Solar Trade Groups Statements on Passage of the Utility RELIEF Act

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Yesterday the Maryland General Assembly passed the Utility RELIEF Act (HB 1532/SB 841) after House and Senate leaders came to a compromise agreement on the energy omnibus bill. The bill now goes to Governor Wes Moore’s desk for his signature.

Solar trade groups issued the following statements in response to this development:

“One of the best ways to help lower electricity prices for Marylanders is by doubling down on rooftop and community solar – and that’s exactly what the Utility RELIEF Act does,” said Georgina Arreola-Lennox, Mid-Atlantic state affairs director for the Solar Energy Industries Association. “This bill charts a responsible path forward for the evolution of Maryland’s net metering program and provides regulatory certainty to companies that invested in projects under the current rules. Rooftop and community solar are popular because they offer Marylanders some control over their own energy production and electricity bills. The solar and storage industry applauds Governor Moore, Senate Leader Ferguson, and Speaker Pena-Melñyk for their thoughtful leadership and collaboration.”

Robin K. Dutta, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Solar and Storage Association, added: “Local, distributed solar and storage will help Maryland keep energy costs down, and the Utility RELIEF Act recognizes that. By doubling the state’s net metering program from 3 GW to 6 GW, Maryland policymakers are prioritizing distributed solar as a way to keep households and business’ energy costs down. In the hottest summer days when air conditioners are on full blast, solar is there to meet customer demand and keep energy prices low. The more solar that can be adopted, especially with battery storage, the better the energy realities will be for Maryland.”

“The quickest way to deploy new energy resources in Maryland is distributed solar energy. This legislation strikes a balance between targeted adjustments to achieve long-term affordability while preserving a strong and investable pathway for community solar and customer-owned generation in Maryland,” said Charlie Coggeshall, Mid-Atlantic Director, Coalition for Community Solar Access. “We commend the Maryland General Assembly and the Governor’s office for prioritizing energy affordability and leveraging distributed generation as an important part of the state’s strategy to lower energy costs.”

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Media Contact: 

Jacob Weinberg, SEIA’s State Communications Director, [email protected] | 703-350-3774 

About SEIA®: 

The Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA) is leading the transformation to a clean energy economy. SEIA works with its 1,200 member companies and other strategic partners to fight for policies that create jobs in every community and shape fair market rules that promote competition and the growth of reliable, low-cost solar power. Founded in 1974, SEIA is the national trade association for the solar and solar + storage industries, building a comprehensive vision for the Solar+ Decade through research, education and advocacy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org and follow @SEIA on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About CCSA:

CCSA is a national trade association representing over 100 community solar developers, businesses, and nonprofits. Together, we are building the electric grid of the future where every customer has the freedom to support the generation of clean, local solar energy to power their lives. Through legislative and regulatory advocacy, and the support of a diverse coalition — including advocates for competition, clean energy, ratepayers, landowners, farmers, and environmental justice — we enable policies that unlock the potential of distributed energy resources, starting with community solar. For more information, visit https://www.communitysolaraccess.org and follow the group on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and Youtube.

About CHESSA:

CHESSA is a regional trade association representing solar installers, developers, manufacturers, and other solar and energy storage workers in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. CHESSA’s mission is to create a business and policy environment that encourages mainstream solar and energy storage adoption for the benefit of consumers, communities, and the electric grid. Founded in 1984, CHESSA is a recognized state affiliate of SEIA.