The Easiest 8-12% Your Business Will Ever Save: Community Solar in MD & DE

June 15, 2026


In the world of commercial operations, finding a way to slash overhead by double digits without spending a dime upfront is usually a red flag for a "too good to be true" offer. But in 2026, for businesses operating within the BGE, Pepco, Potomac Edison, and Delmarva utility territories across Maryland and Delaware, this isn't a sales pitch, it’s a regulatory reality.


Community solar has evolved from a niche pilot program into a mainstream financial strategy for savvy business owners. If your business pays its own utility bills but doesn't have the roof space, the capital, or the long-term lease to install traditional solar panels, community solar is your bridge to immediate savings.


The good news? You can typically reduce your monthly electricity spend by 8% to 12% simply by enrolling. Here is how your business can capture this "easy win."



Key Takeaways


  • Zero Upfront Costs: No installation, no equipment maintenance, and no capital expenditure.
  • Guaranteed Savings: Most subscriptions offer a fixed percentage discount (typically 8–12%) on the solar credits applied to your bill.
  • Tenant-Friendly: Perfect for businesses that rent their office, warehouse, or retail space.
  • Market Reach: Available to businesses in BGE, Pepco, Potomac Edison, and Delmarva (MD & DE) territories.
  • Risk Mitigation: Electric Advisors handles the vetting to ensure you choose a project with favorable terms and no hidden cancellation fees.




How It Works: Solar Without the Panels


Traditional solar requires a suitable roof, a massive check for installation, and a 20-year commitment. For many businesses, especially those in high-rises, leased retail spots, or multi-unit warehouses, this is impossible.


Community solar flips the script. Large-scale solar "farms" are built elsewhere in your utility’s territory. You "subscribe" to a portion of that farm’s energy production. Your utility (like BGE or Pepco) tracks how much energy your share produced and applies a bill credit directly to your monthly invoice.


The Math of an 8-12% Reduction


How does "subscribing" actually save you money? It comes down to the discounted credit model.

  1. The Credit: The solar farm produces electricity and sends it to the grid. Your utility gives you a credit for that energy (e.g., $1,000 worth of solar credits).
  2. The Subscription Fee: You pay the community solar provider for those credits, but at a discounted rate, usually 8% to 12% less than the credit’s value.
  3. The Result: If you receive a $1,000 credit but only pay the provider $880 for it, your business just saved $120 on that month’s bill with zero effort.



Implications for Businesses in MD & DE

Maryland and Delaware have become two of the most aggressive states for community solar expansion. However, the rules vary slightly depending on where your meter is located.


Maryland: BGE, Pepco, Potomac Edison, and Delmarva MD

Maryland’s permanent community solar program is designed to diversify the state’s energy mix while lowering costs for commercial accounts. Just as important for business owners, Maryland utilities now process community solar directly on the utility invoice through Consolidated Billing. That means customers in BGE, Pepco, Potomac Edison, and Delmarva Maryland no longer deal with two separate community solar bills. Instead, the credit and related community solar charges are reflected on the utility invoice, which makes reconciliation, bookkeeping, and month-end accounting much easier for your business.


Delaware: Delmarva Power

In Delaware, the program is governed by the Delaware Public Service Commission. Any business customer of Delmarva Power is eligible to participate. You can even subscribe to multiple projects (up to four) as long as the total output doesn't exceed 110% of your annual consumption. Depending on the project and billing setup, Delaware participants may still receive two separate bills, or may be in a transition period as billing structures evolve. For more on Delaware-specific opportunities, view our Delaware energy guide.



Opportunities for Tenants and Property Owners


One of the biggest hurdles in commercial energy has always been the "split incentive." If a property owner installs solar, the tenant gets the lower bill, so the owner has no reason to invest. Conversely, a tenant won't pay for panels on a building they don't own.


Community solar solves this.


  • For Tenants: You can enroll regardless of what your landlord thinks. The subscription is tied to your utility account, not the physical building. If you move to another location within the same utility territory, your subscription moves with you.
  • For Property Owners: You can offer community solar enrollment as a value-add perk to your tenants, helping them lower their operating costs without you having to manage a construction project on your roof.


> "Community solar allows businesses to participate in the green energy transition without the structural and financial risks of physical construction. It is a pure financial play that happens to also meet ESG goals." ,  Electric Advisors Analysis







The Role of an Energy Broker: Why You Need Vetting


While the savings are real, not all community solar contracts are created equal. Some projects may have long waitlists, while others might have restrictive cancellation clauses or complex billing structures that create administrative headaches for your accounting team.

At Electric Advisors, Inc., we act as your filter. We don't just "find" a project; we audit the provider's track record and contract terms to ensure the 10% or 12% discount is actually what hits your bottom line.


Our commercial utility bill audit is the first step. We look at your current usage patterns to determine exactly how many kilowatts you should subscribe to. Subscribing to too much can actually lead to wasted credits, while subscribing to too little leaves money on the table. We find the "Goldilocks" zone for your business.



Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


1. Does my power come directly from the solar farm?

No. Your physical power still comes through the same lines managed by BGE, Pepco, or Delmarva. The community solar farm feeds the general grid, and you receive financial credit for your "share" of that production. You will never experience a blackout because the sun isn't shining.


2. Will I get two bills?

In Maryland, no. For businesses in BGE, Pepco, Potomac Edison, and Delmarva MD, community solar is now processed directly on the utility invoice through Consolidated Billing, so you typically see everything on a single bill instead of managing two separate statements. That is a meaningful operational win for accounting teams because it simplifies bill tracking, reconciliation, and payment processing.


In Delaware, it may still depend on the project and billing structure. Some customers may still receive a separate bill from the community solar provider, while others may be part of a transition toward more consolidated billing.


