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MD · Maryland

One statewide rebate stack, five different utilities running it.

Maryland's EmPOWER program sets the framework: the same Home Performance with ENERGY STAR cap of $15,000 applies whether you're on BGE in Baltimore, Pepco in the DC suburbs, Delmarva on the Eastern Shore, SMECO in the Southern Maryland co-op, or Potomac Edison out west. The bigger driver of variance isn't the rebate; it's your specific utility's retail rate, which can swing 30% across the state. SMECO is the only co-op in the mix, and Potomac Edison stacks an extra Switch-to-Electric bonus on top. Here's the full stack, utility by utility, in 2026.

MD · Utilities
A Maryland suburban cul-de-sac in late afternoon: mature oaks and maples, two-story brick colonials with attached garages, distribution lines running between residential poles under soft amber light
~$0.17/kWh
Avg residential electric rate (MD)
$15,000 cap
EmPOWER HPwES whole-home electrification
$5,700 stack
Potomac Edison heat pump (midstream + Switch-to-Electric)
The one most homeowners miss

EmPOWER's $15,000 whole-home rebate is one of the strongest finds nationally, and it's the same number on every Maryland utility.

The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) program, jointly administered through EmPOWER Maryland, pays up to $15,000 for fuel-switching to an electric heat pump (or heat pump water heater), with a 75%-of-project rebate ceiling. Non-electrification weatherization tops out at $10,000 on the same framework. Entry point is a $100 audit. Compared with most other states, where the headline rebate caps at $8,000-$10,000, Maryland's $15,000 ceiling sits near the top of the national stack.

Coverage at a glance

Who offers what.

A read across the state. Each cell shows the program count by category. The ★ marks utilities with a flagship or unique program in that category, the ones worth a closer look.

Utility Heat pumpsSolarStorageInsulationWindows
BGE Baltimore Gas & Electric3★331
Pepco Exelon · DC area3221
Delmarva Power Eastern Shore3221
SMECO Southern Maryland Electric C…3121
Potomac Edison FirstEnergy · Weste…3★221
Utility · 1 of 5

BGE Baltimore Gas & Electric

BGE is Maryland's largest electric and gas utility, serving roughly 1.3 million electric customers across central Maryland: Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and most of the I-95 corridor up to the Pennsylvania line. BGE is also the only Maryland IOU with a battery and VPP pilot proposal in front of the PSC; the April 2026 hearing will decide whether it becomes the state's first permanent residential battery program.

