Featured Programs
Solar Leasing
Workshop Helps Landowners Understand Impacts of Solar Leasing
Landowners learned about the potential benefits and pitfalls of leasing their land for solar installations at a Solar & Landowners Workshop held January 23, 2023 at Garrett College. Many companies view Garrett County as a prime location for community-and utility-sized solar installations, ranging from 10 to 1,000 acres. Landowners may not know the best way to negotiate their lease and work with the company to ensure they maintain their desired level of control over their land. The University of Maryland Extension and Garrett County Government hosted a free Solar & Landowners Workshop to help landowners navigate this new industry. Representatives from the UME Ag Law Center, UME Energy Programs, and even solar companies were on hand to discuss best practices in leasing, what to expect from a solar project, and how to ensure landowners retain the level of control they want.
Landowners and Solar in Garrett County Length: 2:26:13 Date: January 23, 2023 |
Presentations Solar in Garrett County - Some Context Cheryl DeBerry (Energy Manager, Garrett County) Considering Solar Installation? Dr. Drew Schiavone, PhD (Energy Specialist, UMD) Solar Leasing and Solar Trends Paul Goeringer (Extension Legal Specialist, UMD) Elizabeth Thilmany (Faculty Specialist, UMD) Agri-Volts & Other Options Becky Rush (Project Manager, Smart Energy Investments) |
Webinars

Are you interested in using solar to power your farm? Maybe you’d like to lease your land for a solar project? Or perhaps, you’d like to know more about how solar works and what opportunities are available for solar energy. Whatever the case may be, you'll want to join this free webinar addressing the opportunities and challenges for solar electricity. See how other farms and businesses across the state are considering solar to offset their energy costs using an affordable and sustainable energy resource.
Solar on the Farm Length: 1:34:35 Date: August 16, 2022 Slide Deck (pdf) |
Speakers Dr. Drew Schiavone, PhD (Energy Specialist, UMD) Paul Goeringer (Extension Legal Specialist, UMD) Fariborz Mahjouri, PhD (CEO, Aurora Energy) Cord Briggs (Managing Director, Aurora Energy) |
Additional Videos
Solar-Clips: Instructional & How-to Video Series |
Workshops (2022)


Are you interested in using solar to power your home, farm, or business?
If so, you'll want to join one of the University of Maryland’s upcoming Solar Workshops to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with solar energy. Each workshop will cover important topics that will help you successfully, and sustainably, implement a solar electric system, including discussions of:
- How solar energy works and what role it plays
- How solar impacts you as a homeowner or landowner
- How to finance and facilitate a solar project
March 23, 2022 (5:30 pm - 7:30 pm) |
March 30, 2022 (10:30 am - 12:30 pm) |
April 6, 2022 (5:30 pm - 7:30 pm) |
April 13, 2022 (3:00 pm - 5:00 pm) |
April 20, 2022 (10:00 am - 12:00 pm) |
April 28, 2022 (5:30 pm - 7:30 pm) |
September 12, 2022 (5:30 pm - 7:30 pm) Benedict, MD, 20612 |
September 13, 2022 (5:30 pm - 7:30 pm) Prince Frederick, MD, 20678 |
October 3, 2022 (5:30 pm - 7:30 pm) Annapolis, MD, 21401 |
October 5, 2022 (5:30 pm - 7:30 pm) |
December 7, 2022 (5:30 pm - 7:30 pm) |
Solar Curriculum
Market
Maryland's Solar Market
This introductory module of the Farm Solar program explores the various forms of energy that are available for our use and how solar power fits into the overall mix. Consideration is given to solar technology, research, and policy developments that support new and continued opportunities for on-farm solar in Maryland. Through the course of this module, you will gain a better understanding of the historical development of photovoltaics, the current trends within the photovoltaic sector, and future forecasts for the solar market within Maryland.
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Maryland's Solar Market Length: 55:14 Date: September 30, 2020 Dr. Drew Schiavone Download Slide Deck (pdf) |
Additional Resources Maryland's Energy Resources Maryland's Solar Industry Farm Solar Applications |
Basics
Photovoltaic (PV) Basics
Explore solar photovoltaics and system components.
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Solar PV Basics Length: 55:47 Date: October 7, 2020 Dr. Drew Schiavone Download Slide Deck (pdf) |
Additional Resources Electricity and circuits Technology and components Performance and efficiency |
Design
Planning & Design
Assess energy needs and potential system production.
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Planning & Design Length: 1:02:50 Date: October 14, 2020 Dr. Drew Schiavone Download Slide Deck (pdf) |
Additional Resources Determine your energy use Site assessment Calculating system size |
Regulations
Regulations & Zoning
Explore solar regulations, policies and zoning.
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Regulations & Zoning Length: 47:02 Date: October 21, 2020 Paul Goeringer & Drew Schiavone Download Slide Deck (pdf) |
Additional Resources Policy Permitting Ordinances |
Installation
Installation & Maintenance
Explore installation and maintenance operations.
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Installation & Maintenance Length: 1:00:29 Date: October 28, 2020 Dr. Drew Schiavone Download Slide Deck (pdf) |
Additional Resources Prioritize energy efficiency Installation considerations Operation & maintenance |
Financial
Financial Options
Explore costs and incentives for solar financing.
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Financial Options Length: 57:08 Date: November 4, 2020 Dr. Drew Schiavone Download Slide Deck (pdf) |
Additional Resources Production and costs Financing and incentives Metrics and models |
Community
Community Solar
Explore community solar and solar co-ops in Maryland.
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Community Solar Length: 57:38 Date: November 11, 2020 Dr. Drew Schiavone Download Slide Deck (pdf) |
Additional Resources What is shared solar? Where is it available? What are the next steps? |
Leases
Utility-Scale Leasing
Explore legal and economic of solar farm leasing.
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Utility-Scale Leasing Length: 51:05 Date: November 18, 2020 Paul Goeringer & Drew Schiavone Download Slide Deck (pdf) |
Additional Resources Land Use Engineering Legal Concerns |
Battery
Battery Backup
Learn how to integrate battery storage options with solar.
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Solar Battery Storage Length: 58:32 Date: December 2, 2020 Dr. Drew Schiavone Download Slide Deck (pdf) |
Additional Resources Battery Basics Battery Bank Design Charge Controllers |