It may not seem like it in the midst of a Nor’easter, but Maine actually receives quite an incredible amount of solar energy each year – in fact, 33% more than Germany, the world leader in solar energy adoption. Our climate may be cold, but cold is actually good for solar panels. In the brisk but sunny fall and spring, solar panel installations in Maine will produce a disproportionately high amount of power, helping to offset any power loss when solar panels are covered in snow.

Mainers going solar have a few options, the most popular is a grid-tied solar electric array. ‘Grid-tied’ means the system connects to the public utility grid, providing reliable backup power when there is insufficient sunlight to power your home, such as at night or on cloudy days.

Conversely, a grid-tied system also sells excess power to the grid, meaning, when it is sunny and your system is producing more solar power than you can use, you’ll send the power back to the public grid, powering your neighbor’s house and earning you a credit. The solar credits you earn can be used to offset future grid power consumption.

Most of the systems we design will meet close to 100% of a home’s needs in a given year. In the summer, you will tend to produce more power than you need, and you will earn a credit. In the winter, you will tend to need more power than you produce, and so you’ll consume those solar credits. At the end of the year, you should be at or close to zero credits in the solar bank, a situation we call ‘net-zero’ (not to be confused with ‘off-grid,’ which means not using the utility grid at all!).

If we've determined solar is the right fit for your home, one of our Solar Design Specialists will come out to your home and conduct a more comprehensive assessment, physically measuring your roof to account for any details missed by satellite imagery.

The reasons are evolving and vary from one utility provider to another. However, a consistent fact is that around 50% of electricity in New England — a percentage significantly greater than the national average — comes from natural gas. Natural gas is a globally destabilized, finite resource that is neither produced by nor easily transported to our region. This means constant rate hikes from the utilities that depend on this resource, which means higher electric bills for New England residents. Meanwhile, solar power is abundant, local, and stable!

Most homes in New England are good candidates for solar, but a few factors impact it: the roof’s age, material, size, angle, and shading. The best roofs face Southeast to Southwest and don’t have obstructions like chimneys or skylights. If your roof isn’t ideal, you can install a ground-mounted system instead!

The cost of your installation will depend on how much energy you need, how much sunlight your home gets, and any local incentives available. If you pay a monthly electric bill, we offer financing options that are designed to be less than your current bill.

With solar, you can significantly lower or even eliminate your electric bill, depending on your energy use and local electricity rates (you'll still see a ~$17 charge on your bill because the utility company charges a fee for keeping your home connected to the power grid). Even if solar only cuts your bill by half, you'd save thousands over the life of your system. Plus, solar locks in a lower electric rate, protecting you from future increases in energy prices.

You have several ways to pay for your solar system. You can pay upfront with cash, which offers the best return, or choose a solar loan with flexible terms. We work with lenders to provide loans where your monthly payments are less than your current electric bill. You can also use a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) for lower interest rates or explore other financing options like personal loans.

The answer is that it's up to you. After finalizing your system details, our Customer Experience team will present you with a contract, help you navigate the details, and answer any questions. Once signed you will be added to our installation queue and a date will be set for your project.