How It Works
For Low- to Moderate-Income Households
Community solar can be confusing. Our goal is to make it simple.
Save in Five Simple Steps
1
Become a Member
You can sign up today for $0. With no upfront costs, you don't have to pay until you start saving on your electricity bills.
2
Verify Your Eligibility
We can use your participation in many government programs to verify your eligibility easily. Our team is here to help with every step.
3
Get Assigned
When a spot opens up, we’ll assign you to one of our solar projects. You will be notified at least two months before any changes to your account.
4
We Generate
Electricity generated by our projects is applied to your electricity bill as credits. You will never receive more credits than you need.
5
You Save 20%
We send a bill that includes discounts on your total electricity costs. Your bill will never be more than what it would be without solar.
✽ Eligibility Verification
How do I verify my eligibility?
✽ Eligibility Verification
How do I verify my eligibility?
We provide a few options to make it possible for everyone to save. This process can be confusing on paper, but our team is here to help.
There are many different definitions of low- to moderate-income (LMI) households for various government and non-profit programs. For Maine Community Power Cooperative, your household qualifies as LMI if your household income is less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
Your household is you, your spouse (if married/living together), and anyone you claim as a dependent on your federal tax return.
200% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Limit
Source: healthcare.gov
Household Size
200% FPL
Individuals
$31,300
Family of 2
$42,300
Family of 3
$53,300
Family of 4
$64,300
Family of 5
$75,300
Family of 6
$86,300
Family of 7
$97,300
Family of 8
$108,300
Family of 9+
Add $11,000 per person
80% Area Median Income (AMI) Limit
You qualify If your household income is below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). This income limit is based on the town and county you live in.
You can look up the income limit for your town on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website.
- Select your town in the list on the right hand side of the screen.
- Click "View County Calculations"
- Check the income limit in the bottom row of the table, titled "Low (80%) Income Limit ($)"
Need help? Email our team at support@mainecommunitypower.com and include the name of the town you live in. We'll help you identify the income limit for your area.
We offer two easy ways to verify your eligibility:
Option #1 – (Preferred Option) Categorical Eligibility: We can quickly verify your participation in a federal, state, or tribal program with similar income limits.
Option #2 – Income Eligibility: You can verify eligibility by submitting your federal or state tax return or a tax return transcript.
(Preferred) Categorical Eligibility:
We can quickly verify your participation in a federal, state, or tribal program with similar income limits.
If you’ve already verified your income through another income-eligible program, we can accept that eligibility letter – no need to resubmit financial documents.
If anyone in your household participates in one of the following programs, you automatically qualify:
Recommended Option: Efficiency Maine Energy Rebate Program
If your household enrolled in the Efficiency Maine energy rebate program in the past 12 months and received a low-income verification letter, you automatically qualify.
Not enrolled yet? Apply here – it’s fast and gets you access to additional benefits like energy upgrade rebates and EV incentives. Eligible applicants will usually receive eligibility verification within 5 business days.
Other programs:
- Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- MaineCare
- Manufactured (Mobile) Home Initiative
- Other income-eligible programs
If you’re enrolled in a program but aren’t sure if the income limits are similar, please let us know by emailing verification@mainecommunitypower.com and we can help you check.
How to submit your documentation:
You can:
- Email your eligibility or award letter to verification@mainecommunitypower.com, or
- Log in to your account in the MCPC portal and click Take Action in the banner message at the top of the screen.
Please note:
- The name on the eligibility letter must match the primary or secondary contact on your MCPC account
- The letter must be dated within the last 12 months
- Do not send financial, tax, or employment documents via email
Income Eligibility:
You can verify eligibility by submitting your federal or state tax return or a tax return transcript.
If you don’t qualify through a program listed above, we can use your tax information instead. We (and probably you!) prefer to avoid asking for sensitive information, so we strongly encourage exploring categorical eligibility first.
However, we know those programs aren’t accessible to everyone, and we want to make cooperative membership available to all. If you’d like to verify your income using your tax return, we have a secure system in place. Please email verification@mainecommunitypower.com and we’ll guide you through the next secure steps.
Important Note:
Do not send your income or tax information by email.
