Maine homeowners weighing solar want real numbers, not a sales pitch, so this page gathers the ones that matter in one place, each dated and sourced. The average residential electricity rate here is about 28.3 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), and a typical 7 kW rooftop system produces about 9,230 kWh a year in Portland. Under Maine Net Energy Billing, residential rooftop exports still earn a 1:1 retail-rate credit in 2026, which puts simple payback near 8.5 years. Below you will find installed cost, per-city production, how each utility handles net billing, and the current state incentives, updated for 2026.
Updated for 2026.
Key statistics: Maine solar at a glance (2026)
Key numbers (Maine, 2026)
- Average residential rate: 28.3 cents per kWh
- Typical system size: 7 kW
- Typical annual production: 9,230 kWh per year (Portland)
- Typical installed cost: $2.85 to $3.50 per watt
- Estimated system cost: $19,950 to $24,500
- Simple payback: about 8.5 years
According to MySolarFY’s analysis (July 2026), a typical 7 kW system in Maine produces about 9,230 kWh a year in Portland, offsetting power that costs about 28.3 cents per kWh. These are our own compiled figures for Maine; see Methodology below for exactly how each was produced. For the statewide rules behind these numbers, see our Maine solar guide. Comparing states? See our Rhode Island solar data and statistics for a side-by-side.
| Metric | Value | Source (dated) |
|---|---|---|
| Average residential rate | 28.3 cents per kWh | EIA, as of March 2026 |
| Typical system size | 7 kW | MySolarFY, typical residential array |
| Typical annual production | 9,230 kWh per year (Portland) | NREL PVWatts v8, as of July 2026 |
| Typical installed cost | $2.85 to $3.50 per watt | MySolarFY cost range, as of July 2026 |
| Estimated system cost | $19,950 to $24,500 | MySolarFY, 7 kW, as of July 2026 |
| Simple payback | about 8.5 years | MySolarFY analysis, as of July 2026 |
Every figure is dated and attributed. Rate is the EIA residential average for Maine; production is a modeled NREL PVWatts v8 run for a 7 kW array; cost and payback are MySolarFY estimates for planning, not a quote. Confirm current terms before you decide.
How much does solar cost in Maine, and what is the payback?
A 7 kW system runs about $19,950 to $24,500 installed in Maine, with a simple payback near 8.5 years in Portland and roughly 8.5 to 9.0 years statewide, based on local production and the 28.3 cent retail rate. Production and payback vary within a state because the solar resource and the local rate shift by location. The table below models a 7 kW system for representative Maine cities using NREL PVWatts v8.
| City | System size | Annual production | Est. system cost | Est. annual bill savings | Simple payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | 7 kW | 9,230 kWh per year | $22,200 | about $2,610 | about 8.5 years |
| Lewiston | 7 kW | 9,148 kWh per year | $22,200 | about $2,590 | about 8.6 years |
| Augusta | 7 kW | 8,844 kWh per year | $22,200 | about $2,500 | about 8.9 years |
| Bangor | 7 kW | 8,684 kWh per year | $22,200 | about $2,460 | about 9.0 years |
Production is a modeled NREL PVWatts v8 run per city ZIP. Bill savings value each exported kWh at Maine’s 1:1 retail-rate net energy billing credit, about 28.3 cents; unused credits roll forward and expire after 12 months, and power you use on-site offsets at the full retail rate too. These savings assume annual household use meets or exceeds production, so every kWh offsets at the ~28.3 cent retail rate under 1:1 net energy billing; a home that uses less will see some credits expire after 12 months and lower savings. Payback is the system cost divided by that savings. Cost and payback are MySolarFY estimates that hold today’s rate flat and ignore financing. A written quote for your roof beats any table.
Utility rate and net billing comparison
Your utility sets the delivery rate and administers net energy billing, which is the credit you earn for the power your roof sends back to the grid. Central Maine Power is the largest utility and serves most of southern and central Maine; see our Central Maine Power solar guide. Versant Power serves eastern and northern Maine through its Bangor Hydro and Maine Public districts; see our Versant Power solar guide. For the mechanics, see how net metering credits your solar exports.
| Utility | Residential rate | Net billing treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Central Maine Power (CMP) | Largest investor-owned utility, serving about 78 percent of Maine’s electric load across southern and central Maine (Maine PUC, 2024) | Maine Net Energy Billing: residential rooftop earns a 1:1 retail-rate kilowatt-hour credit in 2026; unused credits roll forward and expire after 12 months (Maine PUC Chapter 313). |
| Versant Power (Bangor Hydro District and Maine Public District) | Investor-owned utility serving eastern Maine (greater Bangor) and northern Maine (Aroostook), about 18 percent of state load combined (Maine PUC, 2024) | Maine Net Energy Billing: residential rooftop earns a 1:1 retail-rate kilowatt-hour credit in 2026; unused credits roll forward and expire after 12 months (Maine PUC Chapter 313). |
| Consumer-owned utilities | Several small municipal and consumer-owned utilities set their own local rates (not part of the EIA investor-owned average) | Net billing terms are set by each consumer-owned utility; confirm with your provider. |
Net billing rules are set by state law and the Maine Public Utilities Commission, not the installer. Confirm your utility’s current tariff before you size a system.
