If Choptank Electric is your power provider on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, going solar works a little differently than it does with the big investor-owned utilities, because Choptank is a member-owned cooperative rather than a company with outside shareholders. You still get Maryland’s full retail net metering and you can still earn Solar Renewable Energy Certificates to sell for income, but the rate, the net-metering true-up, the interconnection steps, and even who answers the phone are the co-op’s own. This page covers Choptank’s own rate, how its net metering and the SRECs work, the aggregation option that matters for farms, how you connect, and the scam warnings the co-op itself publishes, so you can tell whether your roof is a good fit.

Choptank solar in 2026, at a glance

• Choptank Electric is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative serving all nine Eastern Shore counties, about 56,000 members, and it returns surplus revenue to members as capital credits rather than paying shareholders (Choptank Electric, as of June 2026).
• Choptank’s residential bill carries a $11.75 monthly customer charge and a delivery charge of about 6.351 cents per kWh, with the power-supply portion billed separately as a pass-through (Choptank Electric tariff, as of 2026).
• Maryland gives Choptank members full retail net metering, credited monthly, with an annual April true-up paid at the lower generation rate (Choptank net-metering FAQ, as of 2026).
• Your system earns one Maryland SREC per megawatt-hour, which traded around $40 in mid-2026 and which the system owner can sell for income (Flett Exchange, as of June 2026).
• The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025 (IRS, as of 2026), so most 2026 buyers cannot claim it, and Maryland’s own stack now carries the payback.

Choptank Electric at a glance

Choptank Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit Touchstone Energy co-op headquartered in Denton, Maryland, and it is also the interconnection authority for rooftop solar across its territory. Because it is a co-op, it operates at cost and is owned by the members it serves.

Detail	What to know
Type	Member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative (Touchstone Energy), based in Denton, MD (Choptank Electric)
Service territory	The rural areas of all nine Maryland Eastern Shore counties: Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester, serving about 56,000 members
Distinct from	BG&E, Pepco, Delmarva Power, and Potomac Edison, which are investor-owned utilities with their own rates
2026 rate	A $11.75 monthly customer charge plus a delivery charge of about 6.351 cents per kWh, with power supply billed separately (Choptank tariff)
Net metering	Full retail monthly credit, with an annual April true-up at the lower generation rate, and an option to roll credits indefinitely
SRECs	One Maryland SREC per MWh produced; the system owner keeps and sells them
Before you switch on	Choptank must program your meter and give final approval to operate

Why a co-op changes the picture

Choptank has no outside shareholders, so the savings model is built around members, not investors. A cooperative operates at cost and returns its surplus revenue to the people it serves as capital credits, allocated by how much power you buy, rather than paying dividends to stockholders (Choptank Electric, as of June 2026). That does not change how solar saves you money, but it does change who you deal with. Choptank itself recommends that one of your first calls, before you sign anything, is to the co-op, so it can confirm the net-metering and interconnection requirements and help you review your energy history (Choptank “Consider Solar?”, as of June 2026).

Why solar pays on a Choptank bill

Solar offsets the power you would otherwise buy from Choptank, and the co-op’s bill has a few distinct parts. There is a fixed $11.75 monthly customer charge, a delivery charge of about 6.351 cents per kWh, and a separate power-supply charge that is passed through and moves with Choptank’s wholesale power costs (Choptank Electric tariff, as of 2026). Because the supply piece is a pass-through rather than a single posted rate, there is no one fixed all-in cents-per-kWh figure on the residential schedule, so the simplest way to see your own number is to divide the total on your Choptank bill by the kWh you used. Either way, the fixed monthly charge stays even after you add solar, so a solar bill is rarely exactly zero.

Your production drives both the bill savings and the SREC income, so estimate it before you commit. A rooftop system on the Eastern Shore makes less power in the short days of December than in June, and the exact yearly figure depends on your roof’s pitch, orientation, and shade. We do not publish a fabricated production number here. Estimate your roof’s likely annual output with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator, then have your installer confirm it with a site-specific model. That production figure feeds your net-metering credits and the number of SRECs you earn.

