Your Maine Solar Contract Is Costing You More Than You Were Told. Here's What You Can Do About It.
The short version: Most Maine solar leases have an escalator clause. It raises your payment 2.9% every year. Over 25 years, a $150 payment grows to more than $300. The Maine AG issued a public warning about solar scams. Big solar companies that worked in Maine have gone bankrupt. Freedom Forever is one of them. If your solar panels aren't saving what you were told, you have real rights. Start with a free Solar Relief Assessment to see what's actually in your contract.
There is a reason solar companies love selling in Maine. Your electricity rates are among the highest in the country - and that makes the pitch almost irresistible. "Your bill is too high. We can fix that."
But here's what they don't tell you at the kitchen table: Maine's winters are long, dark, and brutal on solar production. Your panels produce a fraction of their rated output from November through March. And that "savings projection" your salesperson showed you? It used annual averages that hid the months where your system barely produces anything.
So you're paying a monthly bill for solar. You're still paying Central Maine Power or Versant Power for the electricity your panels can't produce in winter. And the gap between what you were promised and what you're actually getting keeps growing.
If you signed a solar contract in Maine and the numbers don't add up, you're not imagining it. And you have options.
The Maine Attorney General Is Watching Solar
On October 22, 2024, the Maine AG issued a public warning. The AG said Maine has no state program that offers rebates, grants, or tax credits for home solar. Any solar salesperson claiming otherwise is misleading homeowners. The AG's office has received 9 solar-related complaints since 2020 (4 in 2024 alone), plus 25 more from the Maine PUC. A company called Pine Tree Solar drew 7 of the complaints in 2023.
This matters to you. State enforcement agencies have put it on the record. The same sales tactics used on Maine homeowners are now named in court filings. If what your salesperson told you doesn't match your contract, you're not alone. You're not crazy. And you have options.
What's actually in your Maine solar contract
Here's what most Maine homeowners don't realize until they've been paying for a couple of winters: the deal you signed isn't the deal you were sold.
Your salesperson told you solar would slash your electric bill. But did they mention the escalator clause in your lease? That's the line that raises your payment every year - by as much as 2.9%. On a 25-year lease, that turns a $150 monthly payment into more than $300! Most Maine homeowners don't even notice until they compare their current bill to what they signed up for.
Did they explain what happens when you try to sell your home? Your buyer has to agree to take over your solar contract. Most won't - especially in Maine, where buyers already worry about roof condition and heating costs. That means you're looking at a buyout of $7,000 to $30,000 or more just to close.
Did your salesperson mention Freedom Forever? Freedom Forever was one of the biggest solar installers in the country. They put in about 2 gigawatts of solar across 35 states. On April 15, 2026, they filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware. They owe $500 million to $1 billion. Between 50,000 and 100,000 people are owed money. Freedom Forever was still installing in Maine when they filed. If Freedom Forever installed your system, your contract is still active. But the company behind your warranty is now in bankruptcy limbo.
Freedom Forever isn't alone. SolarInsure counted more than 100 solar company bankruptcies in 2024. SunPower filed Chapter 11 in August 2024. A company called Complete Solaria bought them. Sunnova Energy filed Chapter 11 in June 2025. Titan Solar Power filed Chapter 7 in June 2024. Pink Energy, Lumio Holdings, and Vision Solar are on the same list. When your installer goes bankrupt, your payments don't stop. Your contract doesn't cancel. But your warranty usually disappears.
Your rights under Maine law
Maine gives you solid legal tools. Here's what your salesperson almost certainly didn't explain.
Your 3-day cancellation window. If you signed your solar contract at home, you have 3 business days to cancel under the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule. Maine reinforces this through its own consumer protection framework. If your salesperson didn't tell you about this right - and most don't - that affects the enforceability of your contract. Pull out your paperwork. If there's no cancellation notice on the front page, that's your answer.
Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act. 5 M.R.S. section 207 prohibits unfair and deceptive trade practices in Maine. If your solar company misled you about savings, system output, or contract terms, this statute covers your situation. Maine's Attorney General actively enforces consumer protection - this isn't a law that sits on the shelf.
Winter performance gaps are a disclosure issue. Maine winters cut your solar production dramatically. From November through March, your panels are fighting short days, low sun angles, and snow cover. If your salesperson's savings projection used annual averages without showing you the month-by-month reality, those numbers were misleading. That's not a weather problem. That's a disclosure problem - and it's exactly the kind of thing Maine's consumer protection law addresses.
Central Maine Power and Versant Power rate structures. Your savings projections were built around your utility's rates. If Central Maine Power or Versant Power rates haven't climbed at the pace your salesperson assumed, the savings gap is narrower than you were promised. The projection was their best guess dressed up as a guarantee.
Hidden dealer fees in your loan. If you financed your Maine solar system through a loan, there is a good chance a dealer fee was added to your balance without being clearly explained. Under the federal Truth in Lending Act, every finance charge must be disclosed. If yours wasn't, that's a violation - and it means you've been paying interest on money that went to the solar company, not to your system.
