Solar in Maryland: payback, sun by city and utility-scale capacity
Across 5 Maryland cities, yearly output runs from 1,202 kWh per kW in Cumberland to 1,434 in Salisbury. Jul is the best month at 145 kWh per kW and Dec the worst at 78. Maryland pays back in 11.1 years at $3.00 a watt (rank 12 of 51), 2.4 years shorter than the middle state. 1,388 kWh per kW (rank 20) at 19.48 ¢ (rank 14 from the top): price of power drives it. Utility-scale solar in Maryland: 1,148 MW in 191 plants, 3.4% of 2025 generation; 300 MW more under construction or planned.
Sun inside Maryland: 5 cities, 17% apart
| Maryland city | kWh per kW a year | Against state point | Sun, kWh/m2 a day | Payback at $3.00 | Residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | 1,392 | +0.3% | 4.88 | 11.1 | 577,193 |
| Frederick | 1,345 | -3.0% | 4.78 | 11.4 | 80,617 |
| Salisbury | 1,434 | +3.3% | 5.05 | 10.7 | 33,080 |
| Cumberland | 1,202 | -13.4% | 4.47 | 12.8 | 18,938 |
| Easton | 1,403 | +1.1% | 4.95 | 11.0 | 17,202 |
Maryland state point 39.14, -76.82; city points Baltimore 39.30, -76.61; Frederick 39.43, -77.42; Salisbury 38.38, -75.59; Cumberland 39.65, -78.76; Easton 38.78, -76.07. Panel and method: solar method.
Output by month in Maryland cities: 12 rows
| Maryland month | Baltimore | Frederick | Salisbury | Cumberland | Easton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 89.5 | 81.7 | 89.9 | 68.9 | 81.6 |
| Feb | 98.9 | 91.4 | 97.4 | 88.1 | 99.9 |
| Mar | 122.5 | 122.4 | 115.4 | 108.1 | 127.1 |
| Apr | 131.8 | 129.4 | 138.4 | 114.1 | 141.2 |
| May | 141.2 | 142.1 | 153.4 | 119.3 | 149.0 |
| Jun | 140.0 | 141.0 | 154.6 | 127.2 | 143.7 |
| Jul | 148.7 | 136.7 | 147.9 | 126.8 | 143.9 |
| Aug | 135.9 | 135.5 | 143.3 | 123.2 | 132.9 |
| Sep | 115.9 | 115.6 | 117.8 | 108.4 | 118.1 |
| Oct | 105.5 | 103.3 | 108.6 | 86.4 | 108.0 |
| Nov | 84.8 | 80.8 | 97.1 | 73.4 | 86.8 |
| Dec | 77.2 | 65.4 | 70.2 | 57.9 | 71.0 |
Maryland: 5 cities, best month 155 and worst 58 kWh per kW across them.
CSVBest and worst month in Maryland: Jul 145, Dec 78 kWh per kW
| Maryland month | kWh per kW | Price ¢ | Value per kW | kWh per kW per sun unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87.8 | 18.24 | $16.01 | 0.84 |
| Feb | 97.4 | 18.30 | $17.82 | 0.82 |
| Mar | 121.5 | 18.94 | $23.01 | 0.80 |
| Apr | 133.8 | 19.05 | $25.49 | 0.77 |
| May | 139.1 | 19.00 | $26.43 | 0.75 |
| Jun | 140.9 | 19.29 | $27.18 | 0.73 |
| Jul | 145.3 | 18.83 | $27.36 | 0.72 |
| Aug | 136.1 | 19.83 | $26.99 | 0.72 |
| Sep | 117.3 | 21.05 | $24.69 | 0.74 |
| Oct | 105.3 | 22.30 | $23.48 | 0.78 |
| Nov | 85.1 | 21.34 | $18.16 | 0.81 |
| Dec | 78.0 | 19.57 | $15.26 | 0.83 |
Maryland: December to February give 19% of a year (rank 38 of 51, 1 = most winter); the best month is 1.9 times the worst. Output per unit of sun is highest in Jan (0.84) and lowest in Jul (0.72); PVWatts lowers cell output when the panel is hot, and the sun angle changes with the season. Our runs use one fixed 14% loss figure for every place, so snow or soiling in Maryland is not modelled separately.
Maryland: payback 11.1 years, rank 12 of 51
| Measure | Value | Rank of 51 | Median state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output of 1 kW a year, kWh | 1,388 | 20 | 1,372 |
| Home price, ¢ per kWh | 19.48 | 14 | 15.37 |
| Value of 1 kW a year | $270 | 12 | $222 |
| Payback at $3.00 a watt | 11.1 years | 12 | 13.5 years |
EIA-861 (2024): 108,087 home net-metered systems in Maryland, 44.1 per 1,000 accounts (rank 11), average 7.8 kW.
Utility-scale solar in Maryland: 1,148 MW
Maryland: 1,148 MW of operable utility-scale solar in 191 plants across 23 counties (EIA-860, 2025), rank 27 of 51; 186 W per resident, rank 34. Solar made 3.4% of Maryland's net generation in 2025 (EIA-923), rank 27, -3.4 points against the national share. Biggest plants: CPV Backbone Solar in Garrett County, 175 MW (2025); Great Bay Solar 1 in Somerset County, 118 MW (2020); Jones Farm Solar in Queen Annes County, 64 MW (2025). By county: Garrett 188 MW, Queen Annes 167 MW, Dorchester 130 MW, Somerset 123 MW. Proposed: 254 MW under construction (24 plants) and 46 MW planned (1 plant); batteries 12 MW running and 0 MW proposed.
