Guides
Solar guides for Maryland homes and businesses
Straight answers on incentives, utility rules, county permits, batteries and commercial solar. Every figure is sourced and dated in the footnotes.
Written by the Soleil Energy Corp Team. How we research, write and update our guides.
Maryland incentives and policy
Rebates, tax treatment, net metering and the state rules behind them, with the dates they were checked.
-
Maryland solar incentives and tax credits in 2026
Maryland solar rebates, tax exemptions, SRECs and net metering: what still applies in 2026, what has ended, and how to confirm eligibility first.
-
Is there still a federal solar tax credit?
The homeowner solar credit ended after 2025. See what still counts, how leases and PPAs differ, and which Maryland programs can help instead.
-
Maryland Solar Access Program: who qualifies and how to apply
See who qualifies for Maryland's income-based solar rebate, the limits, the contractor list rule and the order of steps to follow before you sign.
-
Maryland home battery rebate (RCES): how it works
How Maryland's RCES battery rebate works: what it covers, the reserve-before-install rule, who files, the May 2027 deadline and what ended.
-
Maryland net metering changes in 2027: what to know
Maryland net metering closes to new customers by July 1, 2027, or sooner at the statewide cap. See how the deadline, cap and grandfathering work.
-
What replaces Maryland net metering after July 2027?
Maryland net metering closes to new entry by July 1, 2027. See what the law requires of its successor, what is still undecided, and what to ask first.
-
How do SRECs work in Maryland?
Learn how Maryland SRECs work, what dated broker quotes mean, how to register and sell credits, and what to check when a solar home changes owners.
-
Maryland solar panel laws in 2026: what changed and what hasn't
Maryland's 2026 solar law covers permit software, net metering and plug-in panels. Plus HOA limits, roof-code basics and the dates still ahead.
Utilities, bills and interconnection
Why bills move, how Pepco and BGE connect a system, and what permission to operate means.
-
Why is my Pepco bill so high?
Understand why your Pepco bill rose, compare Maryland and DC changes, and check usage, supply, delivery, and practical ways to lower costs.
-
Why is my BGE bill so high?
Why a BGE bill jumps: usage, supply, delivery and EmPOWER charges, Budget Billing balances, the pending rate case, and what solar can and can't change.
-
How to lower your electric bill in Maryland
Compare supply terms, usage, utility checkups, time-of-use rates, and bill help before you decide whether solar or a battery fits your home.
-
Data centers, electricity bills and PJM capacity
How data center demand and PJM capacity auctions reach Maryland and DC electric bills, with the market monitor's dollar estimates and a bill checklist.
-
Pepco solar interconnection and permission to operate
How Pepco's Maryland solar interconnection works, which review clocks Maryland rules set, what permission to operate means, and what to do when it stalls.
-
BGE solar interconnection and net metering explained
How BGE reviews a home solar application, what it needs before permission to operate, how net metering credits work, and the 2027 cutoff to watch.
County permits and local guides
Permit offices, utilities and local programs in the counties we serve.
-
Montgomery County solar permits: who files, which office, what Pepco needs
How solar permits work in Montgomery County, Maryland: who files, county versus city offices, the Pepco steps, net metering and which incentives remain.
-
Prince George's County solar permits: Pepco and SMECO
How Prince George's County solar permits, DPIE inspections, Pepco or SMECO interconnection and the county tax credit and solar grant fit together.
-
Howard County solar permits and BGE: a homeowner guide
How Howard County solar permits work through DILP, what BGE needs before you can switch on, and the Columbia, historic and HOA checks to make first.
Buying solar and what it costs
Sizing, roofs, proposals, contractor checks and what to ask before you sign.
-
Is solar worth it in Maryland without the tax credit?
Compare Maryland solar economics without the homeowner credit, with sourced assumptions, export-rule risks, and reasons to pause before buying.
-
Solar panel cost in Maryland: what changes the price
What home solar cost per watt in Maryland in 2025, how system size changes the total, why quotes differ and which tax breaks and rebates still apply.
-
How many solar panels does a house need?
Panel count follows your yearly electricity use, local sunshine and panel wattage. See the formula and worked examples for Maryland, DC and Virginia.
-
Solar panel installation process in Maryland
Follow the solar panel installation process in Maryland, from roof review and permits to inspection, meter work, and utility approval.
-
What happens at a solar consultation and site survey?
Prepare for a solar consultation with the right bills and roof records. Learn what a site visit checks and what to ask for in a written proposal.
-
Should you replace your roof before installing solar?
Roof age, remaining life, removal costs and Maryland contract rules: how to decide whether to replace your roof before installing solar panels.
-
Which roofs work for solar? Flat, metal, slate and tile
See how solar fits flat, metal, slate and tile roofs, from DC rowhouses to Maryland homes, plus the mounting, permit and historic review checks.
