Maryland property owners earn more with community solar rooftop leasing

Maryland’s permanent Community Solar program has locked in major opportunities for commercial property owners. By leasing your rooftop space to solar developers, you can earn guaranteed rental income, boost property value, and support statewide clean energy goals without any upfront cost or tenant hassle.

Get a free rooftop evaluation
Aerial view of a Maryland commercial rooftop outfitted with a 5 MW community-solar array, helping Baltimore property owners meet the state’s low-to-moderate-income community-solar requirement while lowering BGE bills.

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Why Maryland property owners are turning to community solar

The Old Line State has become one of the nation’s leaders in clean energy policy. With the launch of a permanent community solar program in 2025, Maryland property owners can generate new income streams from underutilized rooftop space while contributing to the state’s carbon reduction goals.

Maryland warehouse rooftop covered with community-solar panels, offering Pepco and BGE commercial property owners a turnkey solar-leasing path to meet the state’s 5 MW community-solar program and PSC rules.

Benefits of commercial rooftop solar leasing in Maryland

Benefit
What It Means for Building Owners
Guaranteed income
20–25 years of predictable lease payments of up to $2.60 per square foot per year.
Zero capex, zero opex
Developers cover design, construction, and O&M.
Tax-free upside
Thanks to Maryland’s property tax exemption (§7-237), solar won’t increase your property tax bill. Lease income is pure upside.
ESG value
Supports net-zero commitments and boosts GRESB scores
Tenant & investor appeal
Sustainability-focused tenants and capital providers value solar
Future-proofing
Solar (and optional storage) positions your property ahead of potential future carbon regulations and boosts resilience.
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Benefits of Commercial Rooftop Solar Leasing in Maryland

Benefit
What It Means for Building Owners
Guaranteed income
20–25 years of predictable lease payments of up to $2.60 per square foot per year.
Zero capex, zero opex
Developers cover design, construction, and O&M.
Tax-free upside
Thanks to Maryland’s property tax exemption (§7-237), solar won’t increase your property tax bill. Lease income is pure upside.
ESG value
Supports net-zero commitments and boosts GRESB scores
Tenant & investor appeal
Sustainability-focused tenants and capital providers value solar
Future-proofing
Solar (and optional storage) positions your property ahead of potential future carbon regulations and boosts resilience.
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Why Maryland property owners partner with Lumen Energy

Unlike solar developers, Lumen works exclusively for property owners, sitting on your side of the table and ensuring your returns—not the developer’s—come first. Our team brings deep Maryland market expertise, with a clear understanding of state regulations, utility programs, and community solar compliance.
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We provide portfolio-scale analysis, helping you evaluate dozens of properties at once and uncover the best solar opportunities. Through our network of vetted developers, you gain access to competitive bids that maximize rooftop value. We also offer legal and regulatory support, making it simple to navigate MD solar policies with confidence.
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With a local focus across Baltimore, Bethesda, Annapolis, and beyond, Lumen Energy ensures you capture every incentive and opportunity available in Maryland’s solar market.

Sun-drenched Baltimore commercial rooftop hosting a 5 MW Maryland community-solar array, letting the property owner earn lease revenue while BGE, Pepco and Delmarva Power subscribers benefit from clean-energy credits under PSC Maryland community-solar rules.

"Lumen Energy guided us through the new Community Solar program. Our Edison warehouse now generates $50,000 annually while powering local families."

Michael R
Industrial property owner, NJ

"Lumen made the leasing process seamless."

Sarah T
CRE Manager, NJ

"With Lumen’s platform, we quickly assessed multiple rooftops across New Jersey. Solar leasing is now a key revenue driver."

David L
Portfolio Manager, NJ

“Lumen Energy simplified the Maryland rooftop leasing process and got us the most competitive bids from their network of developers. Their bidding process revealed that the highest bid was 2.9x the smallest bid.”

MD AM, Nuveen

Maryland solar incentives for commercial property

Incentive / Program
Benefit
Source
Maryland community solar program – CSEGS
Statewide program that empowers developers to sell SRECs on the market
PSC
Federal ITC – Section 48
30% tax credit on eligible solar project costs
eCFR: Clean Electricity Investment Credit (48E)
Accelerated depreciation – MACRS
Accelerated cost recovery for solar equipment
eCFR §1.168(i)-7-7)
Commercial Solar Grant Program
$600-$1000/kw, up to $500,000
Commercial solar grant program
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How it works

Start with a free property assessment using satellite imagery to analyze the the solar potential of your roofs. Get a custom financial analysis with projections for revenue growth, property value increases, and tenant savings. We put your building to bid so you receive competitive offers from pre-vetted rooftop solar developers in MD. Our experts offer lease negotiation advising to secure optimal terms under MD community solar rules. Enjoy worry-free installation and ongoing management—developers handle the work while you collect steady revenue.

Infographic-style graphic for community solar roof top installation in New Jersey

Serving properties across Maryland

Major markets

Baltimore, Columbia, Towson, Dundalk
Bethesda, Silver Spring, Rockville, Gaithersburg
Frederick, Hagerstown, Annapolis, Glen Burnie

Industrial corridors and hubs

I-95 corridor, I-695 Baltimore Beltway, I-270 corridor
Port of Baltimore logistics zones
BWI and Tradepoint Atlantic logistics submarkets

Suburban districts

BGE, Pepco, Delmarva Power, Potomac Edison
Not sure if your rooftop qualifies? Contact us for a free evaluation.
Coverage map showing Maryland community-solar projects reaching Baltimore, D.C. suburbs and Delmarva Power territory—ideal for commercial property owners exploring BGE, Pepco or Potomac Edison community-solar leasing and the state’s 5 MW PSC program.

FAQ

What is Maryland’s Community Solar program?
Maryland established a permanent Community Solar Energy Generating Systems program in 2023, succeeding a seven-year pilot. Projects can be up to 5 MW AC, with 40% of output allocated to low- to moderate-income subscribers.
What is the difference between rooftop leasing and community solar?
Rooftop leasing is the means by which community solar developers secure space to generate power. Developers rent roof space from property owners to install solar panels, creating the energy supply that serves community solar subscribers.
How much can I earn?
Lease revenue depends on roof size, interconnection costs, utility territory, and market demand. Lumen benchmarks expected lease rates for each property and then puts the property to competitive bid across our pre-vetted network of experienced solar developers. Enter your address here to see how much money your property could make.
Do tenants need to be involved?
Not directly. Developers manage the systems; tenants may receive energy credits as a bonus.
What are eligibility requirements?
Large, structurally suitable, low-shade roofs near available interconnection capacity under MD utilities are ideal. Industrial, logistics, and big-box retail assets are common hosts.
How does new legislation help?
Expanded community solar capacity, faster interconnections, and more eligible properties mean higher potential returns.
What if I sell my property?
Leases are transferable and often increase property resale value.

Now is the time to capitalize Maryland’s solar commitment

With the creation of the permanent community solar program and rising demand for clean energy, your rooftop can become a major revenue driver. Join other MD property owners already earning six figures annually from solar leasing. To get in touch with our MD team, email maryland@getlumen.com

Get a free rooftop evaluation
Maryland warehouse rooftop community-solar array—5 MW system installed under BGE & Pepco programs—showing commercial property owners how PSC Maryland community-solar leasing turns unused roof space into low-to-moderate-income clean-energy credits.