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MarylandSB 09312025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Public Utilities - Generating Stations - Generation and Siting (Renewable Energy Certainty Act)

Sponsored By: Brian J. Feldman (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

Utility RegulationEnergy and ClimateAgriculture -see also- Agritourism; Cannabis Prd; Farm; etc.Baltimore CityBonds -see also- County & Baltimore City Bonds; State BondsBoundariesCommittees and CommissionsComplaintsConservation -see also- Soil ConservationConstructionContractors -see also- Construct; Electricians; etc.Counties -see also- Chartered Counties; Code Counties; etc.CreditEasementsElectronic CommunicationElectronic GovernmentEnergy AdministrationEnergy Matters -see also- Fuel; NuclearMatt; PwrPlnts; etc.Environmental IncentivesEnvironmental Matters -see also- Conserv; Nat Resrce; PollutEquipment -see also- Charging; Med. Equip.; MV Equip; etc.Erosion -see also- Shore ErosionEvidenceFarmlandFees -see also- Attys' Fees; Devt Fees & TaxesFines -see also- Penalties and SentencesFlood ControlForests and Parks -see also- MdNatlCapPkPlnCm; Plants; etc.FormsHearingsHistorical Matters -see also- Archives; Monumts; Museum; etcIndustry and TechnologyInvasive Species -see also- Animals; Insects; PlantsLabor, Department ofLicenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; PermitsLow-IncomeMeetings -see also- Hearings; Open GovernmentMunicipal Corporations -see also- Annap; Balt; Hager; OCNatural Resources -see also- Coal; For&Pks; Rivers; etc.Natural Resources, Department ofNoticesNuisances -see also- Noise; WeedsOpen GovernmentPartnershipsPermits -see also- Building PermitsPlanning, Department ofPlants -see also- Invasive Species; Trees; WeedsPostal ServicePower PlantsPrices -see also- Consumer Price IndexProcurementProperty TaxPublic Buildings and Facilities -see also- Stadiums; St HsePublic InformationPublic Service CommissionPublic Works -see also- Brg&Tun; Hwys; PublBlgFac; etc.Real PropertyRenewable Energy Sources -see also- Geotherm; Solar; etc.ReportsResidential Property -see also- Apartments; CondominiumsRivers, Streams, and LakesRules and RegulationsSafety -see also- Occupational SafetySediment ControlSoil ConservationSolar EnergyStandards and Best PracticesStorageStudies -see also- Commitees & Commissions; ReportsSubscriptions and MembershipsTelephonesTimeTransportation, Department ofTreesUtilities -see also- Recycl; Refuse; Sewage; Teleph; WaterWarrantiesWholesale DistributionZoning and Planning

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

19 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 2 costs, 10 mixed.

Solar permits face fewer local barriers

Local governments must speed review of solar plans that meet the law’s requirements and generally cannot block compliant projects. Stations up to 5 megawatts, measured by inverter alternating-current rating, must be processed as permitted uses. For projects with covered state certificates, local governments must decide required permits within a reasonable time. They cannot demand conditional-use, special-exception, or floating-zone approvals, and local laws apply only where state law does not override them.

Stronger protections for rooftop solar customers

Residential rooftop solar sellers and lessors must provide a full five-year warranty covering installation and system parts, plus manufacturer warranties. They must disclose minimum expected energy production, adjusted for weather. They must also certify in writing that installation follows applicable laws and parts meet minimum design standards. Violations carry fines up to $1,000 each. Maryland’s Department of Labor must develop a special license and minimum qualifications for workers who install or maintain these systems.

Community solar gains credits and options

For community solar systems not owned by utilities, unsubscribed energy creates banked bill credits. Subscriber organizations or coordinators can assign those credits to subscribers within one year. After that, utilities must buy the unallocated energy through their qualifying-facilities process at their energy procurement price. Counties and municipalities can also serve as subscriber organizations. Rooftop community solar systems are excluded from the specified generating-station classification, even above 2 megawatts.

Residents get solar hearings and meetings

Before deciding a distributed-solar certificate application, the Commission must allow public comments and hold a hearing in each construction county. Virtual hearings are allowed only with comparable opportunities to comment and participate. Builders proposing solar stations in areas defined as overburdened and underserved must hold at least two community meetings. Meetings must be in the host county and within 10 miles of the site, or the closest practical alternative when no suitable location exists.

Solar developers must notify emergency responders

Owners of proposed solar generating stations must notify emergency responders in every county where any part will be built. Notices must include a station map and planned locations of solar collectors or isolator switches. This gives responders site information for emergency planning.

