Top Tier Battery Sales Reference — Maryland (BGE + Pepco + Delmarva + Potomac Edison)

Four-utility market. Top Tier's Maryland launch covers the four investor-owned utilities serving residential solar customers:

• BGE (Baltimore Gas & Electric) — Exelon · ~1.3M customers · Baltimore + central MD · PJM BGE Zone
• Pepco — Exelon · ~894K customers DC + MD · Montgomery + Prince George's counties · PJM PEPCO Zone
• Delmarva Power — Exelon · Eastern Shore MD · PJM DPL Zone
• Potomac Edison (MD) — FirstEnergy · ~285K customers · 7 western MD counties · PJM APS Zone

All 4 utilities preserve full retail 1:1 net metering with INDEFINITE credit rollover — MD statutory. This is the strongest NM treatment of any Top Tier market.

The cohort is uniform: all 4 = one_to_one_nm. Battery has no today-bill impact under preserved 1:1 NM. The pitch is forward-positioning + state incentives + resilience + takeover.

Three state-level incentive layers (none modeled into proposal savings figures, all real):

1. MD RCES $5K residential battery grant — MEA program, post-install reimbursement, FY26 exhausted, FY27 expected summer 2026 (imminent). Dedicated talk-track below.
2. BGE + Pepco DRIVE Act VPP pilots — filed at PSC, hearings April 7-8, 2026, BGE proposed UP TO $100/mo per participating customer. Pending approval, not yet enrolling.
3. MD Certified SRECs (Brighter Tomorrow Act 2024) — 1.5x value bonus through Jan 2028 for ≤5 MW rooftop/parking systems. ~$55/SREC vs standard ~$40.

Out of scope at launch: SMECO (Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative) and a handful of municipal utilities.

The Opening: Lead With Takeover, Not Math

The customer booked the appointment because they're frustrated about their utility bill AND their installer is unreachable. Don't open with savings math. Don't open with the RCES grant. Don't open with the BGE VPP $100/mo proposal. Open with:

1. The free system inspection. "I'm here to inspect your existing solar system at no cost. If it's running well, we'll confirm that. If anything's wrong, we'll surface it. Either way, you walk away with a clearer picture of what you own."
2. System takeover. "When your inverter fails — and inverters do fail, usually between year 8 and year 20 — you need someone to handle the warranty claim and the replacement. Top Tier becomes your single point of contact for the next 10 years on the entire system, not just on anything new we install."
3. Then bridge to the bill. "You're still seeing a [BGE / Pepco / Delmarva / Potomac Edison] bill after going solar — even with 1:1 net metering. Let me walk you through why, and what changes when we add storage."

The battery is the upsell that makes the deal economic for Top Tier; takeover/inspection is the lead the customer agreed to. Reps get paid on battery sales. Don't lose the open by leading with the close.

Maryland-specific note on the LEAD: MD's regulatory environment is genuinely favorable RIGHT NOW (statutory 1:1 NM, indefinite rollover, RCES grant, DRIVE Act VPP pilots filed). Reps should NOT lead with urgency framings like "the rules are about to change" — that's not true today and would undermine credibility. Lead with takeover + inspection + the 2012 Derecho resilience memory (still vivid for Baltimore + DC-metro customers). Forward-positioning value comes in the Bridge + Hidden Costs + RCES sections, not the open.

Standing Rules (Do NOT Violate)

