Residential Clean Energy Rebate Program

Update as of July 2020: In response to the COVID-19 health crisis, Governor Larry Hogan issued an Executive Order on March 12 mandating telework for non-essential state employees across all state agencies. This includes the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) office. As a result, grant and rebate applications submitted to MEA by letter or package (regardless of the delivery means) may face some processing delays.

In response and to help mitigate delays, MEA is offering two options for submitting an application electronically: an application can be submitted through the web portal (https://egov.maryland.gov/mea/CleanEnergy/) or a printed application can be completed and submitted via secure email using Virtu, the State’s email encryption tool. More information about Virtru can be found on the Maryland Department of Information Technology's webpage at https://doit.maryland.gov/support/Pages/email-encryption.aspx. As of April 7, 2020, MEA is accepting both Residential and Commercial Clean Energy Rebate applications submitted via Virtru.

If you were considering physically mailing in a paper application, MEA would like to encourage you to instead submit your application electronically via Virtru. If you are interested in this option, please send an email indicating your interest in doing so to cerp.mea@maryland.gov. Do not attach your application to this initial email. Please indicate your first and last name, your zip code, and your email address in the body of the email. Someone from MEA will then contact you with more information about how to submit your application via Virtru. If you do not have access to email, a message can be left via phone at 410-537-4000 and someone from MEA will return your call.

---------- Clean Energy Rebate Program (CERP) Information ----------

MEA offers the Residential Clean Energy Rebate Program ("R-CERP") to eligible Maryland homeowners who have installed a qualified clean energy system at their homes. Regulations for the Clean Energy Rebate Program can be viewed here.

Using the link below, you can begin a residential solar photovoltaic (PV), solar hot water, or geothermal heating and cooling Rebate application using the Electronic Application System for the R-CERP.

THE RESIDENTIAL CLEAN ENERGY REBATE PROGRAM IS A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVE PROGRAM. THE AMOUNT OF REMAINING FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IN FISCAL YEAR 2020 (JULY 1, 2019 - JUNE 30, 2020) CAN BE FOUND UNDER THE TAB BELOW ENTITLED "CHECK YOUR APPLICATION STATUS", BUT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

ONLINE E-APPLICATION PORTAL

Please note: The personal email address of the Rebate Applicant (owner and resident of the property where the clean energy system is installed) must be provided. A contractor's email address cannot be provided in lieu of the rebate applicant's email address. The applicant will receive all correspondence regarding the application. If the contractor is selected as the primary point of contact on the application, the contractor's email address will typically be copied on electronic correspondence from MEA, as deemed appropriate by MEA. Applicants without a valid email address must complete the paper application available in the section entitled "The Rebate Process" below.

Signature sheet requirement: After MEA receives an online application, an email will be sent from no-reply@egov.com to the applicant containing a signature sheet that MUST immediately be printed out, completed and signed by the applicant, and mailed to MEA. The application is not considered submitted until MEA receives the completed signature sheet. MEA will not review an application until MEA receives the completed signature sheet. If you do not receive a signature sheet, please check your inbox and/or spam folder for an email from no-reply@egov.com containing your signature sheet.

Note to contractors assisting rebate applicants with the online R-CERP application process: At the same time a customer rebate application is submitted to MEA using the electronic portal, please also send an e-mail to your customer instructing them to look for an email from no-reply@egov.com which contains the signature sheet that must be reviewed for accuracy, printed, completed (to include signature, date, and social security number), and sent via U.S. mail (or alternatively electronically to MEA using a Virtu-encrypted email) back to MEA in order to complete the application.

To apply for a Clean Energy Rebate via a paper application, please proceed to “The Rebate Process” tab, below.

*It is recommended that you refer to the Rebate Process tab below before beginning to complete the online application. Be sure all required documents and information are available before starting the online application. Once the online application process has begun, you cannot leave the screen without losing all information that has been input. You cannot save your work prior to submission.