What you can do right now
You don't have to figure this out alone. Here are the first steps for Maine homeowners.
File a complaint with the Maine Attorney General. Go to https://www.maine.gov/ag/consumer/complaints/complaint_form.shtml. Or call 207-626-8800. Filing is free. The AG's office reads every complaint.
Compare what the salesperson told you to what's in your contract. In most cases, the two don't match. That gap is what makes a case.
Pull your utility bills from the last 12 months. Add up what you're paying the utility plus what you're paying for solar. Compare that to what you'd pay the utility alone. If the numbers don't work, that's a real gap — not just a feeling.
Find the escalator clause and the dealer fee in your contract. These two lines cause the biggest gap between what you were sold and what you're paying. You can spot both by reading your own paperwork.
Every contract is different. But the first step is the same for everyone. Understand what you signed. Solar Home Advocate built the free Solar Relief Assessment for this exact moment. Someone walks through your contract with you in plain English. They tell you your options.
You Signed a Solar Contract in Maine. Find Out What It's Actually Costing You.
Maine homeowners are paying some of the highest electricity rates in the country - and now paying for solar on top of it. A free Solar Relief Assessment helps you understand what's in your contract, whether the savings projections were honest, and what you can do about it for you and your family.
[Get free Solar Relief Assessment →](https://solarhomeadvocate.com/free-assessment?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=state-guide&utm_content=maine)Get free Solar Relief Assessment →**
No charge. No obligation. No high-pressure pitch.
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"Sal says: A 2.9% escalator clause nearly doubles your payment over 25 years. The Maine AG warned homeowners about solar scams. Freedom Forever filed Chapter 11 in April 2026. If you signed a solar contract in Maine, these facts hit your math and your warranty."
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are my rights if I signed a solar contract in Maine?
Did a salesperson come to your home? If yes, you have a 3-day right to cancel. That's under 9-A M.R.S. §3-501 et seq. and the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule. Maine also has Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act (5 M.R.S. §205-A et seq.). That law covers unfair or deceptive sales tactics. You can file a complaint with the Maine Attorney General. Go to https://www.maine.gov/ag/consumer/complaints/complaint_form.shtml or call 207-626-8800. If your salesperson didn't tell you about the 3-day cancel rule, that can affect your contract.
Has Maine sued any solar companies?
Yes. On October 22, 2024, the Maine AG issued a public warning. The AG said Maine has no state program that offers rebates, grants, or tax credits for home solar. Any solar salesperson claiming otherwise is misleading homeowners. The AG's office has received 9 solar-related complaints since 2020 (4 in 2024 alone), plus 25 more from the Maine PUC. A company called Pine Tree Solar drew 7 of the complaints in 2023.
How does the escalator clause affect my Maine solar contract?
Most Maine solar leases have an escalator clause. It raises your payment about 2.9% every year. On a 25-year lease, a $150 payment grows to more than $300. Maine's average electricity rate is about 30.73 cents per kilowatt-hour in early 2026. That's well above the national average of 17.45 cents. Maine's utility rates are climbing fast. That makes your solar math a close call. Utility rates haven't always gone up 2.9% a year. So your solar payment can climb faster than your would-be utility bill. Your savings shrink instead of grow.
What happens if my Maine solar company went bankrupt?
SolarInsure counted more than 100 solar company bankruptcies in 2024. Big names include SunPower (Aug 2024), Sunnova Energy (June 2025), Titan Solar Power (June 2024), Freedom Forever (April 15, 2026), Pink Energy (Oct 2022), and Vision Solar (Dec 2023). If your installer went bankrupt, your contract still stands. Your payments still go out. But the workmanship warranty usually dies with the company. The panel maker's warranty (often 25 years) still exists. But filing a claim without an active installer is hard.
Can I cancel my Maine solar contract?
Did the salesperson come to your home? Then Maine law gives you 3 business days to cancel. That's under 9-A M.R.S. §3-501 et seq. and the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule. If those 3 days have passed, you may still have options. Did they skip the cancel notice? Did they use deceptive sales tactics? Did your loan hide fees? Any of those can open a path to cancel. It depends on your specific contract and how it was sold.
What are hidden dealer fees on a Maine solar loan?
Solar finance companies add dealer fees of 15 to 30 percent to your loan. They roll the fee into the principal. They don't list it separately. That means you pay interest on fee money that went to the solar company. Not to your panels. The federal Truth in Lending Act says every fee must be listed clearly. A hidden fee can be a federal violation. That's one of the strongest paths to renegotiate or exit a solar loan.
How do I file a solar complaint in Maine?
Go to the Maine Attorney General's website at https://www.maine.gov/ag/consumer/complaints/complaint_form.shtml. Or call 207-626-8800. Filing is free. Write down what the salesperson told you at the sale. Save your contract. Save any texts, emails, and voicemails with the installer. If you have a solar loan, keep your loan paperwork. A formal complaint creates a record. That record strengthens any legal review later.