All states · Maine
Updated October 2026 · ranks 5 of 50
Yes, and faster than in almost any other state
6 kW system · $18,300 after incentives · $2,564 returned in year one
0 yrs25 yrs
A break-even point of 7.0 years is short enough that the decision turns mainly on how long the owner intends to remain in the property. The system is then owned outright for roughly 18 further years of its warranted life.
Yes. At 7.0 years, a purchased system in Maine repays its cost faster than in almost any other state. The high retail electricity rate accounts for most of that advantage.
The case modeled here approximates an average Maine household on the state average rate of 32.4¢, with an unshaded roof and no financing: $18,300 of capital, $2,564 returned in the first year, and break-even near year 7.0. Above-average consumption, a south-facing roof or a competitive installed price shorten that period; shading, a loan carrying a dealer fee, or a sale within six years lengthen it. Exports earn 32.4¢, close to the retail rate, so daytime occupancy makes little difference to the result.
At 32.4¢ per kilowatt-hour, Maine pays 96% more for electricity than the United States average of 16.5¢. A high retail rate is the principal driver of a short payback, since each kilowatt-hour generated displaces an expensive one.
A 6 kW array in Maine generates approximately 7,912 kWh a year, above the national median. Irradiance is the one input that no change in policy can remove.
Maine operates full-retail net metering. Each exported kilowatt-hour is credited at the same 32.4¢ charged for consumption, so the grid functions as storage and there is no penalty for generating more than is consumed during daylight hours. This is the principal reason payback here is shorter than in states with comparable irradiance.
Maine offers no state rebate or tax credit at present, so the installed price of $18,300 stands. With Section 25D expired there is no federal credit to deduct either, the first year in over a decade in which that has been the case.
A 6 kW system, the size typical of Maine households, costs approximately $18,300 installed at $3.05 a watt before deductions. No deduction applies in Maine: there is no state rebate, no state tax credit, and no federal credit following the expiry of Section 25D on 31 December 2025. That is well above the $2.85 national median, which is why a high retail rate alone does not shorten the payback here as much as it first appears. Smaller systems cost more per watt and larger ones less, although sizing beyond on-site consumption is not penalized, since exports earn 32.4¢.
| System size | 6 kW |
|---|---|
| Annual production | 7,912 kWh |
| Installed cost | $18,300 |
| Incentives | none |
| Net cost | $18,300 |
| Electricity rate | 32.4¢ / kWh |
| Export credit | 32.4¢ / kWh |
| Year-one saving | $2,564 |
| Break-even | 7.0 years |
| 25-year gain | $63,570 |
Of the 50 states published here, Maine ranks fifth for how quickly a bought system repays itself. Fastest right now: Hawaii, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts. Slowest: South Dakota, Louisiana, North Dakota, Tennessee. Compare them all on the map.
Solar economics change at state lines rather than at county lines, because the export tariff and the netting period do. These states share a border with Maine, and the figure each produces on the same assumptions.
About $18,300 installed for a 6 kW system at $3.05 a watt. No deduction applies in Maine: no state rebate, no state credit, and no federal credit following the expiry of Section 25D. Larger systems are not penalized here, since exports earn the full 32.4¢.
Yes, and faster than in almost any other state. A 6 kW system breaks even in 7.0 years on the assumptions used here, following the expiry of the 30% federal tax credit on 31 December 2025.
Approximately $2,564 in the first year on a 7,912 kWh system, rising thereafter as Maine electricity rates increase. Exports are valued the same as self-consumption at 32.4¢, so the figure holds regardless of daytime occupancy.
A 6 kW array is about 14 modules at 430 W and generates 7,912 kWh a year here, which covers a household using roughly that much. Sizing above on-site use is not penalized here, since exports earn 32.4¢. The sizing calculator works it out from a bill.
Yes, and faster than in almost any other state. The retail rate here is 32.4¢ against a national average of 16.5¢, exports earn 32.4¢, and a 6 kW system breaks even in 7.0 years. What separates Maine from states with similar sunshine is the rate and the export tariff, not the weather.
Maine operates full-retail net metering.
Generation is taken from NREL PVWatts v8 for the largest metropolitan area in Maine, south-facing at 20°. The retail rate is from the EIA and the export credit from the state's net metering rule. The break-even figure incorporates 0.5% annual panel degradation, 3% annual electricity price growth, $150 a year in maintenance and an inverter replacement in year 12. The federal credit is set to $0 — Section 25D expired 31 December 2025. Credits accumulate across the year, so close to 95% of generation is valued at the full retail rate. Full method and sources. Privacy. Export terms checked against the state source in August 2026.
These are estimates for comparison between states, not quotations. Roof orientation, shading, consumption pattern and installer pricing all affect the result. At least three written quotations are advisable before purchase.