The future of solar is being written as we speak, and it is increasingly being intertwined with the future of transportation—putting it at a crossroads.
Last month, Governor Larry Hogan announced that the headquarters and 35 other facilities in the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) will be entirely powered by solar electricity within the next 18 months—at no additional cost to the taxpayers.
And this month, the General Assembly can provide the governor with the same power to allow commercial and residential taxpayers to achieve the same via an improved renewable portfolio standard (RPS) or funding boost to his Maryland Energy Administration.
According to the project’s announcement, MDOT is the first statewide transportation agency in the country to implement such ambitious plans. But will the MDOT project be a roadmap for a statewide solar energy network or simply a gift pass to other states?
The move is part of the governor’s progressive position on solar energy. He is committed to expanding the use of solar throughout the state and needs a legislative green light to achieve real results. And to paraphrase an old proverb, Gov. Hogan clearly believes solar begins at home—as do we.
The announcement by Gov. Hogan of MDOT’s project is just the latest in a series of moves the state has made to support Marylanders and the solar industry. Last year, the legislature increased the renewable portfolio standard (RPS) from 20% to 25%, and currently have bills moving their way through a logjammed legislature that would inject more than $11 billion of long-term private investment statewide raising the solar carve-out to 14.5% over 10 years.
MDOT owns 874 facilities throughout the state, so the state’s taxpayers hope (and frankly expect) the program will continue to expand to other agency properties, setting a shining example of solar’s success, as well as its ability to return Maryland to its well-earned leadership position as a forward-thinking state.
This should be an exciting time for Maryland, but there is still some opposition to solar—despite more Americans recognizing and demanding this power source choice to improve the grid, the environment, save ratepayers money and create jobs. And MDOT, with Gov. Hogan’s enthusiastic approval, is primed to become the program others imitate when it comes to economic growth, taxpayer savings and setting smart solar policy.
The Solar Revolution has arrived, and Maryland’s recent MDOT moves are proving it doesn’t plan to build a dead end. As befitting its role in the country’s history of innovation, Maryland can lead. We are not looking for a road map to Mars–but in the lasting lyrics of Wings in With a Little Luck “there is no end to what we can do…we can do it.”
More Recent Blog Posts
New California Legislation Takes Community Solar Access to New Heights
August 17, 2023
Harry Benson · 2 min read
The Undeniable Value of Solar Development on Brownfields and Landfills
May 1, 2023
Harry Benson · 4 min read
Supporting the Growing Illinois Solar Market
April 20, 2023
Harry Benson · 3 min read
Q&A with Acton Water District on Deploying Solar and Storage to Maximize Revenue
March 7, 2023
Eric Partyka · 3 min read
Most Popular Blog Posts
How solar grazing supports agrivoltaics projects
Jay Smith · 2 min read
New California Legislation Takes Community Solar Access to New Heights
Harry Benson · 2 min read
Checkerspot Community Solar Project is One of Nine Projects Protecting Maryland’s Ecosystem and Assisting in Community Growth
Eric Partyka · 2 min read
The Intern Experience
Travis Tate · 2 min read
Share