-
How to check an MHIC license for solar in Maryland
Look up a Maryland MHIC license, check who connects the system, see what local permit offices add, and learn what the Guaranty Fund covers.
-
Solar scams and door-to-door pitches: red flags in Maryland
Spot red flags in door-to-door solar pitches in Maryland, check a seller's license, use your right to cancel and learn where to report a scam.
-
Buying a house with solar panels: a checklist
Checklist for buying a house with solar panels: ownership, title filings, lender rules, utility approval, net metering, credits, warranties, inspection.
Batteries and backup
What solar does in an outage, and how batteries and generators compare.
-
Do solar panels work in a power outage? A Maryland guide
Most grid-tied solar shuts off in an outage by design. See what a battery changes, what Maryland outage data shows, and what to get in writing.
-
Whole home battery backup: how it works in Maryland
How home battery backup works in Maryland: what it can run, heating and cooling limits, permits, utility steps and the state storage rebate.
-
Home battery backup vs generator for a Maryland home
Compare home battery backup vs generator options for Maryland outages, including runtime, fuel, charging costs, maintenance, permits, and hybrid designs.
-
Home battery backup without solar: when it makes sense
A battery without solar can back up chosen circuits in an outage. See what it can't do, how Pepco and BGE rates apply, and Maryland rebate rules.
-
Can you add a battery to existing solar panels?
How your inverter shapes a battery retrofit, what Maryland net-metering rules say about added equipment, and when to reserve the state rebate.
EV charging
Home and workplace charger installation, in plain terms.
-
Level 2 EV charger at home: what installation involves
What a home Level 2 charger installation involves: panel, circuit, permits in Maryland and Arlington, inspection, the state rebate and solar.
-
Workplace and commercial EV charging: what to plan
Plan workplace EV charging in Maryland: how many chargers, power and load management, permits, ownership, and the state grant that closes in December.
Commercial solar
Site checks, interconnection, demand charges, tax treatment and operations for business owners.
-
Is my building right for commercial solar? A site checklist
Check roof condition, structure, shade, electrical service, utility limits, and lease rights before committing to commercial solar.
-
How much does commercial solar installation cost?
What commercial solar costs to install, what moves the price, and how the federal credit deadline and demand charges change what a project saves.
-
Commercial solar returns: how to model a building's numbers
Model a commercial solar return with real tariff components, tax assumptions, operating costs and downside cases before you approve a project.
-
Commercial solar tax credit: the deadline explained
What the commercial solar tax credit deadline means for a business project: construction start, in-service date, equipment sourcing and utility approval.
-
Maryland commercial solar grants and C-PACE in 2026
See which Maryland commercial solar grants are open, who qualifies for the fiscal year 2027 grant, and how C-PACE property-tax financing works for solar.
-
Commercial solar interconnection: utility approval guide
How commercial solar interconnection works in Maryland: review levels, utility application steps, study timelines, fees, and where PJM review applies.
-
Solar demand charges: what panels and batteries change
See how demand charges appear on Pepco, BGE and Dominion business tariffs, and when solar panels, a battery or both can lower a building's monthly peak.
-
Commercial battery storage in Maryland: costs and incentives
What commercial battery storage costs, how peak shaving differs from backup, and which federal and Maryland incentives are open, with dates.
-
Commercial solar O&M: what a maintenance scope covers
Learn what commercial solar O&M should cover, how public benchmarks price it, and how availability and performance commitments are written.
Owning and maintaining solar
Monitoring, repairs, warranties and what to do when something stops working.
-
Do solar panels work in winter, snow and clouds?
Do solar panels work in winter? See modeled Maryland output by month, what snow and clouds do to production, and how net-metering credits carry over.
-
Why is my solar system not producing?
Find out why solar output stopped or dropped, what you can safely observe, and when to request a professional system diagnosis.
-
Solar monitoring offline or not reporting? What to check
Solar app showing offline or not reporting? See what the status means, what you can check from the ground, and when to call a professional.
-
Solar inverter replacement: signs, timing and options
How to tell a failed solar inverter from a fixable one, what to check in the warranty, and the Maryland permit and utility steps before you approve a swap.
-
Solar panel repair in Maryland: diagnosis before replacement
Find out what a solar repair diagnosis should cover, how technicians tell component faults apart, and what to ask before approving a replacement.
-
Roof leak under solar panels: first steps, causes and who may pay
A roof leak under solar panels: what to do first, where water gets in, who inspects it, and where warranties, insurance and Maryland's Guaranty Fund fit.
-
Solar panel warranties explained: product, workmanship, roof
Learn what product, output, workmanship and roof warranties cover, who stands behind each one, and what to get in writing before you sign or sell.
-
Who services my solar panels if another company installed them?
Another company may service solar panels it did not install. See who must approve the work, which records to gather and how to check licenses.
-
Solar company went out of business? What to do next
Find who to contact for solar warranties, monitoring, unfinished approvals and consumer complaints when your original installer closes.