| Maryland year | MW added | Cumulative share of today's MW |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 34 | 3% |
| 2020 | 87 | 10% |
| 2021 | 51 | 15% |
| 2022 | 114 | 25% |
| 2023 | 65 | 31% |
| 2024 | 146 | 43% |
| 2025 | 359 | 75% |
Sizes and prices per watt in Maryland
| Maryland kW | kWh a year | Value a year | Cost at $2.50 | At $3.00 | At $3.50 | t CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5,550 | $1,081 | $10,000 | $12,000 | $14,000 | 1.3 |
| 6 | 8,326 | $1,622 | $15,000 | $18,000 | $21,000 | 2.0 |
| 8 | 11,101 | $2,162 | $20,000 | $24,000 | $28,000 | 2.6 |
| 10 | 13,876 | $2,703 | $25,000 | $30,000 | $35,000 | 3.3 |
| 12 | 16,651 | $3,244 | $30,000 | $36,000 | $42,000 | 3.9 |
| Maryland $ per watt | 100% retail | 75% | 50% | 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2.00 | 7.4 | 9.9 | 14.8 | 29.6 |
| $2.50 | 9.2 | 12.3 | 18.5 | 37.0 |
| $3.00 | 11.1 | 14.8 | 22.2 | 44.4 |
| $3.50 | 12.9 | 17.3 | 25.9 | 51.8 |
| $4.00 | 14.8 | 19.7 | 29.6 | 59.2 |
Maryland: 1,388 kWh/kW × 19.48 ¢ = 270 a year per kW; the 30% column (7.8 years at $3.00) is arithmetic only.
CSVNet metering and CO2 in Maryland
EIA-861 (2024): 108,087 home net-metered systems in Maryland, 44.1 per 1,000 accounts (rank 11), average 7.8 kW.
6 kW in Maryland: 8,326 kWh a year displaces 2.0 t CO2 at 0.236 kg per kWh, -1.1 t against the average state.
Maryland among its neighbours
| Closest to Maryland | Payback, years | kWh per kW | Price, ¢ | Utility-scale solar, points of generation | Miles away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland (this page) | 11.1 | 1,388 | 19.48 | 3.4 | - |
| District of Columbia | -1.3 | +4 | +2.46 | +14.9 | 19 |
| Delaware | +1.6 | -4 | -2.35 | -0.3 | 69 |
| Pennsylvania | +1.4 | -147 | -0.18 | -2.8 | 89 |
| Virginia | +3.5 | -44 | -4.20 | +4.8 | 93 |
Maryland against its neighbours in the payback ranking
- -1 places, New Jersey -1.1 years against Maryland
- +0 places, Vermont -0.4 years against Maryland
- Maryland, rank 12: 11.1 years
- +2 places, New Mexico +0.1 years against Maryland
- +3 places, Arizona +0.1 years against Maryland
Maryland utilities and solar payback
| Maryland utility | Homes | Price ¢ | Value of 1 kW | Payback at $3.00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Gas & Electric Co | 1,214,100 | 16.12 | $224 | 13.4 yr |
| Potomac Electric Power Co | 553,607 | 18.74 | $260 | 11.5 yr |
| The Potomac Edison Company | 256,568 | 13.26 | $184 | 16.3 yr |
| Southern Maryland Elec Coop Inc | 160,882 | 14.73 | $204 | 14.7 yr |
| Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc | 50,697 | 16.46 | $228 | 13.1 yr |
| Hagerstown Light Department | 15,099 | 7.77 | $108 | 27.8 yr |
| Easton Utilities Comm | 8,590 | 13.06 | $181 | 16.6 yr |
Your numbers for Maryland
Limits in Maryland
Maryland: with the old 30% credit (IRS, ended 2025) payback would be 7.8 years instead of 11.1, so the calculator starts at 0%. No Maryland export rates in our data: output counts at 19.48 ¢. All limits.
Sources for Maryland
- PVWatts v8 (NLR), 5 Maryland cities and one state point: 1,388 kWh per kW
- EIA-860 2025 and EIA-923 2025: 1,148 MW of solar in Maryland
- EIA-861 2024: 108,087 net-metered systems in Maryland
- EIA retail sales 2025: 19.48 ¢ per kWh in Maryland
- IRS 25D (ended 2025): 7.8 years in Maryland with it; licences and periods for Maryland
More about Maryland
Maryland electricity hub, Maryland EV charging: 1,679 stations, where Maryland ranks for rooftop solar, 11.1 years against 51 states, Maryland calculators.
Questions
Where in Maryland is solar best?
Yes: 17% between Cumberland and Salisbury in yearly output.
Net metering in Maryland?
108,087 systems, 44.1 per 1,000 accounts, rank 11.
Solar payback in Maryland?
11.1 years at $3.00 a watt; 9.2 at $2.50; 12.9 at $3.50; 1,388 kWh per kW at 19.48 ¢.
Winter cut in Maryland solar output?
December to February give 19% of the year; Jul makes 145 kWh per kW and Dec 78.
Maryland utility-scale solar capacity?
1,148 MW in 191 plants (EIA-860), 186 W per resident, rank 34; 300 MW proposed.
Maryland sunshine for solar panels?
1,388 kWh per kW a year at the state point, rank 20 of 51; from 1,202 in Cumberland to 1,434 in Salisbury.
Maryland electricity from solar, what share?
3.4% of 2025 net generation, rank 27 of 51, -3.4 points against the nation.
Maryland pays half price for exports?
Payback 22.2 years at a 50% retail share.
CO2 displaced in Maryland?
2.0 t a year on 6 kW at 0.236 kg per kWh.
Federal solar credit in Maryland: still available?
Ended 2025 (IRS 25D); with it Maryland payback would be 7.8 years, not 11.1.