Solar sites must protect land and views

Owners must reduce visual impacts on listed preservation areas, parks, scenic resources, and historic or heritage sites. Stations over 2 megawatts need a viewshed study with their state application; smaller stations include it with local site plans. Owners must minimize grading, keep topsoil on the parcel, preserve existing woods where practical, and limit unnecessary mowing. Native or noninvasive vegetation must maintain 90% survival throughout operation; herbicides are limited to state-compliant invasive and noxious weed control. Owners must also follow state stormwater, erosion, sediment, stabilization, soil-compaction, and ground-cover laws.

Earlier solar projects keep prior treatment

Section 1 does not apply to solar construction or modification with a required state certificate application or local permit submitted before July 1, 2025. Earlier notices or meetings also satisfy Section 1’s community-engagement requirements if completed by June 30, 2025. Those notices or meetings must have followed an existing approval process in the affected overburdened or underserved community.

New permit route for community solar

Eligible community solar projects can use a new distributed generation certificate to authorize construction and operation. Projects must have inverter-rated capacity above 2 megawatts and no more than 5 megawatts of alternating-current output. They must be outside an incorporated municipality and otherwise need the traditional state power plant certificate. The new certificate has the same legal force as the traditional certificate.

Local automatic solar enrollment authority removed

The law removes local governments’ authority to create community solar programs that automatically enroll customers. It also removes the related enrollment, opt-out, billing, and utility-support provisions. This change does not itself end an identified household subscription or set a bill increase.

More solar projects face site checks

The covered siting rules now reach qualifying solar stations over 1 megawatt, down from over 2, including aggregate net metering. Rooftop, carport, brownfield, and behind-the-meter sites are excluded from this expanded coverage. Covered stations up to 2 megawatts need local site-compliance verification before construction; larger stations need a specified state certificate or approval. Construction also requires all required local permit approvals, and applications must include written evidence of site compliance. The Commission must consider site compliance in covered certificate decisions; capacity thresholds use the inverter’s alternating-current rating.

Solar neighbors get screening and lighting limits

Nonbarbed fencing must sit inside a landscape buffer or next to the station and cannot exceed 20 feet. Chain-link fencing needs black or green vinyl mesh and 50 feet from public road rights-of-way; critical infrastructure can use barbed wire. Required buffers cannot exceed 35 feet and must screen year-round, with 90% plant survival throughout operation and a watering plan. Screening covers specified boundaries lacking 50 feet of woods, unless a better location is demonstrated; local governments cannot require earth berms. Road rights-of-way cannot hold solar equipment except interconnection equipment, and dusk-to-dawn visible light is barred except for legal, safety, or emergency needs.

Solar setbacks allow county agreement exceptions

Covered solar stations generally need 150 feet of separation from homes and 100 feet from property lines. Internal project boundaries and interconnection lines and facilities are excluded from the stated setback rules. Stations and accessory structures face a 15-foot average-height limit, except interconnection equipment and stations on land also used for agriculture. Owners can document a host-county siting agreement that satisfies the referenced site requirements even with less strict terms.

Storage projects require notice, fewer meetings

Front-of-the-meter storage devices, which serve the grid rather than sit behind a customer’s meter, need approval before construction. Applications trigger notice to host jurisdictions, jurisdictions within 1 mile, relevant state lawmakers, and affected communities within 1 mile. The law removes the specified environmental-review and two-public-meeting requirement for storage devices above 100 kilowatts.

Farm solar gets limited siting exemptions

Agrivoltaic projects combine solar generation with qualifying agriculture on land maintained under Maryland’s agricultural-use standards. These projects are exempt from the specified solar site requirements. Combining solar only with beehives or pollinator habitat does not qualify as agrivoltaics.

Large solar projects face land limits

Ground-mounted solar stations over 5 megawatts cannot occupy specified mapped growth, residential, or residential mixed-use land designated January 1, 2025. Capacity uses the inverter’s alternating-current rating. In priority preservation areas established before January 1, 2025, approved solar acreage cannot exceed 5% of total acreage. Counties must report reaching that cap to the Commission; specified prohibitions then do not apply to the remaining 95%. Covered preservation-area projects must meet the law’s project-area and siting requirements.

