electric costs even when your panels are covered by snow or during cloudy days.

As mentioned above, net metering policies have been changing for the worse in other states, and the same could happen in Maine in the coming years. As a result, there has never been a better time to convert to solar in your area, especially since the current cost of electricity is 27.81 cents per kWh, quite a bit higher than it was at the beginning of 2023.

Local Solar Rebates in Maine

In addition to the great net metering policy and the federal tax credit, Maine homeowners can take advantage of several local incentives offered by the state.

First, Maine takes part in the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, which are affordable and accessible loans for switching to clean energy. When combined with Efficiency Maine’s Home Energy Savings Program, PACE loans can make going solar much more affordable. These loans often come with low APRs, meaning you’ll pay less in interest over time than you would with traditional financing.

Maine is also a proponent of community solar, which allows homeowners who cannot accommodate rooftop solar systems to participate in solar solutions. Community solar lets you tap into off-site community solar farms to power your home, lowering your electric bills and potentially bringing you almost entirely off-grid without having to install solar panels on your roof.

Maine also provides a property tax exemption for photovoltaic (PV) systems. Provided you buy or finance your solar panels, your property value will increase significantly. Typically, home improvements that raise your home’s value also bump up your property taxes. This exemption prevents that from happening, so your property taxes won’t increase with solar panels even though your property value will.

It’s best to check the DSIRE database for additional local incentives or new rebates. Currently, Maine doesn’t offer sales tax exemptions on solar equipment, but this exemption could be added in the future and save you hundreds of dollars.

The Best Solar Panel Brands Available in Maine

Based on our review of the best solar panels, the EcoWatch team identified the most popular and most efficient solar equipment available. We’re including each brand below, along with relative pricing so that you can see how they stack up against the others.

Ready to see how much you can save by going solar? Follow the links below to connect with a top installer in Maine. These companies will help you get a quick, no-obligation solar quote for your upfront cost and long-term savings.

Best National Provider

5/5

National coverageGreat warranty coverageMost efficient panels

Get Free Quote

Outstanding Social Impact

4.5/5

Comprehensive service offeringsCertified B CorpMany years of experience

Get Free Quote

Outstanding Local Installer

4.5/5

Comprehensive service offeringsOutstanding customer serviceLocally owned and operated

Get Free Quote

Read More About Going Solar

• What Are the Best Solar Installers in Maine?
• Is it Worth Going Solar in Maine?
• How Much Can You Save With Solar Incentives in Maine?

The cost information presented in this article is derived from a comprehensive analysis, incorporating data from multiple industry sources. The average cost per watt per state was calculated based on figures from Consumer Affairs, Energy Sage, and Berkeley Lab’s Electricity Markets & Policy Department. Additionally, monthly energy consumption and the average monthly cost of electricity were sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, ensuring a well-rounded and accurate representation of the information presented.