• ❌ NEVER coach reps to disqualify based on home tenure. Resale story is real and positive — system raises home value, closing equity pays off loan, warranties carry over per their actual transfer rules.
• ❌ NEVER claim "all warranties transfer." Workmanship transfers WITH WRITTEN CONSENT. Manufacturer warranties transfer per their own terms. The 5-year Align Solar Protection service contract is NON-TRANSFERABLE.
• ❌ NEVER fabricate inspection findings. The inspection is mostly about education + diagnosing the bill problem + future-failure prevention.
• ❌ NEVER pitch RCES as "$5K off your install." RCES is POST-INSTALL REIMBURSEMENT — the install cost is the same at contract; the grant arrives weeks to months later (after MEA processes the application). Calling it a price reduction is a customer-trust violation that surfaces immediately at contract signing.
• ❌ NEVER promise FY27 RCES portal reopen date as a confirmed MEA commitment. "Expected summer 2026" comes from prior-cycle patterns, not from MEA's published calendar. Frame as "expected to reopen" — not "will reopen on [date]."
• ❌ NEVER quote BGE VPP $100/mo as a guaranteed payment. It's the upper bound of BGE's proposed tariff — pending PSC approval. The final approved compensation could be lower, different, or could include solar+storage premium tiers we haven't seen yet. Pitch as positioning for when tariffs go live.
• ❌ NEVER pitch a Delmarva or Potomac Edison MD VPP. Only BGE + Pepco have filed pilots. Delmarva + Potomac Edison customers can position for a future pilot, but no pilot exists today for those utilities.
• ❌ NEVER pitch the Section 25D federal battery-with-solar 2026 residual credit without tax-counsel review. Some installer sources claim it; primary IRS guidance doesn't affirm. Federal solar ITC expired 12/31/2025 — pitch THAT as fact.

Why You Still Have a Bill — Cohort Bridge (one_to_one_nm)

Use AFTER you've opened with takeover/inspection. MD is unique in the Top Tier market mix because all 4 IOUs preserve full retail 1:1 net metering with indefinite credit rollover — statutory, not regulatory, which means it doesn't shift with each PSC docket cycle.

Verbatim from the proposal copy (lib/why-bill-own-rent.ts, one_to_one_nm template) — reps see the exact same language the customer sees on the proposal:

Your bill should be small. Here's what it covers.

Under 1:1 net metering, [BGE / Pepco / Delmarva / Potomac Edison] credits your exports at the same rate they charge for imports — so your annual kWh charges should mostly zero out. The bill you still see covers fixed monthly charges (basic service / customer charge, riders, taxes), any consumption above what your solar produces, and time-of-day or seasonal imbalances. A battery doesn't change your daily bill math much under 1:1 NM today — but it's how you lock in your position when net metering rules change. Every state is moving in that direction, and the customers who already have batteries installed are insulated when the change hits.

Maryland specifics for the rep

The canonical copy above applies cleanly to all 4 MD IOUs. Layer in the utility-specific PTC numbers (the price-to-compare generation rate, what the customer pays per kWh for the energy portion of the bill):

Why the customer still sees a bill (the actual answer)

For all 4 MD IOUs, the customer typically sees a bill because:

1. Fixed monthly charges (customer charge, riders, taxes) aren't offset by net metering
2. Consumption above annual production — if the customer uses more kWh than the system produces in a year, the gap is billed at retail (rare for systems sized at 100% offset; MD's indefinite rollover catches the seasonal imbalances)
3. Riders + supply auction outcomes flow through separately from the energy charge
4. PJM capacity costs (833% spike in 2025/26 auction) compound on the riders over multi-year recovery cycles

A battery doesn't reduce ANY of those for MD customers today. It DOES:

• Lock in current 1:1 economics + indefinite rollover before any future statutory or regulatory change (MD law is stable but every state with high solar penetration eventually changes NM rules)
• Position for BGE/Pepco VPP pilot enrollment when the DRIVE Act 2024 tariffs are PSC-approved (capacity caps mean late arrivals wait)
• Position for the MD RCES $5K grant when the FY27 portal opens (post-install reimbursement, application-based)
• Eliminate outage exposure during severe storms (2012 Derecho is the defining MD event — 430k+ peak outages, 9-day major-disaster declaration)

How to use it in conversation

After the takeover/inspection lead has landed, transition with: "You're on [utility name] — and the good news is your net metering is genuinely 1:1 retail today, with indefinite credit rollover under Maryland law. That's the strongest NM treatment in any state we operate in. The battery isn't going to lower your monthly bill in any meaningful way today, because the bill math already works in your favor. What the battery does is four things: it locks in your favorable position before any future regulatory change, it positions you for the [BGE-only: BGE VPP pilot with up to $100/mo proposed payment; Pepco: Pepco VPP pilot] that's coming once the PSC approves the tariff, it positions you for the MD RCES $5K residential battery grant when the FY27 portal reopens this summer, and it keeps your home running when the next big storm hits."

