Submitted by doggyfishbird t3_zyzppg in Maine
There are so many of these offers out there it smells like a scam. I was listening to a "debate" on Public Radio where one commentator was saying that the solar power prices do not have a limit to price hikes by the PUC and that investors could raise prices at their discretion. This may not be a true statement but it's what I understood as I was driving and listening.
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Good to know, any recommendations for companies owned by Mainers?
Most of the community solar contracts I’ve seen allow you to cancel anytime and usually offer a fixed (15%) discount over the standard offer.
Every one I have seen for community solsr says "savings UP TO 15 percent" off standard offer. Pretty sure you have to wait a couple months to see that credit, and the community solar provider bills/credits separately from your regular power bill.
Sounds like an awful lot of work to receive (and verify) a rather small savings.
I have no idea what the 70 percent is about, unless it is one of the solar providers doing rooftop installation for net meeting. That is a whole different animal than community solar.
I’ve seen two of them and they offer the credit directly off of the standard CMP bill.
I tried coming up with a good way to answer this, but I own a solar company in Maine, so I can't truly give an unbiased answer.
> If you don't own the array, on your own property, I wouldn't sign a contract with terms greater than 12 months. A lot of these huge ground mounts are being installed by out-of-state companies that have no permanent investment in Maine.
What does this even mean? Do you think they are going to rip out the panels and take them to New Jersey?
>I’ve seen two of them and they offer the credit directly off of the standard CMP bill.
And they will rebill you separately at the supposedly discounted rate. This is how the rules work on community solar.
Maine Public Advocate explains how it works:
No, but that conjures quite the image! 😂
I'm more concerned with lease agreements, or any long-term agreements. There simply isn't the same accountability as an array that you own. Fields can be bought and sold as a product by faceless entities, which muddies the waters in regard to who is responsible for what.
Conversely, when you have solar at your home, no one can change the terms of your system. You simply own that system.
Except the legislature could yank back your net metering deal next Thursday if they want.
Which is honestly far more likely to happen than some out of state company exposing itself to massive class action lawsuits by breaching contracts with its customers.
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Is this with rooftop solar panels or community solar? Sounds like you have your own panels on your roof.
Rooftop panels give you net metering with one bill from CMP that gives you credits for what your system produces.
Community solar gives you credits for your share of a solar farm with two bills. One from CMP with credits at full price for the solar, then a second bill from the solar farm for the same KWH but at a discount.
If you don't believe me, check out the link I provided in another comment
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What company is this? Links? Is this in the Portland area? Does this include the CMP connection cost,.or is this just purely your electricty rate?
Then maybe you are operating under old, grandfathered rules. The link I posted was current, from the Maine Public Advocate's office. It specifically references two bills.
I never meant to imply you did not know whether or not you had solar panels. But the rest of us internet strangers do not have knowledge of that. You did not need to be a dick about it.
Have a happy new year.
Also would love to know what company this sounds great.
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Damn that is hella cheap. We are with CMP in Portland and on the cheapest months it cost 60$ for our 1000sq home. But half of that is the CMP connection fee, so even if we used zero electricity we would still owe something.
SolarGuyInMaine t1_j28m84j wrote
Tread carefully.
If you don't own the array, on your own property, I wouldn't sign a contract with terms greater than 12 months. A lot of these huge ground mounts are being installed by out-of-state companies that have no permanent investment in Maine.