An Act Regarding Installation of Solar Energy Systems under the Solar and Wind Energy Rebate Program
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0396
Committee: Utilities and Energy
Sponsors: NUTTING
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3211-C

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
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124th MAINE LEGIS ATURE 
Legislative Document 
No. 396 
S.P.138 
In Senate, February 5, 2009 
An Act Regarding Installation of Solar Energy Systems under the 
Solar and Wind Energy Rebate Program 
Reference to the Committee on Utilities and Energy suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator NUTTING of Androscoggin. 
Printed on recycled paper 
9tf){J~ 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Be it enacted by the People ofthe State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3211-C, sub-§2, elJA, as amended by PL 2007, c. 29, § 1, is 
further amended to read: 
A. To qualify for a rebate, a solar photovoltaic system must meet the following 
installation requirements: 
(1) For a system installed after July 1, 2005 but before January 1, 2007, the 
system must be installed by a master electrician who has completed a training 
course to prepare for certification by a North American board of certified energy 
practitioners or by a master electrician working in conjunction with either a 
person who has been certified by a North American board of certified energy 
practitioners or a person who has completed a training course to prepare for 
certification by a North American board of certified energy practitioners; or 
(2) For a system installed on or after January 1, 2007, the system must be 
installed by a master electrician who has been certified by a North American 
board of certified energy practitioners eF~ by a master electrician working in 
conjunction with a person who has been certified by a North American board of 
certified energy practitioners; or by the owner or tenant of the residential or 
commercial property, in which case the installation must have been inspected and 
approved by the local municipal electrical inspector. 
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §3211-C, sub-§2, ~, as amended by PL 2007, c. 493, §3, 
is further amended to read: 
B. To qualify for a rebate, a solar thermal system designed to heat water must be 
installed by a qualified solar thermal water system installer -afl€l,-i:f or by the owner or 
tenant of the residential or commercial property, in which case the installation must 
have been inspected and approved by the local municipal plumbing inspector. To 
qualify for a rebate if the solar thermal system is designed to heat potable water.,.-it 
must be installed by a and the system is installed by a qualified thermal water system 
installer, the qualified solar thermal water system installer 'Nho holds must hold a 
current license as a master plumber or by a qualified solar thermal water system 
im;taller must be working in conjunction with a master plumber. 
SUMMARY 
Under current law governing the solar and wind energy rebate program, to qualify for 
a rebate a solar photovoltaic system must be installed by a master electrician who has 
been certified by a North American board of certified energy practitioners or by a master 
electrician working in conjunction with a person who has been certified by a North 
American board of certified energy practitioners, and a solar thermal system designed to 
heat water must be installed by a qualified solar thermal water system installer. This bill 
amends the law to allow for a rebate when the owner or tenant of a residential or 
commercial property performs the installation of a solar photovoltaic system or a solar 
thermal system designed to heat water, as long as the installation has been inspected and 
approved by the municipal electrical inspector, in the case of solar photovoltaic systems, 
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or the municipal plumbing inspector in the case of solar thermal systems designed to heat 
water.