Heat pumps · 3 programs
EmPOWER HPwES Whole-Home RebateFlagship
up to $15,000
Up to $15,000 for fuel-switching to an electric heat pump (or heat pump water heater), with a 75% project-cost cap. Non-electrification weatherization tops out at $10,000 on the same framework. A $100 home audit is the required entry point.
BGE HPwES rebates page →
Heat Pump Water Heater Appliance Rebate
up to $1,600 instant
Instant rebate of up to $1,600 on a qualifying ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater, available at Lowe's and Home Depot, or via mail-in for online purchases. Stacks with the HPwES rebate when fuel-switching from electric resistance or gas.
BGE HPWH rebate page →
Quick Home Energy Check-up (QHEC)
Free · direct-install
Free in-home efficiency assessment with direct-install measures: LED bulbs, advanced power strips, low-flow fixtures. Often used as the on-ramp to the deeper HPwES audit and rebate path.
BGE Smart Energy programs →
Solar · 3 programs
Maryland Net Metering (statewide law)
1:1 retail · monthly rollover
Full retail-rate credit for excess solar exported to the grid, set by Maryland statute and applied uniformly across BGE territory. Excess credits roll month-to-month; annual true-up at avoided-cost wholesale rate.
BGE solar incentives page →
MD SREC Market
~$45–65/MWh
Active Solar Renewable Energy Credit market; SRECs sell separately from energy and at recent prices run roughly $45-$65 per MWh. Aggregators (Sol Systems, SRECTrade) handle registration and trading on the homeowner's behalf.
MD PSC Renewable Portfolio Standard · SREC aggregator pricing
MD Residential Clean Energy Grant
$1,000 flat
State-level grant (administered by Maryland Energy Administration, not the utility): a flat $1,000 payment for residential solar, separate from net metering and SRECs. Stacks with both.
Maryland Energy Administration · Residential Clean Energy Grant
Energy storage · 3 programs
BGE Smart Energy Rewards (SER)
~$1.25/kWh reduced
Bill-credit summer demand response on AC load (not battery-specific). Customers earn approximately $1.25 per kWh reduced during 5-15 Energy Savings Days per summer. No equipment requirement; performance is measured against a baseline.
BGE Smart Energy Rewards →
BGE Battery / VPP Pilot Proposal
PSC review · April 2026
Filed Q1 2026, this proposal would create the state's first permanent incentive program for whole-home batteries, EVs, and smart devices participating in dispatch. Pilot status: not yet approved; if approved, runs as a 2-year pilot. Worth tracking ahead of any 2026 battery purchase.
BGE smart charge / load management coverage →
Medically Vulnerable Battery Program
Free · income-eligible
Launched January 2026: free utility-owned batteries for income-eligible, medically vulnerable multifamily residents. Narrow eligibility, but a meaningful equity layer and a precedent for broader BGE storage programs if the April 2026 pilot moves forward.
Vote Solar program announcement →
Insulation & weatherization · 1 program
EmPOWER HPwES (non-electrification track)
up to $10,000
Up to $10,000 for non-electrification weatherization (insulation, air sealing, duct sealing) within the same EmPOWER HPwES framework. Income-tiered co-pay structure; lower-income tiers receive a higher rebate percentage.
BGE HPwES rebates page →
Windows & doors · no utility rebate
No utility rebate available
BGE does not offer a windows or doors rebate. The federal 25C credit (up to $600/year for windows) expired Dec 31, 2025 with no utility replacement program. Inherent ROI (utility savings, comfort, resale value) is the case for the upgrade.
Utility · 2 of 5

Pepco Exelon · DC area

Pepco serves roughly 570,000 electric customers across Montgomery and Prince George's counties, the Maryland half of the DC metro. Owned by Exelon (the same parent as BGE and Delmarva), Pepco runs the same EmPOWER framework with utility-specific layers on smart thermostats and peak-day savings credits.

Heat pumps · 3 programs
EmPOWER HPwES (Pepco)
up to $15,000
Same statewide structure as BGE: up to $15,000 for fuel-switch electrification with a 75% cost cap. Same $100 audit entry point, same 75% non-electrification weatherization track at $10,000.
Pepco MD home energy savings →
Heat Pump Water Heater Appliance Rebate
up to $1,600
Up to $1,600 on a qualifying ENERGY STAR HPWH. Same instant or mail-in mechanics as BGE.
Pepco MD rebates →
Smart Thermostat Rebate
$100
$100 rebate on an ENERGY STAR-certified smart thermostat. Often the easiest single rebate to claim alongside a heat pump install.
Pepco MD rebates →
Solar · 2 programs
Maryland Net Metering (statewide law)
1:1 retail · monthly rollover
Full retail-rate credit, set by Maryland statute. Same mechanics in Pepco territory as elsewhere in MD: monthly rollover, annual true-up at avoided cost.
MD PSC · statewide net metering law
MD SREC Market
~$45–65/MWh
Same MD SREC market available to Pepco solar customers. Recent prices run roughly $45-$65 per MWh.
MD PSC Renewable Portfolio Standard
Energy storage · 2 programs
Pepco Peak Energy Savings Credit
Bill credit · summer events
Bill credit during summer Peak Savings Days for AC load reductions; structurally similar to BGE Smart Energy Rewards. Current 2026 per-event cents-per-kWh rate is not consistently published; verify with Pepco at enrollment. [NEEDS RESEARCH]
Pepco MD program page →
MD Residential Energy Storage Tax Credit (state)
$5,000 max
State income-tax credit (not utility) of up to $5,000 per system, available through 2027. Applies to standalone or solar-paired residential battery installs in Pepco territory and statewide.
Maryland Comptroller · Energy Storage Tax Credit
Insulation & weatherization · 1 program
EmPOWER HPwES (non-electrification track)
up to $10,000
Same statewide framework as BGE.
Pepco/BGE rebate guide 2026 →
Windows & doors · no utility rebate
No utility rebate available
Pepco does not offer a windows or doors rebate. Federal 25C credit expired Dec 31, 2025; no utility replacement program.
Utility · 3 of 5

