Whereas Maine might not appear to be a pure match for photo voltaic panels, larger than common power costs may make rooftop photo voltaic panel set up make sense for you. Maine was among the many 10 states with the highest electrical energy charges in August 2023 — and the typical value per kilowatt-hour was up 20% from the place it was a yr earlier.
Larger electrical energy costs usually means extra financial savings from adopting photo voltaic panels, however this goes to indicate that how a lot electrical energy you employ is a giant a part of the equation, too. Whereas statewide developments are a helpful marker, your choice to go photo voltaic needs to be rooted in your particular circumstances. Photo voltaic panels nonetheless value hundreds of {dollars} even after getting less expensive over the past decade.
State-level incentives comparable to web metering and a property tax exemption for the worth that photo voltaic panels add to your own home may assist make the clear power change a extra engaging choice. A federal 30% tax credit score from the Inflation Discount Act may also cut back the price of your set up, however you need to calculate your seemingly financial savings over your photo voltaic panels’ lifetime earlier than taking the plunge.
When you’re fascinated with going photo voltaic in Maine, it is a good place to start out. These are a few of the photo voltaic corporations you may contract with for photo voltaic set up within the Pine Tree State.
Greatest nationwide photo voltaic panel corporations in Maine
Irrespective of what number of choices of photo voltaic installer you’ve got, you need to at all times get a number of quotes so you’ll be able to evaluate affords. Listed below are the nationwide photo voltaic corporations CNET has reviewed that function in Maine.
Palmetto Photo voltaic
Greatest total
Photo voltaic panels are usually low upkeep gear, however they’re additionally unfamiliar. If you wish to reap the advantages of photo voltaic however may have a bit extra peace of thoughts if another person is ensuring it is working, Palmetto is likely to be an excellent match for you. Simply keep in mind so as to add the price of Palmetto’s monitoring service in to your payback interval calculations.
SunPower Photo voltaic
Greatest photo voltaic panels
When you’re searching for top-of-the-line photo voltaic panels, SunPower is your most suitable option. However do not write it off when you’re searching for a much less flashy set up that can get the job carried out. This yr it began putting in Qcells panels, which ought to make an set up from the longest-tenured firm on our listing out there to extra individuals.
Freedom Eternally
Greatest for money clients
Embrace Freedom Eternally in your search in order for you the backing of a nationwide firm that installs all kinds of the most well-liked photo voltaic gear out there. Freedom Eternally additionally extends a few merchandise that take a few of the ache and danger out of going photo voltaic, like a manufacturing assure and an escrow possibility with money purchases. On-line critiques say buyer satisfaction has been low of late, although the corporate says that is altering.
Tesla Photo voltaic
Most inexpensive
Tesla’s photo voltaic department appears to be the least beloved of Elon Musk’s ventures. Even Tesla’s Photo voltaic Roof appears to get extra love.
If value is the factor you will not budge on, think about Tesla. By all accounts, Tesla installs high quality panels and makes the closest factor there’s to a family title in photo voltaic storage: the Powerwall.
The place you may miss out is customer support. Dialogue on-line appears to recommend Tesla’s service is a little bit of a big gamble.
Native photo voltaic panel corporations in Maine
Alongside the nationwide gamers, there are many native corporations to select from. This is a small choice of them.
Maine Photo voltaic Options is a neighborhood firm working solely within the Pine Tree State. Whereas most of its clients select to maintain their system tied to the ability grid, Maine Photo voltaic Options does provide off-grid photo voltaic, too. (You may solely take part in web metering packages in case your system is grid-tied.) You should purchase your photo voltaic panels or finance them via a photo voltaic mortgage.
Maine Photo voltaic Options sources its photo voltaic merchandise from producers together with REC, Hanwha Qcells, Silfab Photo voltaic and Tesla. All the photo voltaic panels it affords have an influence output guarantee for 25 years and all inverters are warrantied between 10 and 25 years. Maine Photo voltaic Options additionally affords a 10-year quality-of-work guarantee.
ReVision Vitality is a New England-based photo voltaic installer working in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Based in 2003, this installer has accomplished almost 14,000 photo voltaic tasks within the New England space. At present, ReVision Vitality clients should purchase their photo voltaic panels upfront or finance them over time with a photo voltaic mortgage.
ReVision Vitality affords photo voltaic merchandise from Qcells, REC, Tesla, Generac and different producers. Prospects may also select between rooftop and ground-mounted photo voltaic panels. Rooftop photo voltaic panels are commonest, however a ground-mounted system may go if in case you have the house and your roof is unfit for photo voltaic panels. ReVision Vitality gives a 5-year quality-of-work guarantee and chooses photo voltaic panels with a 25-year manufacturing guarantee from the producer.
The best way to decide which photo voltaic firm in Maine is best for you
The Photo voltaic Vitality Industries Affiliation says owners in Maine have 31 photo voltaic panel installers to select from. Photo voltaic panel corporations have totally different set up processes — some use in-house workers to carry out photo voltaic panel system installations whereas different corporations rent subcontractors. Ensure you know the set up means of the corporate you need to work with.
