Community Solar
Community solar offers savings regardless of whether you’re a renter or homeowner. Save money while saving the environment!
Maryland’s Community Solar Programs
A brief history...In 2015, Maryland LCV worked with legislators in the General Assembly (Del. Luke Clippinger from District 46 and now-retired Sen. Victor Ramirez from District 47) to pass a seven-year solar pilot program that set the national standard for what was, at the time, a new concept in solar development: providing a way for individual households to subscribe to a solar project to reap the rate benefits of residential solar without having to actually install solar panels on their roofs.
Fast forward to 2023, the community solar model had taken off across the country, and it was time for Maryland to renew its commitment. Partnering again with Del. Clippinger and Sen. Ben Brooks (District 10), Maryland LCV helped pass legislation that made the community solar program permanent, including an important emphasis on making the program benefits available to the Marylanders who need it most: those in low and moderate-income households, and in communities already overburdened with pollution.
Project Catherine Site Visit, Howard County
4 Things to Know About Community Solar
Baltimore County Community Sustainability Coordinator Michelle Bennett is recommending community solar to Maryland residents. She joined us at Solar-Power Lunch earlier this year in Baltimore.
She has four tips for anyone considering community solar:
- Community Solar does not put solar panels on your property. It is a subscription program to join a solar farm.
- Community Solar can save any resident with an electric bill 10% off their electricity costs, including the subscription fee. Many Marylanders can qualify for greater savings at 20% or 30% off.
- Is it real? There is a state website where you can see all of the legitimate Community Solar projects and companies in Maryland.
- There is a difference between Community Solar and Electric Providers. Electric Providers sell price plans for electricity, meaning you get charged different prices at different times of day. Sometimes this helps people save money; sometimes it does not. Community Solar is a totally different initiative that is required by law to pass cost savings from solar technology directly to consumers.
Look into community solar from either Ampion or Neighborhood Sun.
Conservation Conversations: Community Solar
Watch Del. Luke Clippinger and former Maryland LCV Chair Lynn Heller discuss Community Solar on an episode of Conservation Conversations.
And watch a demonstration of the process of signing up.
Hint: It’s easy. You just need to have your utility bill handy.
Learn about community solar projects in your area via Maryland Energy Administration’s database
Imagine it as a “shared garden.” Much like a communal garden where you have a portion of land to cultivate, community solar allows you to secure a portion of a solar farm to power your home. Both homeowners and apartment dwellers can benefit from electricity sourced from a local solar farm, which offers rates that are 5-30% less than standard utility charges—this is a guarantee.
ZERO solar panels on your premises
ZERO fees for enrollment or termination
ZERO alterations in your electricity provider
How it Works:
Step 1: Based on your regular energy consumption, the community solar provider allocates a fraction of the solar output from the farm for you.
Step 2: The solar-produced energy is supplied to the local power grid, which then channels it to your home via your regular electricity supplier.
Step 3: Solar credits, corresponding to the solar energy used by your household, show up on your utility bill. You then cover the cost of this solar power at a reduced rate.
A Case Study: By the Numbers
Neighborhood Sun – a Community Solar provider – has helped Maryland residents save money while saving the environment. These figures (as of May 2026*) highlight the impact Neighborhood Sun has on Marylanders.
No cost to join
No change in your utility company
No solar panels on your roof or property
Neighborhood Sun’s mission is to serve the planet by making clean, affordable energy accessible to all. See how Neighborhood Sun has benefited Maryland:
10,191
All Maryland Residents Subscribed
125,689,700 kWh
All Maryland subscribers’ annual solar energy generated
$4,362,163
Dollars Saved
Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all! The objective of Community Solar providers is to bring the advantages of solar energy to every individual. No hidden fees, no sudden rate hikes, no change in your power delivery, and total freedom to withdraw whenever you wish. Your solar farm portion generates energy credits for you. You reimburse your provider at the lowered rate, which then appears on your monthly electricity statement. For instance, if you typically spend $100 monthly, with a solar farm discount of 10%, you’ll now remit $90 to a Community Solar provider. Your bill will indicate $100 worth of solar credits, effectively nullifying most of your dues to the electricity company.
Absolutely! If a solar farm exists within your electricity utility region and you possess a bill under your name, you’re eligible to join!
Find a Community Solar project near you.
Solar energy, a much more cost-effective source than fossil fuel extraction, is further boosted by state incentives. You compensate your provider for the credits shown on your bill at the reduced rate specified by your community solar farm. This transaction occurs around one to two months post your receipt of these solar credits, ensuring you’re always benefiting and only paying for what’s consumed. Moreover, it’s essential to emphasize that this is entirely local energy, originating not from distant states, but right here, endorsing local green employment opportunities.