An Act To Support Solar Energy Development in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1652
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: VITELLI, GIDEON, ALFOND, BOYLE, JACKSON, LANGLEY, MILLETT, SAVIELLO, BEAVERS, BERRY, DORNEY, EVES, GRANT, HOBBINS, HUBBELL, MORRISON, RYKERSON

Legislative Document 
No. 1652 
S.P. 644 
In Senate, December 23, 2013 
An Act To Support Solar Energy Development in Maine 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator VITELLI of Sagadahoc. 
Cosponsored by Representative GIDEON of Freeport and 
Senators: President ALFOND of Cumberland, BOYLE of Cumberland, JACKSON of Aroostook, 
LANGLEY of Hancock, MILLETT of Cumberland, SAVIELLO of Franklin, Representatives: 
BEAVERS of South Berwick, BERRY of Bowdoinham, DORNEY of Norridgewock, Speaker EVES of 
North Berwick, GRANT of Gardiner, HOBBINS of Saco, HUBBELL of Bar Harbor, McCABE of 
Skowhegan, McGOWAN of York, MORRISON of South Portland, RYKERSON of Kittery. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA c. 34-B is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER 34-B 
THE MAINE SOLAR ENERGY ACT 
§3471.  Short title 
This chapter may be known and cited as "the Maine Solar Energy Act." 
§3472.  Legislative findings 
1.  Public interest.  The Legislature finds that it is in the public interest to develop 
the State's indigenous renewable energy resources, including abundant and widespread 
solar energy, in a manner that protects and improves the health and well-being of the 
citizens and natural environment of the State while also providing tangible economic 
benefits to communities, ratepayers and the overall economy.  The Legislature finds that 
the development of the solar energy potential in the State needs to be integrated into the 
existing energy supply and transmission systems in a way that achieves system reliability, 
total capital cost-effectiveness and optimum short-term and long-term benefits to the 
citizens of the State.  The Legislature finds it is in the public interest for the State to 
encourage and plan for significant solar energy production as part of a strategy to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions and meet the goals established in the state climate action plan 
developed pursuant to Title 38, section 577. The Legislature also finds it is in the public 
interest to encourage solar energy research and the development of solar energy 
generation equipment manufacturing facilities in the State. 
2.  Contribution of solar energy development.  The Legislature finds and declares 
that the solar energy resources of the State constitute a valuable indigenous and 
renewable energy resource and that solar energy development, which is unique in its 
benefits to and impacts on the climate and the natural environment, makes a significant 
contribution to the general welfare of the citizens of the State for the following reasons: 
A.  Solar energy is an economically feasible, large-scale energy resource that does 
not rely on fossil fuel combustion and therefore it can displace energy provided by 
that source and reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions; consequently, 
solar energy development may address energy needs while making a significant 
contribution to achievement of the State's renewable energy and greenhouse gas 
reduction objectives, including those in Title 38, section 576; 
B.  There is an inexhaustible supply of solar energy throughout the State that can be 
effectively used for heat and electricity using current technology, and solar energy 
can be harnessed on large and small scales using simple or advanced technology; 
C.  The State has no indigenous supplies of fossil fuel.  All fossil fuel must be 
imported into the State, at great cost to the economy and with significant hazards to 
the health of the citizens of the State and natural environment; 
D.  At present and increasingly in the future with anticipated technological advances 
that promise to increase the number of places in the State where grid-scale solar 
energy development is economically viable and changes in the electrical power 
market that favor clean power sources, solar energy may be used to displace electrical 
power that is generated from fossil fuel combustion and thus reduce our citizens' 
dependence on imported oil and natural gas and improve environmental quality and 
state and regional energy security; and 
E.  Renewable energy resources within the State have the potential, over time, to 
provide enough energy for the State's homeowners and businesses to significantly 
reduce their use of oil and liquid petroleum-fueled heating systems by transitioning to 
renewable energy-based heating systems and to reduce their use of petroleum-fueled 
motor vehicles by transitioning to electric-powered motor vehicles.  Electrification of 
heating and transportation has potential to increase the State's energy independence, 
to help stabilize total residential and commercial energy bills and to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions. 
