As Maine works toward a more environmentally friendly future, the majority of clean energy investments have been directed at solar. Across our entire state, you’ll find 13 utility-scale solar projects, 298 community solar farms, and over 12,000 homes and businesses with solar panels, according to the Maine Governor’s Energy Office.According to Climate Central, 15% of Maine’s electricity came from solar in 2024. Today, July 22, solar panels across the state will generate 32,000 megawatt-hours of energy —enough to power roughly 172,000 homes. “Whether you are a direct purchaser or not, you are getting very real benefits and some financial benefits that are sort of hidden on your bill because they show up at different places,” said Maine Public Utilities Commission chairman Philip Bartlett II. Community solar farms send energy directly into the grid, while homes and businesses with solar panels typically use their own solar energy on-site. If they generate extra, that surplus usually goes into the grid as well — joining electricity from a range of other sources. Most of that solar energy gets used nearby.”Electricity is going to go to the closest point,” said Bartlett. “So, it’s looking for the closest demand for electricity. So, when it leaves your home or project, it’s generally going to stay in the area. It’s only if the demand is too low locally that it’s going to start moving elsewhere.”With the exception of the northern tip of Maine — which is connected to the Canadian grid — the vast majority of the state is connected to the New England grid. Some of our energy flows in from out of state, and some of the electricity we generate flows out.”We benefit from each other,” said Bartlett when asked whether other New England states were benefiting from local investments in solar. “You know, Massachusetts is the leader in solar right now in the region, and we all get a benefit of that because there is that downward pressure on prices. That has a benefit for us all.”Last year, 26% of Massachusetts’s electricity came from solar. “The only state that doesn’t have sort of aggressive climate policies is New Hampshire,” said Bartlett. While New Hampshire directly benefits from our expansion of solar, they do share some of the costs by investing in the shared transmission system. “I think it is important that all states kind of participate,” said Bartlett. As for what’s next, Bartlett says solar will likely keep booming in Maine, despite changes at the federal level.
As Maine works toward a more environmentally friendly future, the majority of clean energy investments have been directed at solar.
Across our entire state, you’ll find 13 utility-scale solar projects, 298 community solar farms, and over 12,000 homes and businesses with solar panels, according to the Maine Governor’s Energy Office.
According to Climate Central, 15% of Maine’s electricity came from solar in 2024. Today, July 22, solar panels across the state will generate 32,000 megawatt-hours of energy —enough to power roughly 172,000 homes.
“Whether you are a direct purchaser or not, you are getting very real benefits and some financial benefits that are sort of hidden on your bill because they show up at different places,” said Maine Public Utilities Commission chairman Philip Bartlett II.
Community solar farms send energy directly into the grid, while homes and businesses with solar panels typically use their own solar energy on-site. If they generate extra, that surplus usually goes into the grid as well — joining electricity from a range of other sources. Most of that solar energy gets used nearby.
“Electricity is going to go to the closest point,” said Bartlett. “So, it’s looking for the closest demand for electricity. So, when it leaves your home or project, it’s generally going to stay in the area. It’s only if the demand is too low locally that it’s going to start moving elsewhere.”
With the exception of the northern tip of Maine — which is connected to the Canadian grid — the vast majority of the state is connected to the New England grid. Some of our energy flows in from out of state, and some of the electricity we generate flows out.
“We benefit from each other,” said Bartlett when asked whether other New England states were benefiting from local investments in solar. “You know, Massachusetts is the leader in solar right now in the region, and we all get a benefit of that because there is that downward pressure on prices. That has a benefit for us all.”
Last year, 26% of Massachusetts’s electricity came from solar.
“The only state that doesn’t have sort of aggressive climate policies is New Hampshire,” said Bartlett.
While New Hampshire directly benefits from our expansion of solar, they do share some of the costs by investing in the shared transmission system.
“I think it is important that all states kind of participate,” said Bartlett.
As for what’s next, Bartlett says solar will likely keep booming in Maine, despite changes at the federal level.