Please click here to complete a three question customer experience survey

Incentives

MEA has calculated the Clean Energy Rebate incentives based on several factors including available funds, economies of scale, a desire for more equitable distribution of funds, the cost of clean energy technologies, capacity factors, potential annual production, and data analysis from past Clean Energy awards:

Residential Clean Energy Rebate Incentives (as of 7/1/2020)
Resource Conversion Technology	Installed Capacity Range	Award/Capacity Unit
Solar Photovoltaics (PV)	Minimum 1 kW-DC	$1,000/project
Solar Shingles	Minimum 1 kW-DC	$1,000/project
Solar Water Heating (SWH)	Minimum 10 sq. ft.	$500/project
New Geothermal Heating & Cooling (GHC) System (New Well Field and HVAC Equipment)	Minimum 1 ton	$3,000/project
Geothermal Heating & Cooling (GHC) Heat Pump Replacement (only)	Minimum 1 ton	$500/project

Rebates are allocated on a first come/first served basis across technologies and are subject to change in amount and existence based on funding availability.

Solar PV rebates only awarded to system purchases:

Only purchased (i.e., customer-owned) solar photovoltaic systems are eligible to apply for the Residential CERP Program. MEA does not currently award residential clean energy Rebates to third-party owned solar PV systems.

ATTENTION: Geothermal Applicants

A geothermal clean energy Rebate is only available for NEW geothermal ground source heat pumps and wells on properties that have not received a previous geothermal clean energy Rebate. In addition, geothermal ground source heat pump clean energy awards may only be awarded for replacement of the ground source heat pump on a system that has NOT received a previous clean energy Rebate award. Applicants must provide documentation that the new heat pump has a higher efficiency than the heat pump being replaced.

Check Your Application Status

Find open/pending or paid/closed Residential CERP rebates: Weekly Status Report 2020.09.23 (Generally updated by the end of the day on Wednesday each week)

*If your application status on the "Open Application Status Report" shows as "Awaiting Signature Sheet," your electronic application is incomplete. Please check your email inbox or spam folder for an email from no-reply@egov.com containing your signature sheet. This form needs to be printed, signed, and returned to the Maryland Energy Administration to complete your application.

Project Requirements

The project requirements are as follows:

The property must be in Maryland.
You must own the property
The property must be your primary residence.
MEA cannot offer Rebates to a property held in an irrevocable trust.
Multiple projects owned by the same owner on contiguous parcels of property will be considered one project.
An eligible property may receive only one Rebate per technology.
Applications must be submitted to MEA within twelve (12) months of the completed installation.

The Rebate Process

STEP ONE: Read the Terms and Conditions provided, below:

Residential Solar and Geo Terms and Conditions FY 2021 7.17.2020.pdf

STEP TWO: Prepare your Application Package to include all Supporting Documentation (tip: locate all supporting documentation before beginning to complete the application). Your application package will consist of five to six documents (Application form plus supporting documents). If you apply using the online application, you must be ready to upload the documents before you begin completing the online application.

Paper application form: Download the application from the link below (tip: If you have any trouble opening the forms below, download the file, save it to a specific location [e.g., desktop], then open the file from there).

_FY21 CERP Application - with Instruction Page -7.17.2020 AAG suggestions reviewed and (mostly) accepted.docx

Supporting Documentation:

A $0.00-balance, paid-in-full invoice reflecting the total cost of your system.

· Note for Geothermal Applicants: All paid-in-full well drilling and installation invoices must be included if this cost is not reflected on the invoice from your installing contractor.

B. Proof of passed inspection for all permits required by the local authority having jurisdiction. This documentation may be in the form of:

· Photos/scans/copies of inspection stickers showing approval for final inspections

· Photos/scans/copies of inspection certificates showing approval for final inspections

· Screenshots of online permit inquiry systems showing approval for final inspections

· If there is an exception for the need of a certain permit(s), you must include an official letter from the local authority having jurisdiction indicating that the requirement was waived.

C. Photographs of the installed clean energy system. If the system is a roof-mounted solar PV or solar hot water system, the photographs must clearly demonstrate where the system has been installed, with all panels or collectors clearly visible. For Solar Shingle projects only: please also include a plot diagram specifying where the shingles are located on the roof, along with the electrical single line diagram.

