Solar in Portland, ME
With Central Maine Power's electricity at about 29.4¢ per kWh and 1,312 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Portland home today: about a 8.9-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 8.9 yrsMaine: 9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $50,899after paying $17,465
- Sun
- 1,312kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 29.4¢63% above U.S. average
A typical Portland home, by the numbers
| Utility | Central Maine Power |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 535 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.9 kW, about 11 panels, 6,429 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $17,465 |
| First-year savings | $1,792 |
| Payback | 8.9 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Central Maine Power) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Portland
- Owner-occupied homes
- 47%
- Single-family detached
- 36%
- Median home value
- $490k
- Median year built
- 1946
- Population
- 68,854
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 75%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 14,663 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?
Installers working in Portland
Public installation records for Maine don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Maine.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Portland
Is solar worth it in Portland, ME?
For a typical home in Portland, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.9 kW system costs about $17,465 after state incentives, saves about $1,792 in year one and pays back in about 8.9 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Portland?
About 1,312 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% more than the Maine average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Portland?
Most homes in Portland are served by Central Maine Power, at about 29.4¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Portland?
A fair cash price is around $3.35 per watt before incentives, so about $17,465 for a 4.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- South Portland 8.8 yrs
- Lewiston 8.9 yrs
- Bangor 8.7 yrs
- All of Maine
Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.