- Maine residential power runs about 28.32 cents per kWh, well above the national average, so solar offsets an expensive bill (EIA, as of March 2026).
- Net Energy Billing (NEB) is the main benefit: the residential kWh Credit Program gives a 1:1 kWh bill credit for exported power, worth roughly the retail rate; unused credits expire after 12 months (Maine PUC).
- Efficiency Maine does not offer a solar rebate in 2026; its rebates are for heat pumps, weatherization, and EVs, not solar panels (Efficiency Maine).
- Solar for All ended: Maine’s federal Solar for All award was terminated in August 2025, so there is no active enrollment in 2026 (Maine DOER).
- Taxes: Maine does not exempt solar from its 5.5% sales tax, but it does exempt qualifying solar from local property tax (apply with your town by April 1) (Maine Revenue Services).
- The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 (IRS).
Maine homeowners pay about 28.32 cents per kWh for electricity (EIA retail sales, residential ME, as of March 2026), well above the U.S. average, so cutting that bill is worth real money. Maine pays you for solar a little differently than its neighbors: through Net Energy Billing rather than a classic net-metering credit, and with fewer cash rebates than people expect. This page is straight about what Maine actually offers in 2026, the programs that recently ended, and how to tell if your home qualifies.
Why solar pays in Maine
High rates carry the math, since the cash incentives are thin. At about 28.32 cents per kWh, a Maine home with a $150 to $250 monthly bill offsets expensive grid power with every kilowatt-hour the roof makes. Maine does not stack upfront rebates and state credits, so the economics lean almost entirely on bill offset and Net Energy Billing rather than cash back. Your production drives those savings, so estimate your roof’s likely output with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator; actual output depends on your roof’s pitch, orientation, and shading.
Maine solar incentives at a glance
Maine is a place where being honest about what is gone matters, because several widely-listed “Maine solar incentives” no longer apply. Here is what is real in 2026 and what is not.
| Incentive | What it does | 2026 status | Who receives it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net Energy Billing (kWh Credit) | A 1:1 kWh bill credit for exported power | Active, roughly retail value; credits expire after 12 months | The utility account holder | Maine PUC |
| Property-tax exemption | Excludes solar’s added value from assessment | Active under the Renewable Energy Investment Exemption; apply by April 1 | The property owner | Maine Revenue Services |
| State sales tax | Maine’s 5.5% sales tax | No exemption, solar is taxable | The buyer pays it | Maine Revenue Services |
| Efficiency Maine rebate | Cash rebate for home upgrades | No solar PV rebate (heat pumps, weatherization, EVs only) | Not applicable to solar | Efficiency Maine |
| Solar for All | Federal low-income solar help | Terminated August 2025, no active enrollment | No one, it ended | Maine DOER |
| Federal residential (Section 25D) | A 30% homeowner credit | Ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 | No 2026 homeowner-buyer | IRS |
The honest picture first. A lot of Maine solar guides still list a Solar for All program, an Efficiency Maine solar rebate, or a sales-tax exemption. In 2026 none of those apply: Solar for All was terminated, Efficiency Maine is not offering solar rebates, and Maine charges its 5.5% sales tax on solar like any other purchase (Efficiency Maine; Maine DOER). The real value is Net Energy Billing plus the property-tax exemption, and at Maine’s high rates that is still meaningful.
Heads up: because the cash incentives are thin, the payback in Maine comes mostly from the power you stop buying and your Net Energy Billing credits, not from rebates. Confirm the current NEB credit value with your utility and confirm the property-tax exemption with your town, since the exemption statute was revised in 2025. Ask a tax professional about your situation. MySolarFY does not provide tax advice.
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Net Energy Billing: how Maine pays you for solar
This is Maine’s version of net metering, and it is where the value is. Under the residential kWh Credit Program, every kilowatt-hour you send to the grid earns a 1-to-1 kWh credit on your bill, offsetting both the supply and delivery parts of your rate, which works out to roughly the full retail value of that power (Maine PUC). Two details matter: unused credits roll forward but expire after 12 months, so the best results come from sizing a system close to your annual usage; and the exact cents-per-kWh value shifts with Maine’s annual rate cases, so treat any fixed figure as current rather than permanent. For how export credits work in general, see how net metering credits your solar exports. For the full Maine breakdown, including both NEB tracks by customer class, the current CMP and Versant standard-offer rates, and how to avoid the 12-month credit-expiry trap, read our 2026 guide to Maine net energy billing.
Which utility you have decides where those credits land. Maine has two investor-owned utilities, and Net Energy Billing applies through both. Central Maine Power (CMP) serves most of southern and central Maine, including Portland, Lewiston, and Augusta, and is the larger of the two. Versant Power serves northern and eastern Maine, including the Bangor area and Aroostook County. Both are regulated by the Maine PUC, so the 1-to-1 kWh credit and the 12-month expiration work the same way on a CMP bill and a Versant bill (Maine PUC). If your power instead comes from a consumer-owned municipal utility, such as one of Maine’s small town or island systems, that utility sets its own net-billing terms, so confirm them directly before you size a system.