D. Proof of property ownership, age and primary residence using the Maryland State Department of Assessment and Taxation Personal Property data search

E. Proof of geothermal heat pump efficiency improvement (Geothermal heat pump Replacements only)

STEP THREE: Fill out the application form, either through a printed application, or electronically using the ONLINE E-APPLICATION PORTAL. While electronic submission is encouraged via encrypted email as outlined above, physical documents can be mailed to the following address: Maryland Energy Administration, 1800 Washington Blvd, Suite 755, Baltimore, MD 21230.

Historic Review

Since MEA is required to assess the impact of Clean Energy Rebates on historic resources, applicants must “pre-screen” their projects to reduce the odds of applications being rejected on historic preservation grounds. Prominent installations of clean energy systems on historic properties or properties within historic areas will not qualify for this Rebate program.

· Visit the Department of Assessments & Taxation website and complete an SDAT Real Property Search to document the age of the property.

· Visit Maryland's Environmental Resources and Land Information Network, or MERLIN Online, to see if a property is recorded in the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties. Print the results.

· For pre-screening help, please follow the instructions outlined on the following tutorial: Searching for a Property's Historic Status on MERLIN Online and SDAT

If you have any additional questions, you can contact MEA's historic preservation specialist by email at: DLHistoric_MEA@maryland.gov.*

NABCEP (PV Projects only)

Projects must be completed by installation contractors who maintain at least one staff member with a North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners ('NABCEP') Installation Certification; or, for companies with at least 50 employees, at least one staff member with a NABCEP Installation Certification for every 25 non-administrative employees, except if an installation contractor has been registered to do business in Maryland for less than twelve (12) months prior to the submission of an application for a Rebate.

Tax Status of Clean Energy Rebates

MEA does not provide tax information or tax advice. Questions should be directed to a qualified tax professional.

Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)

Electricity suppliers must purchase and retire SRECs in order to meet their compliance obligations under the law, or pay a Solar Alternative Compliance Payment (SACP) for any shortfalls in SREC purchases.

To help Maryland business owners realize the benefits of solar energy, the Maryland Public Service Commission manages the Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) program. Owners of solar PV and hot water systems can earn and sell SRECs (equivalent to 1 Megawatt hour) based on the amount of energy their solar system produces on the open market.

In order to begin producing SRECs for the Maryland RPS, a solar generator must apply for certification as a qualifying generator from the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC). SRECs must come from qualifying solar facilities connected to the distribution grid serving Maryland.

Geothermal Heating & Cooling Systems in the RPS

With 2012 HB 1186,* Maryland became the first state in the country to make the energy generated by geothermal heating and cooling (GHC) technologies eligible for the RPS as a Tier 1 renewable source. To qualify, the GHC technologies must meet ENERGY STAR standards and displace electric or non-natural gas heating and/or old and presumed inefficient air conditioning. Homeowners are eligible to receive Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for GHC systems that are commissioned on or after January 1, 2013.

Solar Contractor Certification (NABCEP)

NABCEP (PV and Solar Shingle Projects only)

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) - Solar PV installation contractors with a staff of 49 or fewer individuals must maintain at least one staff member who possesses a NABCEP PV Installation Professional Certification. Solar PV installation contractors with a staff of 50 or more individuals must maintain one staff member who possesses a NABCEP PV Installation Professional Certification for every 25 non-administrative employees. Solar PV installation contractors that have been registered to do business in the State of Maryland less than 12 months prior to the submission of a Residential Clean Energy Rebate Application are exempt from this requirement.

Tax Questions

Tax Status of Clean Energy Rebates

MEA does not provide tax information or tax advice. Questions should be directed to a qualified tax professional.

Renewable Portfolio Standard and RECs

Information on Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) can be found on the Maryland Public Service Commission website here.

Additional information can be found on the PJM website here. PJM is the grid operator for Maryland and surrounding states.