Is Solar Worth It in Maine in 2026?
Complete analysis of solar costs, incentives, net metering, and payback for Maine homeowners — without the federal ITC.
Cost Per Watt
$3.30
installed
Electricity Rate
$0.180
per kWh
Payback (No ITC)
15.9 yr
current reality
Payback (With 30% ITC)
11.1 yr
hypothetical
25-Year ROI
57%
return on investment
Incentive Breakdown — Maine
Available incentives for a typical 7kW residential solar system in Maine
Federal ITC (25D)
ExpiredThe federal solar Investment Tax Credit expired on January 1, 2026. No federal credit available for new installations.
State Tax Credit
NoneMaine does not offer a state tax credit for solar installations.
SREC Market
Not AvailableMaine does not have a traditional SREC market.
Property Tax Exemption
Solar system value excluded from property tax assessment
Sales Tax Exemption
Solar equipment exempt from state sales tax
Low-Income Program
AvailableMaine offers programs to help low-income households access solar energy.
Key Incentives: Property tax exemption for solar; Sales tax exemption on solar equipment; Low-income solar program available.
Solar Math — With vs Without Federal ITC
Cost breakdown for a typical 7kW residential system in Maine
2026 Reality (No Federal ITC)
- System Size
- 7 kW
- Cost per Watt
- $3.30/W
- Gross Cost
- $23,100
- Federal ITC
- $0
- Net Cost
- $23,100
- Annual Savings
- $1,452/yr
- Payback Period
- 15.9 years
Hypothetical (With 30% ITC)
- System Size
- 7 kW
- Cost per Watt
- $3.30/W
- Gross Cost
- $23,100
- Federal ITC (30%)
- -$6,930
- Net Cost
- $16,170
- Annual Savings
- $1,452/yr
- Payback Period
- 11.1 years
Impact: Without the federal ITC, Maine homeowners face a 4.8-year longer payback period — paying $6,930 more out of pocket.
Net Metering Policy — Maine
How Maine compensates your excess solar production
Full retail rate net metering — you earn the same rate you pay for electricity. Best case for solar savings.
Maine offers net energy billing at full retail rate for systems up to 660 kW under PUC rules.
Cost Per Watt Benchmark — Maine
Maine Average
$3.30/W
National Average
$3.05/W
Typical 7kW System
$23,100
Maine's average installed cost is above the national average of $3.05/W
Breakeven Timeline
Without the federal ITC, a typical 7kW system in Maine breaks even in 15.9 years. With the former 30% ITC, payback would drop to 11.1 years.
Without Federal ITC
15.9
years to break even
With Former 30% ITC
11.1
years to break even
Production Details
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