The separate NEB tariff option, which pays dollar credits instead of kWh credits, is for non-residential customers, so most homeowners use the kWh credit version above. To see how the credit lowers your monthly cost, read how solar lowers your electricity bill.
How you pay changes which incentives you keep
Maine has no upfront state cash to capture, so the ownership question is simpler here, but it still decides who holds the Net Energy Billing account and the property-tax exemption.
| How you pay | Up-front cost | Who owns the system | Net Energy Billing | Property-tax exemption |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | Full system price | You | Credits on your account | Yours to claim |
| Solar loan | Little or none, financed over time | You | Credits on your account | Yours to claim |
| Lease or PPA | $0-up-front where you qualify | A third-party company | Set by your contract | Follows the property |
If you own the system (cash or loan), you hold the Net Energy Billing credits and can apply for the property-tax exemption. If you lease or sign a PPA, the company that owns the panels structures how the NEB credits flow, and your benefit is a lower or fixed power price with no up-front cost. Neither path gives a 2026 Maine homeowner the federal residential credit, since that credit ended after December 31, 2025. For the federal timeline, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it.
What changed federally, and what it means for Maine
The federal homeowner credit is gone, and Maine had little state cash to replace it. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a Maine homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS OBBB FAQ; SEIA). Net Energy Billing and the property-tax exemption were not affected by that change, so the in-state value is unchanged even though the federal credit is gone. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
One federal exception exists, 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, and it runs for projects placed in service through 2027, with a begin-construction safe harbor by July 4, 2026 (IRS Clean Electricity Investment Credit; SEIA tax policy). For a leased system in Maine you do not file for a federal credit yourself; the company that owns the panels does. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025.
How to choose a solar installer in Maine
Maine has a solid market of licensed installers. Rather than chasing a “best” list, screen any installer against objective criteria:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- Proper Maine licensing and any required local electrical and building permits.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
- Real Maine experience and verifiable reviews, plus help with your Net Energy Billing enrollment and the property-tax exemption filing.
- A written production estimate and a transparent quote you can compare. 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.
Get local: see what solar costs in Portland, Lewiston, Augusta, and Bangor. Want every Maine solar number in one place? See our Maine solar data and statistics page. To see exactly how your utility credits solar, read our net metering guides for Central Maine Power and Versant Power.
Exploring a specific Maine market? See our local solar guide for Portland and Augusta. To see how your utility credits solar, read our net metering guides for Central Maine Power and Versant Power.
Frequently asked questions
What solar incentives does Maine offer in 2026?
Maine’s main benefit is Net Energy Billing: the residential kWh Credit Program gives a 1-to-1 kWh bill credit for exported power, worth roughly the retail rate, though unused credits expire after 12 months (Maine PUC). Maine also exempts qualifying solar from local property tax if you apply with your town. It does not offer a state solar income-tax credit, an Efficiency Maine solar rebate, or a sales-tax exemption, and the federal Solar for All award was terminated in 2025. At Maine’s high rates, the bill offset plus NEB still makes solar worth a look.
What happened to the federal solar tax credit?
The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. A Maine homeowner who buys solar in 2026 with cash or a loan cannot claim it. 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. Maine’s Net Energy Billing and property-tax exemption were not affected. See our guide on what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
How does Net Energy Billing work in Maine?
Net Energy Billing is Maine’s version of net metering. Under the residential kWh Credit Program, every kilowatt-hour you export earns a 1-to-1 kWh credit that offsets both the supply and delivery parts of your bill, so it is worth roughly the full retail rate (Maine PUC). Unused credits roll forward but expire after 12 months, so sizing a system to your yearly usage matters. The dollar-credit tariff option is for non-residential customers, so most homeowners use the kWh credit version, and the exact value shifts with Maine’s annual rate cases.
Does Efficiency Maine give a solar rebate?
No. Efficiency Maine states it is not currently offering rebates for solar projects, and its residential rebates cover heat pumps, weatherization, heat pump water heaters, and EVs instead (Efficiency Maine). If a quote claims an Efficiency Maine solar rebate, it is out of date. The way Maine supports rooftop solar is through Net Energy Billing and the property-tax exemption, not an Efficiency Maine cash rebate, so plan your budget around those.
What happened to Maine’s Solar for All program?
It ended. Maine received a $62 million federal Solar for All award in 2024, but the EPA terminated that award in August 2025, so there is no active enrollment for households in 2026 (Maine DOER). The state, through its Department of Energy Resources, has been reviewing its options, but as of 2026 there is no program to sign up for. Any guide that still lists an active Maine Solar for All program for homeowners is out of date.
Does Maine tax solar?
Partly. Maine does not exempt solar from its 5.5% state sales tax, so you pay sales tax on the equipment like any other purchase (Maine Revenue Services). On the other hand, Maine does exempt qualifying residential solar from local property tax under the Renewable Energy Investment Exemption, so your assessment does not rise because of the system, but you must apply with your municipality by April 1. Because the exemption statute was revised in 2025, confirm the current terms with your town’s assessor before counting on it.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified against the linked Maine (Maine PUC, Maine DOER, Efficiency Maine, Maine Revenue Services), EIA, and IRS sources as of June 2026; programs, NEB credit values, and the property-tax statute change, so confirm current terms with each source 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. 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.