How Choptank credits your rooftop solar

Net metering is the first of your two earnings, and Choptank credits it at the full retail rate each month. When your panels make more than your home uses, the surplus kWh are subtracted from the kWh you pulled from the grid, and any banked credit carries forward at the full retail rate of your rate class (Choptank net-metering FAQ, as of 2026). Your credits build through the long days of summer and draw down in winter. For a plain-English primer on how export credits work in general, see how net metering credits your solar exports.

The co-op-specific wrinkle is the annual true-up, and you have a choice about it. Once a year, in April, any banked credit you have not used is cashed out at the lower generation rate rather than the full retail rate (Choptank net-metering FAQ, as of 2026). Because Maryland’s Net Metering Flexibility Act lets most customers opt out of that cash-out and instead roll credits forward indefinitely at the full retail rate, and because Choptank also offers a monthly payout option, it is worth asking the co-op which choice fits your usage. The practical lesson stays the same: size the system close to your own yearly use so most of your output offsets retail-priced power. Eligible systems are generally 2 megawatts or smaller and sized up to 200% of your baseline annual usage.

Note: Maryland’s net-metering rules are being reviewed and adjusted in 2026, so confirm the current terms. The state sets a cap on how much net-metered solar can enroll statewide, and 2026 legislation is revising parts of the clean-energy framework, so the exact limits and mechanics are in flux (Maryland Office of People’s Counsel, as of June 2026). A system you interconnect now is credited under the rules in force when it is approved, but ask your installer and Choptank to confirm the current tariff rather than relying on an old rule of thumb.

Aggregated net metering for farms, towns, and nonprofits

There is an Eastern Shore wrinkle worth knowing if you run a farm or a nonprofit. Choptank offers aggregated net metering, which lets the surplus from one host meter apply virtually to other meters you hold, but it is limited to agricultural, municipal government, and nonprofit accounts under the same name served by Choptank (Choptank net-metering FAQ, as of 2026). Meters within about 800 feet are physically aggregated and farther ones virtually, and you supply a priority list of which accounts get credited first. For a working farm with several meters, this can turn one well-sited array into credits across the whole operation. A standard residential member uses ordinary net metering on a single meter.

Maryland SRECs: your second stream of solar income

On top of the bill credits, your system earns tradable certificates. Your system earns one Solar Renewable Energy Certificate, or SREC, for every megawatt-hour it produces, and the owner can sell those certificates into Maryland’s market for cash (Flett Exchange Maryland SREC prices, as of June 2026). It is a separate income stream from the power savings, so a typical home earns several SRECs a year on top of a lower bill.

The price moves, so treat any SREC figure as a snapshot. In mid-2026 a standard Maryland SREC traded around $40 per certificate, and the value is capped by the state’s Solar Alternative Compliance Payment, which steps down over time, from $45 in 2026 toward about $22.50 by 2030 (Flett Exchange, as of June 2026). Because the trend is downward, the SREC income in a 2026 quote should be modeled conservatively rather than stretched out at today’s price for fifteen years. One co-op detail worth clearing up: Choptank’s own Renewable Energy Certificates page is a green-power purchase program, where you buy RECs in $1.50 per 100 kWh blocks to support clean energy (Choptank RECs, as of 2026). That is different from the SRECs your own panels produce, which under Maryland’s rules belong to you as the system owner and which you can sell yourself.

Maryland incentives a Choptank member can stack

Beyond net metering and SRECs, Maryland adds a grant and two tax breaks. One correction worth making up front: the old $1,000 state solar rebate has ended, so do not count on it. For the statewide picture, see our Maryland solar incentives hub, and our guide to solar incentives for how these fit together.

