Maryland Energy Administration

Solar Energy Grant Program

Program Note October 19, 2009:

The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) is pleased to announce that it has reopened the Solar Energy Grant Program as result of funds made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5 (ARRA or Recovery Act).  Limited funding is still available to Maryland residents and small businesses who intend to install qualified solar photovoltaic, or solar hot water systems. 

Program Structure:

Solar Photovoltaic:

• $1.25/ watt for the first 2,000 watts of capacity
• $0.75/ watt for watts 2,001 - 8,000
• $0.25/ watt for watts 8,001 - 20,000

System must be under 20kW to be eligible; maximum grant amount is $10,000.

Solar Hot Water:

• 30% of the installed cost up to $2,000 maximum grant.

How to Apply:

Applicants must take the following steps before submitting an application package:

• Complete, sign, and date the Pre-Qualification Form
• Complete, sign, and date the:
  • 2-page Application Form (PV); or
  • 2-page Application Form (Solar Hot Water)
• Review, sign, and date
  • The Solar Grant Program Terms and Conditions (Attachment A for PV); or
  • The Solar Grant Program Terms and Conditions (Attachment A for SHW)
  • As well as read the ARRA Addendum – Special Terms and Conditions for ARRA-Funded Grants.
• Obtain a signed cost estimate, purchase order, or letter of intent from your installer (If you are performing a self-install you will still need to fill this requirement)
• Obtain an itemized list of components
• Obtain a system schematic or line drawing, and a site plan exhibiting the roof dimensions, including angle, length, and width (if installed on a roof); location of collectors or modules on the roof (if installed on a roof); and the orientation and tilt of collectors or array.
• Obtain a shading analysis (if the system will be shaded between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at any time of year)

Allocation of Grants

If you have already submitted a Solar Energy Grant Application, but have yet to submit a Completion Certificate (Attachment B), MEA will be contacting you shortly to ensure your application will be eligible for grant approval.  Grant approvals will only be dispersed if MEA receives a signed and dated Grant Program Terms and Conditions signifying that you fully understand the ARRA Addendum – Special Terms and Conditions for ARRA-Funded Grants, and can verify that your solar installation will be constructed in compliance.

Information for Installers

In order to be eligible for funding for the remainder of the current fiscal year, applicants must demonstrate that their installation was or will be performed in compliance with Federal prevailing wage rate requirements (Davis-Bacon Act). 

Contractors or subcontractors must generate certified prevailing-wage rate/payroll documents to be submitted along with an applicant’s Completion Certificate (Attachment B).  For an example of an acceptable form, please see: http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/forms/wh347.pdf.

In addition, MEA has expanded its Completion Certificate (Attachment B) to include mandatory reporting requirements, which MEA will need to submit to the federal government on a monthly basis to comply with Federal Stimulus Act terms and conditions.  Some of these additional requirements are:

• Applicant’s legal name, address and any “doing-business-as” (DBA) name;
• Applicant’s congressional district (can be found at http://www.house.gov/zip/ZIP2Rep.html);
• All contractor and subcontractor names, addresses and DUNS numbers (to request a DUNS number please see http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform);
• Project number assigned by contractor to the grant applicant (if applicable);
• Project start date and installation date;
• Estimated annual kilowatt-hour production attributed to the installed system (PV)
• Number of “jobs created” – new employee working on their first project;
• Number of “jobs retained” – employee working on all but first project;
• A description of all services provided to the applicant by the contractors and subcontractors.

More Information:

• ARRA Compliance Frequently Asked Questions ***NEW***
• Working With ARRA

Application Information

• Pre-Qualification Form
• Solar Water Heating Application Form
• Photovoltaic Solar Grant Application Form
• Revised Grant Program Terms & Conditions—Solar Water Heating (2 pages)
• Revised Grant Program Terms & Conditions—Photovoltaics (2 pages)

ARRA Information

• ARRA Addendum – Special Terms and Conditions for ARRA-Funded Grants.

Completion Information

• Solar Water Heating Completion Certificate (3 pages) ***UPDATED***
• Photovoltaic Solar Completion Certificate (3 pages) ***UPDATED***

Application Update Information (for previously submitted applications)

• Application Update Form

Additional Incentives

• Federal Tax Incentives
  • Solar PV and Solar Hot Water systems placed in service after January 1, 2009 are eligible for a Federal Income Tax Credit equal to 30% of the total installed cost.
• Maryland Net Energy Metering Statute
• County Incentives

Solar-Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)

Owners of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can earn and sell credits based on the amount of electricity their system produces.

• Solar Renewable Energy Credits Information

Tax Status of Solar Grants

• Grants and 1099 tax forms

Technical Information

• Solar Water Heating
  • Quick Reference
  • Complete Consumer Guide
• Photovoltaic Solar Energy
  • Quick Reference
  • Complete Consumer Guide
• Solar Water Heaters – How They Work
  For a link to the US Department of Energy’s Web information on solar water heating click here.
• How Small Solar Electric Systems Work
  For a link to the US Department of Energy’s Web information on solar electric systems click here.
• Estimate Your PV System's Output with PV WATTS
  To calculate your PV system's potential output using the estimator provide by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) click here.

Local Solar Industry Contacts

Peter Lowenthal, Director
Maryland, DC, Virginia - Solar Energy Industries Association (MDV-SEIA)
4707 Elmhirst Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814-3954
Phone/fax: 301-530-5343
Email: info@mdv-seia.org
Web site: www.mdv-seia.org

Professional Solar Installers -Solar Estimate www.solar-estimate.org