Delmarva Power Eastern Shore

Delmarva Power, the third Exelon-owned MD IOU, serves roughly 200,000 electric customers across the Eastern Shore: Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne's, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset counties. The program lineup is essentially a copy of the Pepco stack, with EmPOWER as the spine.

Heat pumps · 3 programs
EmPOWER HPwES (Delmarva)
up to $15,000
Same statewide HPwES: up to $15,000 for fuel-switch electrification, 75% project-cost cap, $10,000 cap on non-electrification weatherization. Same $100 audit entry point.
Delmarva HPwES rebates →
Heat Pump Water Heater Appliance Rebate
up to $1,600
Up to $1,600 on a qualifying ENERGY STAR HPWH. Same instant/mail-in path as Pepco and BGE.
Delmarva home energy savings →
Smart Thermostat Rebate
$100
$100 rebate on a qualifying ENERGY STAR smart thermostat. Same mechanics as Pepco.
Delmarva home energy savings →
Solar · 2 programs
Maryland Net Metering (statewide law)
1:1 retail · monthly rollover
Full retail-rate credit, set by Maryland statute. Same mechanics in Delmarva territory as the rest of MD.
MD PSC · statewide net metering law
MD SREC Market
~$45–65/MWh
Same statewide MD SREC market.
MD PSC Renewable Portfolio Standard
Energy storage · 2 programs
No Delmarva-specific battery program
No Delmarva-specific residential battery rebate or VPP identified. The MD storage stack is thin pending the BGE pilot outcome at the April 2026 PSC hearing.
Delmarva customer service · May 2026 verification
MD Residential Energy Storage Tax Credit (state)
$5,000 max
Statewide income-tax credit applies on the Eastern Shore the same as elsewhere: up to $5,000 per system through 2027.
Maryland Comptroller · Energy Storage Tax Credit
Insulation & weatherization · 1 program
EmPOWER HPwES (non-electrification track)
up to $10,000
Same statewide framework.
Delmarva HPwES rebates →
Windows & doors · no utility rebate
No utility rebate available
Delmarva does not offer a windows or doors rebate. Federal 25C credit expired Dec 31, 2025; no utility replacement program.
Utility · 4 of 5

SMECO Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative

SMECO is the only co-op in the Maryland mix, serving roughly 170,000 member-owners across Charles, St. Mary's, Calvert, and southern Prince George's counties. As a cooperative, SMECO often runs midstream rebates that flow through participating contractors, instead of direct mail-in checks; the customer experience feels closer to a contractor discount.

Heat pumps · 3 programs
SMECO Midstream HVAC Rebate
$800–$1,700 instant
$800 to $1,700 instant rebate, applied at point of sale through a participating SMECO contractor. EmPOWER-funded; the rebate is netted off the homeowner invoice, no mail-in paperwork.
SMECO heating & cooling rebates →
Heat Pump Water Heater Rebate
$1,600 instant · 75% cap
$1,600 instant rebate on an ENERGY STAR HPWH installed by a SMECO-authorized contractor; up to 75% of unit cost. One of the cleanest HPWH programs in the state for stacking with the HPwES whole-home track.
SMECO HPWH rebate →
EmPOWER HPwES Whole-Home (SMECO)
up to $15,000
SMECO members are included in the statewide HPwES framework: up to $15,000 for fuel-switch electrification at the 75% cost cap. Cooperatives are included in EmPOWER under the unified state structure.
SMECO residential programs →
Solar · 1 program
Maryland Net Metering (cooperatives included)
1:1 retail · monthly rollover
Maryland law extends 1:1 retail net metering to cooperatives, so SMECO members get the same full retail credit as IOU customers. Annual true-up at avoided cost; SREC market available.
MD PSC · statewide net metering law (cooperatives included)
Energy storage · 2 programs
No SMECO-specific battery program
No SMECO-specific residential battery rebate or VPP identified. SMECO members watch the BGE pilot outcome closely; co-op programs typically follow IOU precedent in MD.
SMECO member services · May 2026 verification
MD Residential Energy Storage Tax Credit (state)
$5,000 max
Statewide income-tax credit applies to SMECO members the same as elsewhere: up to $5,000 per system through 2027.
Maryland Comptroller · Energy Storage Tax Credit
Insulation & weatherization · 1 program
SMECO Home Energy Improvement Program (HEIP)
Direct-install + audit
SMECO's HEIP includes a free home energy audit and direct-install measures; deeper insulation, air sealing, and duct work fall back under the EmPOWER HPwES framework with the same $10,000 non-electrification cap.
SMECO residential programs →
Windows & doors · no utility rebate
No utility rebate available
SMECO does not offer a windows or doors rebate. Federal 25C credit expired Dec 31, 2025; no utility replacement program.
Utility · 5 of 5

