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Maryland · Updated August 2026
How net metering works in Maryland
How Maryland net metering actually works, what your exported power is worth, how annual true-up is settled, and why the utility you have changes the math.
Full retailCredit rate, mandated by state lawRanked #1 by Solar Power World · Inc. 5000 · 20,000+ installations
The numbers
What Maryland actually offers in 2026
| Measure | Current | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Credit rate | Full retail | Mandated by Maryland law |
| Monthly surplus | Rolls forward | Credits carry month to month |
| Annual true-up | Avoided cost | Roughly 3–5¢/kWh — far below retail |
| BGE residential rate | ~14–16¢ | Your export value tracks this |
| Pepco residential rate | ~15–17¢ | Higher rate, higher export value |
| System sizing | To on-site load | Residential systems generally sized to usage |
Figures as published August 2026. Utility rates change on published schedules — check your own bill for the rate that applies to your account.
Why the number is what it is
The annual true-up is where oversizing hurts
Month to month, Maryland net metering is straightforward: exports credit against imports at the full retail rate, and any surplus rolls forward.
At your annual true-up, though, whatever credit remains is settled at the utility’s avoided cost — roughly 3 to 5¢ per kilowatt-hour, against a retail rate of 14 to 17¢.
The practical consequence is that a system sized well above your annual usage does not pay for itself the way the brochure math implies. Every kilowatt-hour beyond what you consume in a year is worth a quarter of what it would be worth offsetting your own use.
Maryland requires residential systems to be sized to on-site load for exactly this reason.
Your utility decides your export value
Under full retail net metering, your export rate is your retail rate. A Pepco customer at 15 to 17¢ earns more per exported kilowatt-hour than a BGE customer at 14 to 16¢, and considerably more than a Potomac Edison customer at a lower supply rate.
That is the same principle that applies in Maryland, and it is why the utility question comes before the equipment question.
The federal residential credit ended. Here is what that actually means.
The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit under Section 25D ended for systems purchased after December 31, 2025. If you buy a system with cash or a loan in 2026, you cannot claim it. Any site still advertising "30% federal tax credit" for a homeowner purchase is running outdated information.
What remains is Section 48E, the commercial investment credit. It applies to third-party-owned systems — leases and power purchase agreements — where the system owner claims it rather than the homeowner. That is precisely what makes $0-down possible: the credit stays with whoever owns the equipment, and under a PPA that is not you.
We would rather tell you that plainly than let you find out at tax time.
Two ways to pay for solar, and they are very different
If you buy the system
You own the equipment, you keep any renewable energy credits, and you carry the maintenance responsibility. Installed pricing varies by roof, shading and system size.
If you use a PPA
$0 upfront. We install and own the system; you buy the power it produces at a rate set in your agreement, and you only pay for what it actually generates. The system owner carries maintenance for the life of the agreement.
The residential federal tax credit (25D) ended for systems purchased after December 31, 2025.
You will still see ads promising a 30% credit that “ends December 31.” Read the date on them. If you buy a system today as a homeowner, you cannot claim that credit. What remains applies to the owner of the system — which, under a PPA, is us. SolarAmerica does not provide tax advice; talk to your tax professional about your situation.
Who you would be working with
SolarAmerica
We design your system and manage the project; installation is performed by vetted licensed partners in your area.
Maryland questions
The things people actually ask
Why is Maryland's Price to Compare lower than PPL's but the all-in rate higher?
Because the two numbers measure different things. Maryland's supply charge is lower; its distribution charges and riders are higher. What matters to your budget is the all-in figure — your bill divided by your kilowatt-hours.
How often does this change?
Four times a year: March, June, September and December.
Can I shop for supply?
Yes. Maryland is deregulated, and switching suppliers changes only the supply portion of your bill.
See what your roof and Maryland actually add up to
About 60 seconds. No cost, no obligation, and we will tell you if solar does not make sense for your home.
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