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Maryland News
Updated August 30, 2010
Maryland Energy Administration (MEA)
The MEA solar grant program recently announced that FY 2010 is a record funding year for solar energy grants state-wide, supported by funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Together with funds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), MEA was able to award grants to more than 2,000 Maryland residents and small business owners.
Check MEA's news page regularly for updates!
What's New with the Maryland Legislature
In early 2010, the Maryland legislature voted in a Renewable Portfolio Standard mandating 1500 megawatts of solar energy by 2022. In another move critical to our industry, the bill raised the net metering cap from 200 kilowatts (kW) to 2 MW.
The legislation will require 0.005% of the state's electricity supply to be generated from solar starting in 2008;increased incrementally each year until reaching the required 2% by 2022. If an electricity supplier fails to comply with the RPS they must pay a fee, currently set at 45 cents/kWh for solar, into the Maryland Renewable Energy Fund. The Fund will be administered by the Maryland Energy Administration and used to make loans and grants to support the creation of new renewable energy sources within the state.
Incentives to consumers who go solar will be SRECs-based, with a 15-year contract term. Residential consumers will receive upfront 15-year SREC payments.
Many thanks to MDV-SEIA, PV Now, Vote Solar, and all those who helped achieve a best-practices policy that will result in significant solar development in a growing East Coast market. A special congratulations and thank you to all of the committed citizens who wrote letters and to the law makers who worked to pass this bill.
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