What NOT to say:

• ❌ "Your bill will go to zero with a battery." (Fixed charges + riders + supply costs remain regardless.)
• ❌ "MD is about to take away net metering." (Not true — MD law preserves 1:1 NM with indefinite rollover.)
• ❌ "The battery saves you $X/mo on bill." (For MD 1:1 NM customers, today-bill impact is minimal.)
• ❌ "You'll earn $100/mo from BGE's VPP." (Pending PSC approval; "up to $100/mo proposed" is not a guaranteed payment amount.)

Hidden Costs Avoided: The $11K System Takeover Bundle

Pillar 3 of the pitch (after Bridge and Takeover/Inspection lead). When Top Tier takes over the system, you bundle in services the customer would otherwise pay out of pocket over the 25-year horizon. These are estimates, not firm line-item quotes — but they total over $11K of value the customer doesn't see on the proposal's headline savings number. Applies to all 4 MD IOUs equally.

Verbatim from the proposal copy (components/multistate/sections/HiddenCostsAvoided.tsx):

How to use it in conversation

The pitch: "On top of the bill math we walked through — which is small in MD because your 1:1 net metering with indefinite rollover is genuinely favorable — you're picking up over $11K of bundled services that aren't sold separately. We don't quote them as line items because they're built into the takeover. If your inverter fails in year 12, the manufacturer warranty handling alone is worth a few hundred dollars. The replacement coordination saves you another $3-5K. The 5-year Align contract on your existing system is $1,500 you'd otherwise pay if you went looking for it. It adds up."

Especially powerful for MD because of the 2012 Derecho memory + recurring severe-weather pattern — May 2025 storms knocked out >2M customers across DC/MD/VA; July 2022 storms hit BGE territory with 60k+ sustained outages; January 2026 winter storms hit Potomac Edison MD service area. Service-call wait times spike after major events.

What NOT to say

• ❌ Don't promise line items as standalone products
• ❌ Don't pitch the headline as a guarantee ("Over $11K" is estimate, not firm quote)
• ❌ Don't confuse Align (non-transferable) with manufacturer warranty (transferable per its own terms)
• ❌ Don't conflate the $11K bundle with the RCES $5K grant — they're separate value streams (one is service-coverage value, the other is a state-administered direct payment)

What You Own vs What You Rent — Qualitative Reframe (NOT Dollar Comparison)

Pillar 4 of the pitch. MD's one_to_one_nm cohort routes to the QUALITATIVE template — the customer's "rent" number (utility bill compounded over 25 years) is genuinely small under 1:1 NM with indefinite rollover. The dollar comparison framing would actively undermine the pitch in MD. Use the qualitative reframe instead.

Verbatim from the proposal copy (components/multistate/sections/OwnVsRent.tsx, QUALITATIVE branch):

Your bill is small today — your solar's doing what it should.

That depends on net metering rules continuing as-is. The 25-year horizon for you isn't about a dollar gap on the chart — it's about what your monthly loan payment actually buys you that your current bill doesn't.

What ~$41K over 15 years (the loan total) buys the MD 1:1-NM customer:

• Ownership of generation + storage. System is yours. Loan paid off at year 15; years 16-25 you own outright with no payment.
• Incremental home value: $3K-$10K. Lawrence Berkeley Lab storage-premium research suggests battery adds this on top of solar's premium. Your customer's solar likely added ~$15K-$20K at original install — battery builds on that, NOT duplicates it.
• PJM-zone outage resilience. Solar shuts off during grid outages today (anti-islanding). Battery keeps critical loads running. 2012 Derecho remains the regional reference; May 2025 storms knocked out >2M DC/MD/VA customers.
• Locked-in position when net metering rules change. MD law is favorable today, but every state with high solar penetration has eventually changed NM rules. Customers with batteries installed are insulated when the change hits.
• BGE/Pepco-only: VPP pilot positioning. BGE proposed up to $100/mo per participating customer; Pepco proposed parallel pilot. PSC tariffs imminent. Customers with batteries installed are first in line when enrollment opens.
• MD RCES $5K grant positioning. FY27 portal expected summer 2026. Customers installed now can apply when funding opens — Top Tier coordinates the MEA paperwork.
• MD Certified SRECs at 1.5x value through Jan 2028. Real ongoing income from SREC generation on top of bill economics.
• 10-year Top Tier workmanship warranty + service path. When your original installer is unreachable, Top Tier is your single point of contact for the next 10+ years.

