MAINE MONITOR • July 21, 2024
Maine’s community solar program, commonly known as net energy billing, has been wildly successful in incentivizing the development of small-scale solar power projects. They’ve popped up like mushrooms as developers chase the deals codified by state lawmakers, allowing them to sell power at a premium above market rates. Some critics point out that the situation has also allowed large corporations and private equity firms to pocket Maine ratepayers’ cash. A Maine Monitor analysis found it’s hard to track this pattern but corporate press releases offer glimpses that show developers have bundled projects, then sold them to some of the world’s largest corporations and investment firms.