Maryland Energy Administration

Mid Size Solar Grants

Program Note November 6, 2009:   The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) is pleased to announce the launch of the Mid-Sized Solar Energy Grant Program, providing incentives for businesses to install appropriately sized solar photovoltaic and solar hot water systems on their premises.  The Mid-Sized Solar Energy Grant Program is made possible by funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5 (ARRA or Recovery Act). Limited funding is now available to Maryland businesses, and Non-Profits who intend to install qualified solar photovoltaic or solar hot water systems between now and the end of October, 2010.

Program Budget:

Proposed funding for this program is up to $1.45 Million through the end of fiscal year 2011.

Program Structure:

Solar Photovoltaic:

• $500/ kW for the first 20 kilowatts (of DC capacity) 
• $250/ kW for kilowatts 21 – 50
• $150/ kW for kilowatts 51 – 100

System must be between 20 and 100 kilowatts to be eligible; maximum grant amount is $25,000.

Please Note: If you wish to receive a Mid-Size Solar Grant for installation of a ground-mounted PV system with a rated capacity over 60 kW, please contact Mike Hartley at 410-260-7543 or mhartley@energy.state.md.us to discuss National Environmental Policy Act compliance.

Solar Hot Water:

• 15% of the installed cost up to $25,000 maximum grant.

Systems must be larger than 100 sq ft to be eligible.

How to Apply:

Applicants must take the following steps before submitting an application package:

• Complete, sign, and date the Pre-Qualification Form
  • Complete, sign, and date the 2-page Application Form
  • Mid-Size Photovoltaic Application; or
  • Mid-Size Solar Hot Water Application
• Review, sign, and date
  • The Mid-Size Solar Grant Program Terms & Conditions (PV); or
  • The Mid-Size Solar Grant Program Terms & Conditions (SHW)
  • As well as read the ARRA Addendum – Special Terms and Conditions for ARRA-Funded Grants.
• Obtain a signed cost estimate, purchase order, or letter of intent from your installer
• Obtain an itemized list of components
• Obtain a system schematic or line drawing, and a site plan exhibiting the roof dimensions, including angle, length, and width (if installed on a roof); location of collectors or modules on the roof (if installed on a roof); and the orientation and tilt of collectors or array.
• Obtain a shading analysis (if the system will be shaded between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at any time of year)

Information for Installers

In order to be eligible for funding for the remainder of the current fiscal year, applicants must demonstrate that their installation was or will be performed in compliance with Federal prevailing-wage rate requirements (Davis-Bacon Act).

Contractors or subcontractors must generate weekly certified prevailing-wage rate/payroll documents to be submitted along with an applicant’s Completion Certificate (Attachment B). For an example of an acceptable form, please see: http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/forms/wh347.pdf.

In addition, MEA has expanded its Completion Certificate (Attachment B) to include mandatory reporting requirements, which MEA will need to submit to the federal government on a monthly basis to comply with Federal Recovery Act terms and conditions. Some of these additional requirements are:

• Applicant’s legal name, address and any “doing-business-as” (DBA) name;
• Applicant’s congressional district (can be found at http://www.house.gov/zip/ZIP2Rep.html);
• All contractor,subcontractor and applicant names, addresses and DUNS numbers (to request a DUNS number please see http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform);
• Project number assigned by contractor to the grant applicant (if applicable);
• Project start date and installation date;
• Estimated annual kilowatt-hour production attributed to the installed system (PV)
• Number of “jobs created” – new employee working on their first Recovery Act funded project;
• Number of “jobs retained” – employee working on all but first Recovery Act funded project;
• A description of all services provided to the applicant by the contractors and subcontractors.

More Information:

• ARRA Compliance Frequently Asked Questions - Coming Soon
• Working With ARRA

Application Information

• Pre-Qualification Form
• Mid-Size Solar Hot Water Grant Application
• Mid-Size Photovoltaic Grant Application
• Mid-Size Solar Grant Program Terms & Conditions—Solar Hot Water (3 pages)
• Mid-Size Solar Grant Program Terms & Conditions—Photovoltaic (3 pages)

ARRA Information

• ARRA Addendum – Special Terms and Conditions for ARRA-Funded Grants.

Completion Information

• Mid-Size Solar Hot Water Completion Certificate (3 pages)
• Mid-Size Photovoltaic Completion Certificate (3 pages)

Additional Incentives

• Federal Tax Incentives
• Solar PV and Solar Hot Water systems placed in service after January 1, 2009 are eligible for a Federal Income Tax Credit equal to 30% of the total installed cost.
• Maryland Net Energy Metering Statute
• County Incentives

Solar-Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)

Owners of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can earn and sell credits based on the amount of electricity their system produces.

• Solar Renewable Energy Credits Information

Tax Status of Solar Grants

• Grants and 1099 tax forms

• Clean Energy Incentive Program
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• Solar Grants
• Windswept Grant Program
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• TIAP - EnergyTaxIncentives.Org
  On February 21, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released “Guidance Notices” on claiming tax incentives for energy efficiency improvements to existing homes.
• Tax Incentive for Efficient Home Improvements
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