Discovering the suitable photo voltaic firm means discovering the one that most closely fits your power targets. Which means that you must think about a number of essential variables. Be sure that the photo voltaic installer you are seeking to contract with has the gear and warranties you are snug with and affords high quality customer support. Go into your consultations outfitted with information about what number of photo voltaic panels you want and how a lot it can save you (together with web metering and whether or not or not it is out there to you) in order that you do not get oversold.
Irrespective of how nice the primary firm you discuss to is, at all times get a number of quotes — a minimal of 4 to 5 photo voltaic firm consultations is an efficient begin. That method, by the point you lock in a contract with a photo voltaic installer, you understand you are getting an excellent deal.
Price of photo voltaic panels in Maine
This is a have a look at the typical money value for a typical photo voltaic panel system in Maine earlier than factoring in tax credit and incentives, in keeping with information from FindEnergy.com. It is essential to notice that your system may value extra when you select to put in a photo voltaic battery. Nationwide averages range from supply to supply. One estimate from photo voltaic consulting agency Wooden Mackenzie (PDF) places the typical residential value for the second quarter of 2023 at $3.28 per watt. All estimates and averages are simply that. The worth you pay may range primarily based on native components like allowing and labor prices and prices particular to your system like its dimension or the complexity of your roof.
Common value of photo voltaic panels in Maine
| Typical system dimension (kW) | Value per watt | Complete put in value | Price after 30% federal tax credit score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 6 | $3.80 | $22,800 | $15,960 |
| Nationwide common | 8.6 | $3.67 | $31,558 | $22,091 |
The interactive infographic under gives the typical whole value, value per watt and typical photo voltaic panel system dimension for various states, in keeping with information from FindEnergy.com. The costs proven don’t characterize fluctuations from tax credit or state photo voltaic incentives. If FindEnergy does not have photo voltaic information for a selected state, it seems grayed out on the map.
Photo voltaic panel incentives and rebates in Maine
Whereas photo voltaic panels have dropped in value within the final 20 years, buying rooftop photo voltaic continues to be a giant funding. You will discover photo voltaic tax credit and incentives on the federal, state and native ranges to assist make photo voltaic panels extra inexpensive.
One of many largest tax credit is the residential clear power credit score, beforehand often known as the funding tax credit score or ITC. The residential clear power credit score is a federal photo voltaic tax credit score that credit 30% of the price of your photo voltaic panel system whenever you file your taxes. It is supplied in all 50 states and was elevated and prolonged when the Inflation Discount Act was handed in August 2022. There isn’t a cap on this tax credit score, so you’ll be able to declare the total 30% irrespective of the dimensions or value of your photo voltaic system, so long as you pay that a lot in taxes.
To use for the residential clear power credit score, fill out IRS kind 5695 (PDF), following the IRS’s directions (PDF).
There are additionally a couple of state-level photo voltaic incentives in Maine. For starters, the state affords a property tax exemption on photo voltaic panels for residents who buy their system. Maine residents may also take part in web metering packages. Internet metering lets customers promote extra solar energy generated by their system again to the grid in trade for credit on their power payments.
Neighborhood photo voltaic, which is rising shortly all through the state, can be out there. With an lively utility account, you should purchase solar energy produced at one other location for about 10% to fifteen% cheaper than the usual electrical charge. Whereas there’s nonetheless room for enlargement, group photo voltaic will seemingly proceed to develop in Maine.
Need one thing smaller than a whole-home photo voltaic system? See our picks for the finest transportable photo voltaic panels and photo voltaic turbines.
Photo voltaic panels maintain the lights on at this lighthouse in Maine.
The best way to pay for photo voltaic panels in Maine
There are financing choices to make the change to photo voltaic inexpensive. Whereas some residents purchase photo voltaic panels upfront, others finance them over time with a photo voltaic mortgage. It is also essential to issue within the photo voltaic payback interval, which is the time it takes to recoup your upfront funding and when financial savings begins.
Listed below are some methods to pay for photo voltaic panels.
Photo voltaic mortgage: Your photo voltaic installer seemingly has a relationship with a financial institution or different monetary establishment to supply a mortgage designed for photo voltaic panels. This is usually a nice deal, however you will need to get a number of affords to make sure the charges and phrases are the perfect.
Lease or energy buy settlement: Some photo voltaic corporations permit you to lease your system or enter a energy buy settlement. When you select to lease, you will not personal the photo voltaic system, you will simply pay to be used of the gear. Coming into an influence buy settlement means you will purchase photo voltaic power generated from the photo voltaic firm to energy your own home. The worth you will pay is normally decrease than the retail charge out of your native utility firm. You will not get tax credit from leases and energy buy agreements, since you will not personal the photo voltaic panels. Maine permits third-party possession of photo voltaic panels, however rules range inside states, so affirm for your self.