Maine solar incentive stack (2026)
State programs, net energy billing, and the property-tax exemption make up the Maine incentive stack; for the full breakdown see our Maine Net Energy Billing guide and our Maine solar overview. Maine does not exempt residential solar from state sales tax, so plan for sales tax on equipment. These incentives go to the system owner, so on a lease or PPA the company that owns the panels keeps them while the net-billing credit follows your account.
Maine Net Energy Billing (NEB)
Residential rooftop solar earns a 1:1 retail-rate kilowatt-hour credit in 2026. Unused credits roll forward and expire after 12 months. The 2025 reform (LD 1777) reworked the larger non-rooftop and community-solar tariff track and closed net energy billing to most new non-rooftop projects, while leaving rooftop net energy billing, including residential, unchanged (active 2026) (Maine Governor’s Energy Office / PUC Chapter 313, as of July 2026)
Renewable Energy Equipment property tax exemption
Qualifying residential solar equipment is exempt from local property tax, so the value it adds to your home is not taxed. You must file an application with your municipal assessor by April 1 of the first year you claim it (active) (Maine Revenue Services / 36 M.R.S., as of July 2026)
No Maine state income-tax credit
Maine’s former income-tax credit for installing renewable energy systems (36 M.R.S. Section 5219) is repealed, so there is no state solar income-tax credit to claim (not available) (Maine Legislature, as of July 2026)
Efficiency Maine rebates and loans
Efficiency Maine is not currently offering rebates for solar projects, and rooftop solar PV is not an eligible measure for its Home Energy Loans, so neither is available for residential solar right now (not currently available) (Efficiency Maine, as of July 2026)
Federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D)
Ended December 31, 2025 and is not available to homeowners who buy solar in 2026, so no federal credit reduces the cost for cash or loan buyers (ended 12/31/2025) (IRS, as of July 2026)
The federal homeowner credit has ended, but Maine’s net energy billing has not. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended December 31, 2025, so a Maine homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit, as of 2026). Maine’s 1:1 retail-rate net energy billing for rooftop solar and the property-tax exemption were not affected by that change. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means and our state solar incentives overview.
Methodology and sources
- Electricity rate: the latest EIA Form residential retail price for Maine (EIA retail sales, as of March 2026).
- Production: modeled with NREL PVWatts v8 for a 7 kW south-facing array at each city ZIP (NREL PVWatts v8 documentation, as of July 2026).
- Cost and payback: MySolarFY estimates built from installed cost per watt (informed by the DataForSEO cost SERP for Maine) and the EIA rate, holding today’s rate flat and ignoring financing.
- Incentives and net billing: the Maine Public Utilities Commission (Chapter 313 net energy billing), the Maine Governor’s Energy Office, Maine Revenue Services, Efficiency Maine, and the DSIRE incentive database (DSIRE, as of July 2026).
- Assumptions: a 7 kW system, standard losses, and a south-facing array. Your roof, usage, and financing change the result, so treat these as planning figures, not a quote.
Citing this data
Citing this data?
Cite as: “MySolarFY, Maine Solar Data & Statistics 2026, accessed July 19, 2026.” Data compiled by MySolarFY from EIA (residential electricity rate), NREL PVWatts v8 (modeled production), the Maine PUC and Governor’s Energy Office and DSIRE (incentives and net energy billing), and DataForSEO (cost SERP). Figures are dated in each table above.
Journalists and researchers may quote these statistics with attribution to MySolarFY and a link to https://mysolarfy.com/maine-solar-data-statistics-2026/.
See what solar programs are available in your Maine ZIP code
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How to choose a solar installer in Maine
Rather than chasing a “best installer” list, screen any company against objective criteria: NABCEP certification, a valid state license, a written workmanship and equipment warranty, real experience with your utility’s interconnection, and a transparent quote that uses today’s incentive values. For a checklist, see the right questions to ask a solar installer. MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average solar cost in Maine in 2026? A typical residential system in Maine runs about $2.85 to $3.50 per watt installed before any incentives (MySolarFY cost range, as of July 2026). A 7 kW system is a common size for a single-family home, which works out to roughly $19,950 to $24,500. Cost varies with roof, equipment, and installer, so use a written quote for your own numbers.
How much electricity does a solar system produce in Maine? A modeled 7 kW array produces about 9,230 kWh a year in Portland (NREL PVWatts v8, as of July 2026), and roughly 8,700 to 9,200 kWh across Bangor, Augusta, and Lewiston. Production drives both your net-billing credits and your payback, so estimate your specific roof rather than a generic number.
Does Maine have net metering in 2026? Yes. Maine Net Energy Billing gives residential rooftop solar a 1:1 retail-rate kilowatt-hour credit in 2026; unused credits roll forward and expire after 12 months. The 2025 LD 1777 reform changed the larger non-rooftop and community-solar tariff track, not residential rooftop net energy billing (Maine PUC Chapter 313, as of July 2026).
Did the federal solar tax credit end? Yes for homeowners. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended December 31, 2025, so a Maine homeowner who buys solar in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS, as of 2026). Maine’s net energy billing and property-tax exemption were not affected by that change.
Reviewed by the SolarFY Editorial Team. Figures were verified against the linked EIA, NREL, DSIRE, Maine PUC, and Efficiency Maine sources as of July 2026, following our data and methodology standards; rates, incentive values, and net-billing terms can change, so confirm current terms before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional. 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. Solar panels are not free and any monthly payments apply. “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 may include an annual escalator and total payments may exceed a cash purchase, and on a lease or PPA the incentives go to the company that owns the system. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.
