BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 16, 2023
Mainers have been asked to subscribe to local solar farms to save money on their electricity bills. It’s part of an effort stemming from 2019 legislation to boost solar development in the state and work toward clean energy goals. But the state’s role in incentivizing solar development has been the subject of much debate. That’s because, to keep electricity bills lower for people who subscribe to community solar projects, the people who don’t subscribe pick up the cost. Developers have proposed a large and growing number of community solar projects across the state. The Governor’s Energy Office is supporting a recommendation estimated to reduce rates slightly for all customers on average. A stakeholder group has also recommended putting federal incentives toward encouraging solar development on contaminated land, such as brownfields sites and landfills, and to build up Maine’s ability to store solar energy.