Incentive	What it gives you	The Maryland detail
Net metering	Full retail monthly credit, with an April true-up at the lower generation rate (Choptank FAQ)	Being reviewed and adjusted in 2026, so confirm current terms
Maryland SRECs	One certificate per MWh, sold by the owner for income (around $40 in mid-2026) (Flett Exchange)	Cap steps down from $45 in 2026 toward $22.50 by 2030, so model it conservatively
Maryland Solar Access Program	An income-eligible grant of $750 per kW, up to $7,500 (Maryland Energy Administration)	Replaced the old $1,000 rebate; the FY2026 portal closed in April 2026, so confirm the next window is open
Sales and use tax exemption	100% exemption from Maryland’s roughly 6% sales tax on solar equipment (SUN Maryland incentives)	Applied at purchase; your installer normally handles it
Property tax exemption	The added home value from the system is exempt from property tax (SUN Maryland incentives)	Administered by the state assessment office; some counties add a local credit

The state grant is income-eligible and may be closed, so read the fine print. Maryland replaced its flat $1,000 rebate with the Maryland Solar Access Program, which pays $750 per kilowatt up to $7,500 but is limited to income-eligible households and runs on first-come funding, and its application portal closed in April 2026 with the next program year expected in summer 2026 (Maryland Energy Administration, as of June 2026). Do not assume a state grant is in your numbers until you confirm you qualify and the window is open. Maryland does not offer a separate state income tax credit for residential solar, so the value comes from net metering, the SRECs, the exemptions, and the grant if you qualify.

How to connect solar to Choptank Electric

Connecting a home system follows Choptank’s interconnection process, and the rule that matters most is that you cannot operate the system, beyond brief testing, until Choptank programs your meter and gives final approval (Choptank net-metering FAQ, as of 2026). The general path is:

1. Interconnection application. You or your installer file a generation interconnection request with Choptank. Most home systems fall under the simplest levels. There is no fee at Level 1, a $50 plus $1 per kW fee at Level 2, and a $100 plus $2 per kW fee at Levels 3 and 4.
2. Review and approval to build. Choptank reviews the application. Because parts of the rural grid are more constrained than others, availability can vary by location, so it is worth checking early.
3. Install and inspect. A licensed contractor installs the system, and you submit a signed Certificate of Completion along with the required electrical inspection.
4. Meter programming and approval to operate. Choptank programs your meter to register power flowing both ways, may run a witness test, and then gives final approval. Your system only starts banking net-metering credits and earning SRECs once it is approved to run.

Heads up: interconnection availability varies by location. Choptank publishes a hosting-capacity map that flags some areas as limited to small systems, or in a few cases closed to new generation, because the local grid is already near capacity (Choptank Green Energy, as of June 2026). Before you commit to a system size, ask Choptank or your installer to check the hosting capacity at your address so you are not surprised at the application stage.

What changed federally, and what it means on the Eastern Shore

The federal homeowner credit is gone, but Maryland’s programs are not. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a Choptank member who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS, as of 2026). For the full timeline, see what the end of the federal solar tax credit means in 2026. What carries the math now is Maryland’s own stack: full retail net metering, the SREC income, the tax exemptions, and the Solar Access grant if you qualify.

One federal exception remains, and it is not yours to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, is claimed by the business that owns a leased or PPA system, not by the homeowner. On a leased system you do not file for a federal credit yourself, because the company that owns the panels does. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025, so do not let a sales pitch tell a 2026 cash or loan buyer otherwise.

How to choose a solar installer, in the co-op’s own words

Choptank publishes its own guidance for members weighing solar, including a “Beware of Solar Scams” page, so the screening advice here comes straight from your cooperative. Rather than chasing a “best installer” list, the co-op tells members to:

• Get two to four bids instead of relying on a single pitch (Choptank “Consider Solar?”).
• Verify the contractor is fully licensed, insured, and experienced, and check credibility through the Better Business Bureau or the Maryland Attorney General’s office.
• Call Choptank early so it can confirm net-metering and interconnection requirements before you sign.
• Read the contract carefully, and be wary of high-pressure sales and of social-media ads promoting “no up-front cost” solar that target low and middle income homeowners (Choptank “Beware of Solar Scams”).
• Watch for impersonation scams, since some callers and emails pretend to be the utility.

For comparison with the investor-owned side of Maryland, see how the credits work under Delmarva Power solar on the Eastern Shore and BG&E Maryland net metering. MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation.

