Solar in South Portland, ME
With Central Maine Power's electricity at about 29.4¢ per kWh and 1,347 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical South Portland home today: about a 8.8-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 8.8 yrsMaine: 9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $51,612after paying $17,180
- Sun
- 1,347kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 29.4¢63% above U.S. average
A typical South Portland home, by the numbers
| Utility | Central Maine Power |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 535 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.8 kW, about 11 panels, 6,467 kWh a year (101% of use) |
| Cost | $17,180 |
| First-year savings | $1,798 |
| Payback | 8.8 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 South Portland
- Owner-occupied homes
- 58%
- Single-family detached
- 53%
- Median home value
- $441k
- Median year built
- 1968
- Population
- 26,930
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 79%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 7,348 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 South 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 South Portland
Is solar worth it in South Portland, ME?
For a typical home in South Portland, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.8 kW system costs about $17,180 after state incentives, saves about $1,798 in year one and pays back in about 8.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in South Portland?
About 1,347 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% more than the Maine average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in South Portland?
Most homes in South Portland are served by Central Maine Power, at about 29.4¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in South Portland?
A fair cash price is around $3.35 per watt before incentives, so about $17,180 for a 4.8 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Portland 8.9 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.