3. What happens if my business moves?

As long as your new location is within the same utility territory (e.g., you move from one office in Rockville to another in Bethesda, both under Pepco), your subscription can typically be transferred easily.


4. Is there a credit score requirement?

Most commercial community solar projects do require a basic credit check, much like signing up for any other utility service. We help businesses with various credit profiles find projects that fit their needs.



Take the Next Step


Reducing your energy spend by 12% shouldn't require a construction crew and a six-figure loan. Community solar is the most pragmatic way for Maryland and Delaware businesses to lower their overhead while supporting local renewable energy.


The slots for these projects are limited and often fill up months before the solar farm even goes live. Don't leave your savings to chance. Let Electric Advisors do the heavy lifting of shopping the market for you.


Ready to see how much your business can save? Compare rates and explore community solar options today or read how we've helped other local businesses optimize their energy spend.

Beating the "Summer Surge": Preparing Your Business for June 1st

By Russell Lacey • April 17, 2026
For most business owners in Washington, D.C. and Maryland, June 1st marks the unofficial start of summer: the return of rooftop happy hours, tourists swarming the National Mall, and the inevitable cranking of the HVAC system. But in the world of energy management, June 1st is something much more significant. It is the "Energy New Year." If you manage a commercial property, a non-profit, or a restaurant, this date represents the reset button for how your utility costs are calculated for the next twelve months. While many decision-makers focus solely on the "supply rate" on their bill, there is a hidden mechanism called the Peak Load Contribution (PLC) that could be quietly inflating your costs by thousands of dollars The good news? You aren’t powerless. By understanding how the grid works and taking a few strategic steps this spring, you can "beat the surge" and secure better financial predictability for your organization. The June 1st Milestone: Why It’s the "Energy New Year" In the Mid-Atlantic region: specifically within the territories served by utilities like Pepco and BGE: we operate under the PJM Interconnection . PJM is the regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity across 13 states and D.C. Every year on June 1st, PJM begins a new "delivery year." This is the date when the "Capacity Tags" (or PLC) assigned to every commercial building are updated based on the previous summer’s usage. Why does this matter to you? Because the capacity charge often makes up 25% to 40% of a commercial electricity bill. If your building was inefficient during the hottest days of last summer, you are about to pay the price for it starting this June. Conversely, what you do this summer will dictate your fixed costs for June 2027 through May 2028.  The Hidden Problem: Understanding Capacity Charges and Your PLC Most business owners look at their bill and see "Kilowatt-hours (kWh)": that’s how much energy you used. But the Capacity Charge is based on your "Peak Load Contribution." Think of it like a "reservation fee" for the grid. PJM needs to ensure there is enough power available if every single building turned on every single light and AC unit at the exact same moment. To fund this readiness, they charge businesses based on their highest usage during the grid's "Five Peak Hours" of the previous summer. The Problem: If your restaurant, condo building, or school had a massive spike in usage on a Tuesday afternoon in July when the grid was stressed, your PLC (or Capacity Tag) will be high. You will then be billed at that "peak" rate every single month for the following year, regardless of how little energy you use in the winter. For many commercial clients, this is a "ghost charge" that feels impossible to control. But with the right services , it becomes a manageable variable.

Comparing Washington Gas (WGL) Historical Rates vs. Current Competitive Natural Gas Prices

By Russell Lacey • April 10, 2026
For business owners in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia —right here in our backyard —energy costs are more than just a line item: they are a significant variable that can impact quarterly profitability and long-term operational planning. In recent years, the natural gas market has been characterized by notable volatility. From global supply chain disruptions to shifting domestic production levels, the price you pay for the blue flame in your furnace or the heat in your commercial kitchen has likely felt like a moving target. At Electric Advisors, Inc. , we believe that data-driven decision-making is the only way to effectively manage utility expenses. To help you understand where the market has been and where it is going, we have analyzed the historical procurement costs for Washington Gas (WGL) and compared them to the current opportunities available through competitive suppliers across Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia. The results are clear: across the WGL service territory in MD, DC, and VA , the cost of sticking with the utility’s default Purchased Gas Charge (PGC) may be significantly higher than many business owners realize. The Benchmark: Washington Gas Historical PGC Rates in Maryland, DC, and Virginia Every month, Washington Gas updates its Purchased Gas Charge (PGC) . This is the rate at which the utility passes through the cost of the natural gas it buys on the wholesale market to its customers. By law, the utility does not make a profit on the gas itself; they make their money on the delivery and infrastructure. However, the price they pay—and the price you eventually see on your bill—is subject to the fluctuations of the monthly wholesale market. For businesses in the broader WGL footprint, the important takeaway is this: Washington Gas default supply pricing and competitive market opportunities are consistent across its service territory in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia. In other words, the same benchmark applies whether your business is in suburban Maryland, downtown DC, or Northern Virginia. Looking back at the last 24 months across the WGL service territory in MD, DC, and VA , we see a story of dramatic shifts: 24-Month Average WGL PGC: Approximately $0.68 per therm . The 2025 Spike: In April 2025, rates peaked at a staggering $0.8085 per therm . The 2026 Moderation: As of April 2026, the WGL rate has settled to $0.6382 per therm . While the 2026 rate is a welcome decrease from the highs of the previous year, it remains significantly higher than the rates seen a decade ago. For context, in 2010, the rate hovered around $0.32 per therm. We have seen a steady, long-term upward trend that necessitates a more proactive approach to commercial natural gas rates .

DC Restaurants - Are You Paying Sales Tax On Your Electric & Gas Supply? You Shouldn't Be.

March 3, 2026
Helping Washington D.C. businesses take advantage of their sales tax exemption opportunities. Did you know that restaurants don't have to pay sales tax?