Electricity Rates in Maine

Maine has 5 out of 22 electricity providers reporting that they offer net metering to residents with personal solar panels. At the state level, Maine has good net metering and feed in tariff regulations.

The average energy loss for electricity companies in Maine is 0.71%. This includes data from 4 companies, including Versant Power, Electricity Maine, and Houlton, Maine Electric Utility. For comparison, the countrywide average energy loss is 2.87%. Maine has a rank of 2nd best in the United States for energy loss.

Encouraging private citizens to install solar panels can be a challenge due to high initial costs. Governments can help by issuing rebates and tax breaks to their citizens. Maine currently offers no state tax credit to consumers who install private solar panels at their place of residence. The state offers no rebates to consumers who are purchasing private solar. Maine offers no property tax exemptions to homeowners who purchase private solar panels, making it less attractive for consumers to do so. The state currently does not offer a sales tax exemption for the install of private solar, leaving homeowners on their own for this one.

Whether a consumer is able to easily find electricity plans with renewable fuel sources is partially determined by state level initiatives. States that have Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) have requirements in place for all electric companies who operate in the state. These standards require that a percentage of electricity must be generated using green energy. Maine makes it necessary for electricity suppliers to generate at least 25% of their electricity output from renewable fuels. Furthermore, the state does not have any sort of low income solar programs that encourage the installation of solar panels at low income households.