Maine scored 6 out of 13 on the 2025 Community Power Scorecard.
However, as of January 2026, Maine will end its community solar program.
Successful and meaningful community solar policies prioritize four central principles: 1) tangible benefits for participants, 2) flexible ownership structure, 3) synergy with other renewable energy policies, and 4) access for all residents.
At a minimum, state community solar policies must allow non-utility ownership of solar projects. Utility-owned programs are not community solar, but just another way for utilities to squeeze ratepayers for more profits.
The Maine Legislature first created rules for “net energy billing” in 2011. System size was limited to 660 kilowatts and a maximum of 10 participants were allowed per facility.
Maine expanded net energy billing in 2019 through L.D. 1711, raising the limit on community solar garden capacity to five megawatts and directing the PUC to establish a commercial solar tariff program to generate 350 megawatts of energy.
Maine effectively did away with community solar in June 2025 when LD 1777 ended the state’s net energy billing program. Maine’s energy officials are tasked with developing a new renewable energy incentive plan by September 2026.
See the top state community solar programs progress in our Community Solar Tracker.
Explore ILSR’s interactive Community Power Map of 18 state policies, including community solar, that help or hinder local clean energy action.
Compare Maine’s Community Solar program against other states’ in our Community Solar Policy Comparison Table.
This article was originally posted at ilsr.org. For timely updates from the Energy Democracy Initiative, follow John Farrell on Twitter or Bluesky, and subscribe to the Energy Democracy newsletter.
Featured photo credit: Allagash Brewing via Flickr. (CC BY 2.0)
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