Wicomico County, MD — Solar Development Risk Assessment

No Moratorium

State floor per HB1036/SB931 (eff. Jul 1 2025): ≤100 ft from property lines; ≤150 ft from non-participating residences. No county-specific setbacks above state floor.

County Board of Appeals/Board of Commissioners: Special Exception or Conditional Use Permit in applicable zoning district.

Moderate — regional commercial hub; moderate solar receptiveness

Salisbury regional hub; Salisbury University presence; Delmarva Power territory; developing solar market; flat terrain favorable

Stable

Local county zoning permit: conditional use or special exception at county level; no uniform statewide solar permitting standard. PPRP (Power Plant Research Program, MD DNR): environmental review for generating facilities ≥70 MW; PSC CPCN required for projects ≥70 MW. Projects <70 MW: county-level permitting only. No statewide preemption of local solar ordinances. Net metering: systems up to 2 MW (residential up to 2× annual load). All MD in PJM territory. Maryland has the largest solar carve-out in the U.S. at 14.5% by 2028 (MD Code, PUC §7-703).

Maryland Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS): 50% by 2030; solar carve-out 14.5% by 2028 — drives strong SREC demand. Maryland SREC market: PSC-administered; ~$50-80/SREC 2023-2024 for Tier 1 Maryland SRECs. Maryland Solar Access Program (Brighter Tomorrow Act 2024): $750/kW up to $7,500 for income-qualifying residential customers. Maryland Community Solar: community solar program active statewide. Maryland PSC: approval required for utility-owned solar; IPP projects via county/local process. Utility: BGE (Eversource) serves Baltimore metro; Pepco serves Montgomery/PG County; Delmarva Power serves Eastern Shore; SMECO serves Southern MD; Potomac Edison (FirstEnergy) serves western MD.

Wicomico Wilber Solar 1, 2 and 3 LLC | 15 MW | Wicomico County | CPCN GRANTED (Order No. 92175: February 6 2026) — PSC Case No. 9771 Kumquat & Citron Cleantech LLC | 7.20 MW | Wicomico County | Application WITHDRAWN March 31 2022 — PSC Case No. 9656 Nanticoke Road Solar 2 LLC | 5 MW | pending — PSC Case No. 9806 (public hearing May 14 2026)

Kumquat & Citron (7.2 MW) — application withdrawn Mar 31 2022 (PSC Case No. 9656).