Potomac Edison FirstEnergy · Western MD

Potomac Edison serves Western Maryland (Frederick, Washington, Allegany, Garrett counties) as part of FirstEnergy. The standout layer here is the Switch-to-Electric bonus, which stacks on top of the midstream rebate to push the total per-heat-pump value to $5,700, the richest combined heat pump stack of any Maryland utility.

Heat pumps · 3 programs
EmPOWER HPwES (Potomac Edison)
up to $15,000
Same statewide HPwES: up to $15,000 for fuel-switch electrification, 75% project-cost cap. Available through Dec 31, 2026 at current funding levels.
EnergySaveMD HVAC page →
Switch-to-Electric BonusBest in MD stack
up to $4,000 add-on
Potomac Edison adds up to $4,000 through Switch-to-Electric, which stacks with the midstream rebate for a combined value around $5,700 per heat pump. The richest combined heat pump stack of any Maryland utility. Available through Dec 31, 2026.
MD heat pump rebate guide →
Midstream HVAC Rebate
$800–$1,700 instant
$800 to $1,700 instant rebate through a participating contractor, EmPOWER-funded. Applied at point of sale, no mail-in step. Stacks with Switch-to-Electric for the combined $5,700 figure.
EnergySaveMD HVAC page →
Solar · 2 programs
Maryland Net Metering (statewide law)
1:1 retail · monthly rollover
Full retail-rate credit, set by Maryland statute. Same mechanics in Potomac Edison territory as the rest of MD.
MD PSC · statewide net metering law
MD SREC Market
~$45–65/MWh
Same statewide SREC market.
MD PSC Renewable Portfolio Standard
Energy storage · 2 programs
No Potomac Edison-specific battery program
No Potomac Edison-specific residential battery rebate or VPP identified. The MD storage stack is thin pending the BGE pilot outcome.
Potomac Edison customer service · May 2026 verification
MD Residential Energy Storage Tax Credit (state)
$5,000 max
Statewide income-tax credit applies in Western MD: up to $5,000 per system through 2027.
Maryland Comptroller · Energy Storage Tax Credit
Insulation & weatherization · 1 program
EmPOWER HPwES (non-electrification track)
up to $10,000
Same statewide framework as the other MD utilities.
EnergySaveMD HVAC page →
Windows & doors · no utility rebate
No utility rebate available
Potomac Edison does not offer a windows or doors rebate. Federal 25C credit expired Dec 31, 2025; no utility replacement program.
A wide horizontal shot of a Maryland neighborhood at peak utility load hour: late afternoon to early evening, lights coming on inside houses, distribution lines and subtle utility infrastructure visible, settled lived-in mood

Five utilities serve Maryland homes; the EmPOWER cap is the same everywhere, but your rate can swing 30%.

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Your Home Efficiency Score figures out which Maryland utility you're on, which programs you qualify for, and what your full stack looks like, EmPOWER plus utility extras, for your zip code, your roof, your bill.

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