The General Assembly passed two of Environment Maryland’s priorities on solar power this year, speeding our transition to a clean energy economy.

One bill, sponsored by Gov. O'Malley, accelerates the requirements to draw more of our energy from solar power. Previously, state law required that solar power account for two percent of our energy consumption in 2022, but most of the increases were slated to happen in the later years. Thanks to this bill, more will happen sooner. This will quadruple our solar power capacity within two years.

The second bill requires energy companies to write you checks for the solar power you create. If you generate more power in a year than you consume, your utility will pay you for that power. Lead sponsors of this bill were Sen. Paul Pinsky (Prince George's) and Del. Brian McHale (Baltimore).

Let your legislator know you support solar incentives.  It should be cost-effective and easy for everyday people to use solar power.

According to the International Center for Sustainable Development, Maryland receives about 196,000 gigawatt-hours of solar energy on a sunny summer day, which is more than all the power plants in the state produce in a whole year.  Out of that great potential, almost one-fourth of Maryland’s residential roofs would be eligible for solar installation and effective energy production right away. 

Investing in solar power would help our state break its addiction to harmful fossil fuels.  Coal is a dirty, dangerous energy source, which emits large amounts of greenhouse gases and particulate matter into the air; it is alarming, then, that coal-fired power plants produce the vast majority of Maryland’s electricity.  Instead of powering our state with coal, Maryland needs to focus on supplying power for people’s homes and businesses with clean, renewable energy, which would help the quality of our air and water, and give our state an economic boost at the same time.

Putting solar panels on your roof means that your electricity is generated locally.  Generating power locally improves the efficiency of the entire system of energy production.  A significant amount of electricity – up to 7 percent– is “lost” in the transmission and distribution of power from central-station power plants to homes.  Solar panels and other forms of local generation avoid those losses.

 
Developing solar power in Maryland can benefit all those who live and work in the state –  reducing air pollution, protecting consumers from volatile electricity prices, and reducing the need for expensive upgrades to electric transmission systems.  By passing smart legislation, like the three bills listed below, the state can reap those benefits while creating green jobs and helping Maryland take control of its energy production.
Environment Maryland is working to pass three pieces of legislation to help our state take advantage of its great solar potential.