Check which solar programs are available at your address →

Frequently asked questions

How does net metering work with Choptank Electric in 2026? Choptank credits the surplus power your panels send to the grid at the full retail rate, subtracting your exported kWh from the kWh you used and carrying any banked credit forward month to month (Choptank net-metering FAQ, as of 2026). Once a year in April, leftover credit is cashed out at the lower generation rate, but Maryland’s Net Metering Flexibility Act lets most customers opt out and roll credits indefinitely at full retail, and Choptank also offers a monthly payout option. You keep paying the fixed $11.75 monthly customer charge, so a solar bill is rarely exactly zero. Eligible systems are generally 2 megawatts or smaller and sized up to 200% of your yearly use.

What is Choptank Electric’s residential rate in 2026? Choptank’s residential bill has a fixed $11.75 monthly customer charge and a delivery charge of about 6.351 cents per kWh, plus a separate power-supply charge that is passed through and changes with the co-op’s wholesale power costs (Choptank tariff, as of 2026). Because the supply piece is a pass-through rather than a single posted rate, there is no one fixed all-in cents-per-kWh figure on the residential schedule. The simplest way to see your own rate is to divide the total on your Choptank bill by the kWh you used, which is also the figure your solar offsets first.

How is going solar with a co-op different from an investor-owned utility? Choptank is member-owned and not-for-profit, so it operates at cost and returns surplus revenue to members as capital credits rather than paying outside shareholders (Choptank Electric, as of June 2026). For solar, the savings work the same way through net metering and SRECs, but the rate, the April true-up, and the interconnection steps are the co-op’s own, and Choptank asks that you contact it early in the process. The co-op also publishes its own solar guidance and scam warnings for members. The practical difference is mostly who you deal with and which specific terms apply, not whether solar pays.

Do I keep and sell my SRECs as a Choptank member? Yes, if you own your system. Under Maryland’s rules the owner of the solar system owns the Solar Renewable Energy Certificates it produces and can keep or sell them, and Choptank does not appear to claim a member’s rooftop SRECs (Maryland Energy Administration, as of 2026). A standard SREC traded around $40 in mid-2026 (Flett Exchange, as of June 2026). Note that Choptank’s own Renewable Energy Certificates program is a separate green-power purchase option, where you buy RECs in blocks, which is not the same as selling the SRECs your panels generate. If you lease or sign a PPA, the company that owns the system usually keeps the SRECs.

What Maryland solar incentives can a Choptank member get in 2026? Net metering and SRECs are the two biggest, and they stack. On top of those, solar equipment is exempt from Maryland’s roughly 6% sales tax, and the added home value from the system is exempt from property tax (SUN Maryland, as of June 2026). The income-eligible Maryland Solar Access Program adds a grant of $750 per kW up to $7,500 if you qualify and the window is open, though its FY2026 portal closed in April 2026 (Maryland Energy Administration, as of June 2026). Maryland has no separate state income tax credit for residential solar, and the old $1,000 rebate has ended, so confirm any grant before counting it.

What happened to the federal solar tax credit for Choptank members? The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a Choptank member buying with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS, as of 2026). A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, can apply to leased and PPA systems, but the business that owns the system claims it, not the homeowner. Maryland’s net metering, the SRECs, and the tax exemptions were not affected and still carry the payback in 2026. MySolarFY does not provide tax advice, so confirm your situation with a tax professional.

How do I connect rooftop solar to Choptank Electric? You or your installer file a generation interconnection request with Choptank before installation, with most home systems falling under the simplest levels (Choptank net-metering FAQ, as of 2026). Choptank reviews it, and because parts of the rural grid are more constrained than others, availability can vary by location. After a licensed contractor installs the system, you submit a signed Certificate of Completion and pass an electrical inspection. Choptank then programs your meter to register power both ways, may run a witness test, and gives final approval to operate. Your system can only start banking credits and earning SRECs once it is approved.

Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified against the linked Choptank Electric Cooperative, Maryland Office of People’s Counsel, Maryland Energy Administration, Flett Exchange, Solar United Neighbors, and IRS sources as of June 2026; co-op net-metering terms, the rate, SREC prices, the Solar Access Program, and interconnection availability reset over time, so confirm current terms with Choptank Electric and the Maryland Energy Administration before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the MySolarFY team and how we work.

MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, or government program. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing, where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA the SREC income and any state grant go to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.