The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) announces the opening of the FY21 Parking Lot Solar PV Canopy with EV Charger Grant Program (Solar Canopy Grant Program). The Solar Canopy Grant Program combines Maryland's Renewable Portfolio Standard goal for solar with the State’s ongoing support of electric vehicle infrastructure. There is a significant amount of parking lot space in Maryland, in urban lots and garages, as well as in the large parking areas associated with shopping centers and businesses of less densely populated suburban areas. The Program will capture some of the unrealized potential of these facilities by installing solar photovoltaics while still allowing parking services to be offered. These projects will result in increased clean electricity generation sited close to local electrical loads, and increased opportunity for plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) to charge.
In order to drive down the initial costs associated with installing solar PV canopy systems, MEA will award grants to qualified applicants on a competitive basis, within two specified Areas of Interest (AOI). Area of Interest I (AOI I) applications will be accepted from business and non-profits while Area of Interest II (AOI II) applications will focus on local governments and State agencies. Selected grantees meeting grant program requirements and restrictions may receive an award of up to $600/kW of installed solar PV capacity, with a cap of $300,000 per project. For details regarding the grant program requirements and restrictions, please see the Parking Lot PV/EV Notice of Grant Availability.
State and local government agencies may apply to the Public Facility Solar Grant Program instead of applying to AOI II of this program.
Update: Governor Larry Hogan issued an executive order on March 12, 2020 mandating teleworking for non-essential state employees across all state agencies in response to COVID-19. With this in mind, the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) encourages that all correspondence and reporting regarding the Parking Lot Solar PV Canopy with EV Charger Program be submitted via email to David.Comis@Maryland.gov.
During this time, MEA Solar Program Manager David Comis can most easily be reached via email at David.Comis@Maryland.gov or via phone at (443) 908-1743. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we appreciate your understanding.