§3473.  Specific measures to support solar energy 
1.  Monitoring.  The commission shall monitor the level of solar energy development 
in the State in relation to the goals in section 3474, basic trends in solar energy markets 
and the likely costs and benefits for ratepayers from solar energy development, including 
but not limited to minimizing peak load on transmission systems. 
2.  Economic development.  Within existing programs and resources, the State, 
including the Small Enterprise Growth Program, as established in Title 10, chapter 13; 
the Maine Technology Institute, as established in Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 
33-D; the Maine Rural Development Authority, as established in Title 5, section 12004-F, 
subsection 18; the Finance Authority of Maine, as established in Title 10, chapter 110; 
and the Department of Economic and Community Development, shall seek opportunities 
to promote investment in solar energy development, generation and manufacturing. 
§3474.  Determination of public policy; state solar energy generation goals 
1.  Encouragement of solar energy-related development.  It is the policy of the 
State in furtherance of the goals established in subsection 2 to encourage the attraction of 
appropriately sited development related to solar energy, including any additional 
transmission and other energy infrastructure needed to transport additional solar energy to 
market, consistent with all state environmental standards; the permitting and financing of 
solar energy projects; and the siting, permitting, financing and construction of solar 
energy research and manufacturing facilities. 
2.  State solar energy generation goals.  The goals for solar energy generation in the 
State, including all production of electricity and thermal energy through solar energy 
technologies, using any conversion of units from thermal energy into megawatts that the 
commission considers appropriate, are that there be: 
A.  At least 40 megawatts of installed capacity by 2016; 
B.  At least 200 megawatts of installed capacity by 2020; and 
C.  At least 500 megawatts of installed capacity by 2030. 
Sec. 2.  Determination of the value of distributed solar energy generation. 
1.  Value of distributed solar energy generation.  The Public Utilities Commission 
shall determine the value of distributed solar energy generation in the State.  The 
commission shall develop a method for valuing distributed solar energy generation.  The 
method developed by the commission must, at a minimum, account for the value of the 
energy, the value of its delivery, generation capacity, transmission capacity and 
transmission and distribution line losses and the value of the reduced environmental 
impacts of the energy.  The commission may, based on known and measurable evidence 
of the cost or benefit of solar operation to a utility, incorporate other values into the 
method, including credit for locally manufactured or assembled energy systems or 
systems installed at high-value locations on the electric grid, or other factors.  When 
developing the method, the commission shall consult stakeholders with experience and 
expertise in power systems, solar energy and electric utility ratemaking regarding the 
proposed method, underlying assumptions and preliminary data. 
2.  Method.  In developing a method for valuing distributed solar energy generation 
pursuant to this section, the Public Utilities Commission shall ensure the method is 
consistent with published guidance from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. 
3.  Report.  By January 15, 2015, the Public Utilities Commission shall submit to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy matters a 
report on the determination of the value of distributed solar energy generation in the 
State. 
SUMMARY 
This bill creates the Maine Solar Energy Act, which: 
1.  States specific legislative findings that it is in the public interest to encourage 
development of solar energy production in the State.  This includes finding that solar 
energy development makes a significant contribution to the general welfare of the citizens 
of the State and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; 
2.  Requires the Public Utilities Commission to take specific measures regarding solar 
energy, including monitoring development and market trends and determining the value 
of distributed solar energy generation; 
3.  Requires the State, including the Small Enterprise Growth Program, the Maine 
Technology Institute, the Maine Rural Development Authority, the Finance Authority of 
Maine and the Department of Economic and Community Development, to seek 
opportunities to promote solar energy development, generation and manufacturing within 
existing programs; and 
4.  Establishes state solar energy generation goals.