Solar developers get standardized certificate reviews

After public notice and comment, the Power Plant Research Program must propose distributed-solar certificate standards by July 1, 2026. The Public Service Commission must adopt rules, forms, and review procedures by July 1, 2027; joint agency fees can cover administration. Applicants must send the host county an application copy at least 30 days before filing and the research program a copy when filing. The program checks compliance, considers public comments, and explains how to fix deficiencies; the Commission must grant compliant applications and reject noncompliant ones. Certificates require local site, stormwater, erosion-control, applicable building and electrical approvals, plus permits required by the licensing conditions.

Solar owners must secure landscaping and removal

Solar owners must post a county bond equal to 100% of landscaping costs for the first 5 years. An inspection confirming 90% plant survival releases half; the rest stays for 2 more years pending another successful inspection. Owners must also sign a decommissioning agreement with the Public Service Commission and post a surety bond. That bond cannot exceed 125% of estimated future removal costs, less salvage value, and must be updated every 5 years. These bonds back landscaping and future removal obligations rather than paying households directly.

Storage sites gain faster local reviews

Local governments cannot block compliant front-of-the-meter storage projects and must use standard processes and speed their reviews. Outside commercial or industrial locations, owners must use nonbarbed fencing no higher than 20 feet, except around critical infrastructure. Locally required buffers cannot exceed 25 feet and must screen year-round; local governments cannot require earth berms. Owners must minimize grading, keep topsoil on the parcel, and limit herbicides to state-compliant invasive-species control.

Power supply study weighs reliability and costs

Maryland’s Public Service Commission must study power purchase agreements, utility-supplier partnerships, and other purchasing models, reporting by December 1, 2026. The study must assess whether models add at least 100 megawatts of Maryland electricity supply recognized by regional grid operator PJM. Projects must connect to Maryland’s distribution system; suppliers must build partnership projects, and participating utilities and suppliers need a joint positive credit-rating assessment. After the commission finds a model will meet supply needs, it must take final action on a project’s certificate application within 180 days; intervention filings are due within 90 days. The study must assess customer-rate effects and favor models with little or no rate impact; the law sets no rates or construction mandate.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Brian J. Feldman

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 188 • No: 112

Senate vote • 4/7/2025

Third Reading Passed

Yes: 33 • No: 10 • Other: 3

House vote • 4/5/2025

Third Reading Passed

Yes: 97 • No: 39 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 4/1/2025

Floor Amendment {743821/1 (Senator Mautz) Rejected

Yes: 11 • No: 25 • Other: 10

Senate vote • 4/1/2025

Floor Amendment {963629/1 (Senator Hershey) Rejected

Yes: 12 • No: 27 • Other: 7

Senate vote • 4/1/2025

Third Reading Passed

Yes: 35 • No: 11

Actions Timeline

  1. Approved by the Governor - Chapter 623

    5/20/2025

  2. Passed Enrolled

    4/7/2025Senate

  3. Third Reading Passed (33-10)

    4/7/2025Senate

  4. Senate Concurs House Amendments

    4/7/2025Senate

  5. Third Reading Passed (97-39)

    4/5/2025House

  6. Second Reading Passed with Amendments

    4/4/2025House

  7. Motion Special Order until 04/04 (Delegate Crosby) Adopted

    4/3/2025House

  8. Favorable with Amendments {163720/1 Adopted

    4/3/2025House

  9. Favorable with Amendments Report by Economic Matters

    4/3/2025House

  10. Rereferred to Economic Matters

    4/2/2025House

  11. Referred Rules and Executive Nominations

    4/2/2025House

  12. Third Reading Passed (35-11)

    4/1/2025Senate

  13. Second Reading Passed with Amendments

    4/1/2025Senate

  14. Floor Amendment {663325/1 (Senator Hester) Adopted

    4/1/2025Senate

  15. Floor Amendment {963629/1 (Senator Hershey) Rejected (12-27)

    4/1/2025Senate

  16. Floor Amendment {743821/1 (Senator Mautz) Rejected (11-25)

    4/1/2025Senate

  17. Favorable with Amendments {113024/1 Adopted

    4/1/2025Senate

  18. Motion Laid Over (Senator Feldman) Adopted

    3/31/2025Senate

  19. Favorable with Amendments {113024/1

    3/31/2025Senate

  20. Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

    3/31/2025Senate

  21. Hearing 2/28 at 1:30 p.m.

    2/10/2025Senate

  22. First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment

    2/3/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • Enacted

    5/20/2025

    PDF

  • Enrolled

    4/7/2025

    PDF

  • Third Reading

    4/1/2025

    PDF

  • First Reading

    2/3/2025

    PDF

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