Money: This method solely works when you occur to have hundreds of {dollars} sitting round in a checking account. If you do not have that but, however you need photo voltaic panels sooner or later, think about saving cash in a high-yield financial savings account. Rates of interest are excessive proper now, and this will help you save quicker.
Dwelling fairness: You do not have to make use of a mortgage out of your photo voltaic firm. Monetary establishments provide residence fairness loans and strains of credit score (or HELOCs) which are generally used for residence enchancment tasks. These loans can be utilized for mainly any function, they usually could also be an excellent match in your photo voltaic undertaking. Store round and be sure you’re getting the perfect deal.
Private mortgage: You may also borrow the cash via a private mortgage. The primary distinction between a private mortgage and a house fairness mortgage is {that a} private mortgage is often unsecured. Which means your home is not in danger. The draw back is they have a tendency to have shorter phrases and better rates of interest than residence fairness merchandise.
Set up components to remember
Investing in photo voltaic panels is a giant choice, so you need to think about all components that might decide whether or not it is the suitable transfer for you. Maintain these components in thoughts.
Is your roof proper for photo voltaic? Some roofs might not be in the suitable situation for environment friendly photo voltaic panel set up. The scale, form and slope of the roof will have an effect on how a lot energy the system can produce. In accordance with the Division of Vitality, photo voltaic panels might be most effective on roofs with a slope between 15 and 40 levels. You must also think about the age and situation of your roof. Whether it is older or in want of upkeep, your roof needs to be changed or repaired earlier than putting in photo voltaic panels.
Does your neighborhood enable photo voltaic panels? In some states, residence homeowners associations have the ability to prohibit photo voltaic panel programs. Maine legislation states that owners associations and neighborhoods are not allowed to ban photo voltaic panels, however might be able to affect your system’s design or location. Verify your owners affiliation bylaws earlier than getting into any settlement.
Are you able to add your panels to your insurance coverage coverage? Most customary home-owner’s insurance policies cowl rooftop photo voltaic panels, so that you should not have to take out a separate coverage. After putting in your panels, contact your insurance coverage company to replace your coverage. The particular particulars of your coverage may range relying in your protection.
Is your location proper for photo voltaic? On common, Maine receives 192 sunny days per yr, which is barely decrease than the US common (205 days). Photo voltaic panels are designed to supply power in all climates and areas with much less direct daylight. One rule of thumb says that photo voltaic panels make monetary sense in the event that they obtain at the least 4 hours of direct daylight a day. When you reside in a cloudy area of Maine or your roof will get fixed shade protection, a photo voltaic panel system will not produce as a lot electrical energy as it could in direct daylight.
Do you lease your own home? Renters might want to test with a landlord or rental administration firm to verify whether or not photo voltaic panels are allowed. If not, you’ll be able to think about group photo voltaic packages as an alternative choice to rooftop photo voltaic. Neighborhood photo voltaic is an efficient possibility for renters as a result of your subscription can align together with your lease. The photo voltaic power is produced at one other location, so there is no want for set up at your condo or rental residence.
How we discovered the perfect photo voltaic corporations
The businesses we listed above as “the perfect” are curated from CNET’s finest photo voltaic corporations listing. Firms making the perfect listing are scored on the gear, warranties and customer support they provide. Then, we make sure that these suggestions can be found in your state. You may learn a full breakdown of how we evaluation photo voltaic corporations right here.
Firms listed beneath the native installers have been chosen in a much less rigorous method. We selected them as a result of they supplied one thing distinctive or notable to clients within the state, they appeared well-regarded by web reviewers or as a result of they have been one of many few installers we may discover info on within the state.
Whether or not we have accomplished a full evaluation on an organization or not, it is at all times a good suggestion to get a number of quotes from totally different installers earlier than selecting an organization.
Maine solar energy FAQs
What upkeep is required for photo voltaic panels?
Photo voltaic panels can final greater than 30 years, however they may require some routine upkeep to carry out effectively. Probably the most fundamental upkeep you will want to consider is cleansing them of any filth and particles. Inside the business, it is also strongly advisable that you simply schedule an annual inspection with a licensed skilled to verify your system is working safely and effectively. When you discover a problem together with your photo voltaic panels, you could have to schedule extra upkeep or repairs.
Does Maine require photo voltaic panels on all houses?
No, Maine doesn’t require photo voltaic panels, not like California, which requires that newly constructed houses embody photo voltaic panel programs.
How can I discover a good photo voltaic installer in Maine?
Because the variety of photo voltaic installers grows in Maine, it may be difficult to decide on the suitable firm. Earlier than signing a contract with a photo voltaic installer, we suggest you totally evaluation your choices, get a number of quotes from totally different installers and browse buyer testimonials. You may evaluation CNET’s picks for high photo voltaic corporations to study extra about what to think about when looking for a photo voltaic installer.