Do not send your income or tax information by physical mail.
✽ Project Assignment
When will I get assigned to a solar project?
Low- to Moderate-Income (LMI) Members
Get assigned to Forest Keep Solar Farm in Harrison, Maine. Sign up today and start saving in about 2 months.
All Other Members
We're developing more projects statewide. Sign up today and get assigned to projects in the second half of 2026.
✽ Billing
How does billing work?
MCPC Community Solar Billing
You'll still get a bill from Central Maine Power (CMP) every month, but your bill will be much lower including just your service charge (currently $30.21 for residential customers) and any other fees.
We'll send you a Maine Community Power Cooperative (MCPC) bill every month for the cost of the solar credits, the amount owed CMP, including your discount and savings.
You can ignore your CMP bill and pay only your MCPC bill. We forward your payment to CMP on your behalf and include all discounts, so you only have to pay one bill each month.
Want to learn more about how billing works? Read moreQuestions? Contact our team at support@mainecommunitypower.com
MCPC
With MCPC, we'll bill you for your solar credits and the amount owed to CMP. You pay one bill, we handle it.
- Full Price CMP Bill: $100.00
- MCPC Discount (15%): $ - 20.00
- You Pay CMP: $0.00
You Pay: $80.00
Central Maine Power
Without community solar, you pay the full price for your electricity every month. No discount, no savings.
- Service Charge: $30.21
- Delivery: $32.83
- Supply: $36.96
You Pay: $100.00
✽ Savings
How much can I save on my electricity bills?
Get the biggest discount on your electricity bill. Our solar projects offer fixed, stable costs that protect you from electricity rate hikes.
Unlike other providers who only discount the usage portion of your bill, we apply discounts to both energy usage and fixed charges, including CMP's fixed delivery charge. This means greater relief and protection against further rate hikes. Estimate your savings
Alternative delivery rates include the Residential Electric Technology Rate, Residential Time of Use (TOU) Rate, etc.
Customers enrolled in alternative delivery rates will likely still save on their electricity costs by subscribing to our community solar program. However, the exact amount you’ll save is dependent on your specific delivery rate and your household’s electricity usage patterns.
Enrolled in an alternative delivery rate? Learn moreBecause LIHEAP and LIAP benefits are applied directly to your utility bill, adding a community solar subscription can sometimes leave some of your benefits unused.
If you receive LIHEAP or LIAP, we will contact you before assigning your account to a solar project to ensure we'll actually save you money. We will not assign your account if it could increase your electricity costs.
Your ELP credit is calculated based on two things: your annual household income and your billed electricity usage (the amount you pay the utility for directly).
Reduced Billed Usage: When you join community solar, you pay the solar provider for a portion of your power instead of the utility. This lower "billed usage" may result in a smaller ELP credit in future years.
Predicting Impact: Because ELP budgets and benefit levels change annually, the exact impact on your electricity costs can be difficult to predict.
The 20% Rule of Thumb: Generally, if your ELP credit already reduces your annual electricity costs by more than 20%, the additional savings from community solar may be minimal.
Our Guarantee: Our community solar program offers stable savings for years.
Questions? We’re here to help you weigh the tradeoffs. Reach out to our team at support@mainecommunitypower.com for a personalized review.
Many homes and businesses generate most, but not all, of their annual energy needs with solar panels. You can participate in our community solar program to cover the remainder of your energy usage.
You will not pay for solar credits in months when your self-generation offsets your full electricity usage.
Residential and small business customers with solar panels (self-generation) will receive a discount on their electricity usage costs, not including the fixed delivery service charge.
Have rooftop solar? Estimate your savings
Yes. Our team is here to help every step of the way.
If you have questions about how much you can save with our community solar program, email us at support@mainecommunitypower.com.
Save 20%
Save every month with MCPC. You'll never pay more than your utility rate.
- Full Price CMP Bill: $100.00
- MCPC Bill: $80.00
Monthly Savings: $20.00
Annual Savings: $240.00
Yes. Our team is here to help every step of the way.
If you have questions about how much you can save with our community solar program, email us at support@mainecommunitypower.com.