How to use it in conversation

The pitch: "Your MD bill is small today because your net metering is doing what it should — under MD law you get 1:1 retail with indefinite rollover. We're not going to walk through a 25-year cumulative-utility-cost chart because in MD that chart doesn't tell the right story — your kWh charges already zero out across the year. What ~$41K over 15 years buys you is ownership of the asset, $3-10K of home value Berkeley Lab attributes to battery, outage resilience for the next big storm, a locked-in position before any future regulatory change, [BGE/Pepco-only: VPP positioning when the DRIVE Act pilot opens], a positioning for the MD RCES $5K grant when the FY27 portal opens this summer, and Certified SRECs at 1.5x value through January 2028."

What NOT to say

• ❌ Don't quote a "$80K rent" number — MD customers' rent compounding is genuinely small under preserved 1:1 NM with indefinite rollover
• ❌ Don't oversell the home-value range ($3K-$10K is incremental battery premium per Berkeley Lab, NOT total solar+battery premium)
• ❌ Don't pitch the RCES $5K as bringing down upfront install cost (post-install reimbursement; install cost is the same)
• ❌ Don't pitch BGE's "up to $100/mo" as guaranteed income (pending PSC approval; specifics could change)

MD RCES $5K Residential Battery Grant — Closing-Pillar Talk-Track

This is a new product piece — distinct from the SC TC-38 talk-track because RCES is a direct-payment grant (not a tax credit). Treat as a closing pillar after the four core pillars (takeover/inspection LEAD + cohort Bridge + Hidden Costs + Own vs Rent).

When to bring it up

Not in the opening. Lead with the four pillars established earlier. Bring RCES up at one of two natural moments:

1. When you walk through Loan Economics — after the customer sees the monthly payment and asks "what about [the federal tax credit / any rebates / anything to bring the cost down]?", RCES is the answer.
2. In the close — after the customer has agreed in principle, RCES is the bonus that makes year 1 cleaner (once FY27 reopens and the application processes).

Why this placement: RCES is real and meaningful, but it depends on (a) FY27 portal reopening per MEA's calendar, (b) the customer's application being processed before annual funding caps, (c) the actual grant being lesser of 30% of installed cost or $5K. Leading with it would over-anchor on a number that's conditional. Treat it as a closing-pillar boost.

The Constraints (rep crib sheet)

The closing pitch (verbatim)

"One more piece. After we've walked through the bill math, the takeover, and the resilience pillars — there's a state grant that doesn't show up in the proposal numbers because it's funding-dependent. Maryland's Energy Administration runs the Residential Clean Energy Storage program — RCES. It pays up to $5,000 per residential battery install. Here's the important nuance: it's POST-INSTALL REIMBURSEMENT, not a price reduction at contract. Your install cost stays the same; the grant arrives weeks to months later after MEA processes your application. The FY26 funding cycle exhausted earlier this year; the FY27 portal is expected to open this summer. Installing now positions you to apply as soon as it opens. We handle the MEA paperwork on your behalf. Important: we can't promise the grant — funding is annual and first-come-first-served. But for installs going in right now, the timing is good."

Common customer questions (4)

Q: Will I definitely get $5,000?

"Honest answer: no. The cap is $5,000, but the actual grant is the lesser of 30% of installed cost or $5,000. For a $18,500 install, 30% would be $5,550, so the $5K cap binds — you'd be applying for $5K. But the grant is funding-dependent — once FY27 reopens, applications are processed first-come-first-served until the annual budget is exhausted (FY26 was $2M total). We don't control MEA timing or funding levels. What we can do is make sure your application is ready to submit on day one of the FY27 portal opening."

