The Benefits of Solar Energy
Installing solar panels on your Maryland home allows you to benefit from free and clean energy that’s better for the environment and lowers your carbon footprint. Solar panels convert solar energy into electricity that can be used to run your home. Any electric appliances or systems in your home can then be powered for free, including:
- Electric furnaces and baseboard heating systems
- Air conditioners
- Ducted heat pumps and ductless mini-splits
- Electric water heaters
- Electric coil and induction stovetops and ovens
- Dishwashers
- Clothes washers and dryers
- Microwaves, fans, lighting, and more!
The more your home runs on electricity, the more you can benefit from solar panel installation. Many Maryland households are making home electrification upgrades for this reason.
The electricity that solar panels generate during the day when the sun is shining can cover a significant portion of your electric bill. The average solar panel system lasts for decades—that’s a lot of money saved over the lifetime of the system!
Plus, in Maryland, residents can benefit from a solar incentive called Solar Renewable Energy Credits, or SRECs. SRECs allow you to earn money just for using your solar panels. You receive one SREC for every megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity that your solar panels generate, whether you use that energy or not. Your SRECs have value and can be sold (the process can be automated to make it hands-off). Depending on the amount of electricity your solar panels generate, you could earn several hundred dollars every year by selling your SRECs.
Program Requirements
To be eligible for the no-cost solar installation program from CAC, your home will need to be a good candidate for solar panel installation. CAC will look at factors including your home’s orientation to the sun, tree cover, the condition and age of your roof, and more to make the final determination.
In addition, you must:
- Own your home
- Have had your home weatherized in the past 5 years
- Meet the program’s income qualifications
