Maryland General Assembly passes bill to incentivize local solar development, streamline permitting – GWC Mag

On April 8, 2024, the Maryland General Assembly passed Senate Bill 783, the Brighter Tomorrow Act, legislation that would lower the cost of developing Maryland solar projects and increase the value of solar for energy consumers across the state. The bill now goes to the governor’s desk for signature.

The Brighter Tomorrow Act is necessary to spur additional solar development in Maryland, as part of its transition to a clean economy and to strengthen the electric grid for all communities. The state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) had already established a nation-leading mandate to deploy solar that equals 14.5% of Maryland’s electric demand by 2030. Maryland has fallen behind the pace to meet that goal, only meeting 55% of the policy’s intermediate 2022 target.

As passed by the General Assembly, the major provisions of the Brighter Tomorrow Act would:

• Make it easier for electric suppliers to meet their solar targets by increasing the compliance value for energy generated from certain types of new solar projects, including residential and commercial-scale projects, in the state’s RPS while also spurring the increased development of various types of local solar;
• Increase energy equity in Maryland by creating a residential solar grant program, administered by the Maryland Energy Administration where low-and-moderate income households could receive as much as $7500 for adopting solar; and
• Facilitating the adoption of automated, digital solar permitting software for Maryland local governments, which will improve local government efficiency, lower solar installation costs, and set up Maryland communities to help more and more families adopt solar for themselves.

“The Moore Administration’s commitment to achieving 100% clean energy by 2035 is more attainable with the Brighter Tomorrow Act. A thriving solar industry is a significant component to creating a clean energy economy for everyone. Mainstream adoption of local solar and battery storage unlocks the lowest cost path to a clean energy future. This is one of the most consequential solar bills to pass in years, and will fuel an expansion of Maryland’s solar workforce.” said Robin Dutta, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Solar and Storage Association (CHESSA).

“The Brighter Tomorrow Act demonstrates Maryland’s commitment to clean energy by establishing innovative new pathways for solar development on priority sites. It is the result of tireless work of the Solar Task Force, and I am proud of this deeply collaborative effort,” said District 30 Senator Sarah Elfreth, the primary sponsor of SB783, the Brighter Tomorrow Act, who sponsored the bill to create the Solar Task Force in 2023.

District 15 Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo, who sponsored the House cross-file of the Brighter Tomorrow Act and also served on the Solar Task Force, said, “The Brighter Tomorrow Act was a direct result of the Taskforce to Study Solar Incentives, and over the course of the legislative process it grew to contain four separate bills to encourage solar development in Maryland. One of my other bills, promoting the SolarAPP+ tool, was added to the bill and will help to streamline the permitting process for residential solar. I was incredibly excited to work on this project, and am even more proud to see it pass.”

News item from the Chesapeake Solar and Storage Association