Solar power in Maine

Solar panels

Solar power in Maine on rooftops can provide 60% of all electricity used in Maine with 6,300 MW of solar panels. Maine and Vermont are tied for the second highest in the country, behind California, for rooftop solar potential.[1] A 2012 estimate suggests that a typical 5 kW system costing $25,000 before credits and utility savings will pay for itself in 14 years, and generate a profit of $24,683 over the rest of its 25-year life.[2]

Net metering is available to all consumers for up to at least 100 kW generation. Excess generation is rolled over each month but is lost once each year.[3] Maine is given a B for net metering and a B for interconnection.[4]

In October 2007, Maine's largest solar array was the 15.12 kW solar array installed at Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell for $166,000,[5] which through June 11, 2012 has generated 73,416 kWh.[6] Since then average solar costs have dropped substantially, and continue to decline.

In 2011 Maine's largest solar array, 41 kW, was installed on the roof of a new, LEED Platinum grocery store in Augusta.[7][8] A 500 kW system is proposed for otherwise unusable land at the former Loring Air Force Base.[9]

A 9.9 MW solar farm is proposed for Monroe, to be built in 2016.[10]

Installed capacity

Solar insolation in Maine is roughly 33% greater than Germany, the leader in solar installations in 2012.[11]

Source: NREL[12]
Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW)[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]
Year Capacity Installed % Change
2007 0.2
2008 0.3 50%
2009 0.3 0%
2010 0.5 0.2 67%
2011 1.1 0.6 120%
2012 2.8 1.7 154%
2013 5.3 2.5 89%
2014 12.7 7.4 140%
2015 19.4 6.7 53%

See also

References

  1. ↑ Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States
  2. ↑ Maine
  3. ↑ Maine Net Metering
  4. ↑ Freeing the grid
  5. ↑ Maine’s Largest Solar Array Built at Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell
  6. ↑ Solar Savings
  7. ↑ Hannaford set to open greenest grocery store
  8. ↑ LEED Platinum Hannaford in Augusta, Maine
  9. ↑ Loring officials envision solar farm on otherwise unusable brownfield
  10. ↑ Maine’s largest solar farm expected to go online in 2016
  11. ↑ Maine Solar Energy FAQ’s
  12. ↑ "PV Watts". NREL. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  13. ↑ Sherwood, Larry (August 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2011" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
  14. ↑ Sherwood, Larry (June 2011). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2011-06-29.
  15. ↑ Sherwood, Larry (July 2010). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2010-07-28.
  16. ↑ Sherwood, Larry (July 2009). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  17. ↑ Sherwood, Larry (August 2008). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2007" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  18. ↑ Sherwood, Larry (July 2009). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  19. ↑ Sherwood, Larry (July 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
  20. ↑ Sherwood, Larry (July 2014). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2013" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2014-09-26.
  21. ↑ Maine Solar
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