Q: Does the grant come off the install price?

"No. RCES is post-install reimbursement — your contract price and monthly loan payment are the same whether the grant comes through or not. The grant arrives weeks to months after install (after MEA processes the application). Treat it as a bonus that materializes after the system is running, not as a discount at contract."

Q: What if FY27 doesn't reopen this summer?

"MEA hasn't published a confirmed FY27 calendar — 'summer 2026' is the expected reopen based on prior-year cycles. If they delay, your application would just wait until the portal opens. Either way, you're better positioned applying with the install already done than trying to coordinate an install + application + funding window at the last minute."

Q: Should I wait to install until FY27 reopens?

"Strong no, for two reasons. First, the grant is post-install — you need the install done to apply, so delaying delays your application date too. Second, when FY27 opens, customers who already have batteries installed and paperwork ready can submit immediately; customers who try to coordinate install + application at the same time will be slower. Plus there are other moving pieces — the 2012 Derecho-level outage exposure is real, the BGE/Pepco VPP tariffs are pending PSC approval right now, the indefinite-rollover 1:1 NM is favorable but could change. The $5K grant is one piece of a larger value stack."

Mandatory caveat (always say this)

"Top Tier doesn't control MEA or the RCES funding cycle. We coordinate the application paperwork on your behalf, but we can't promise the timing or the funding level. What we can promise: your install positions you to apply immediately when the FY27 portal opens."

What NOT to say

• ❌ "Your install cost is $5K lower because of the grant." (RCES is post-install reimbursement — install cost is the same; standing-rule violation.)
• ❌ "You'll definitely get $5,000 back." (Lesser of 30% of installed cost OR $5K; funding-dependent.)
• ❌ "FY27 reopens on [specific date]." (MEA hasn't published; "summer 2026" is the prior-cycle expectation.)
• ❌ "We'll process your RCES application for you." (We coordinate paperwork; MEA does the processing.)

DRIVE Act 2024 VPP Pilots (BGE + Pepco only)

BGE + Pepco filed VPP pilots at the MD PSC under the DRIVE Act 2024. PSC hearings April 7-8, 2026. NOT yet approved or enrolling — but the proposed payment amounts are real and worth pitching as forward positioning.

BGE pilot specifics

• 2-year pilot
• Up to 188 MW of flexible-load resources
• Tests: utility-owned batteries (medically vulnerable customers), customer-owned storage + EVs, third-party aggregators
• Proposed compensation: UP TO $100/mo per participating customer (solar+storage tier higher than EV-only)
• Status: pending PSC approval (April 7-8, 2026 hearings)

Pepco pilot specifics

• Parallel pilot under same DRIVE Act framework
• Up to 185 MW of flexible-load resources (roughly 110-120k homes equivalent)
• Same PSC docket cycle as BGE
• Status: pending PSC approval

Delmarva + Potomac Edison MD

• NO pilots filed at this cycle. Exelon's MD VPP focus is BGE + Pepco only. FirstEnergy's MD posture differs from Exelon's; Potomac Edison MD has no pilot.
• For Delmarva + Potomac Edison customers: pitch as "Exelon VPP discipline is spreading; your utility is the natural next candidate for a pilot expansion" — NOT as "your utility has a pending VPP today."

How to use VPP in the BGE/Pepco pitch (verbatim talk-track)

"Maryland passed the DRIVE Act in 2024 — it requires the IOUs to file VPP pilot proposals at the PSC. BGE filed a 2-year pilot for up to 188 megawatts of flexible-load resources. Pepco filed a parallel 185 megawatt pilot. The PSC heard the cases on April 7th and 8th of this year; approval is pending. BGE's pilot proposes UP TO $100 per month per participating customer — with the solar+storage tier higher than the EV-only tier. The catch: the tariff hasn't been approved yet, so we can't promise that specific number, and capacity caps mean late arrivals wait. What we can tell you: customers with batteries installed when enrollment opens are first in line. So having the battery now isn't just about today's bill math — it's about being positioned for that program."

What NOT to say

• ❌ "BGE will pay you $100/month for your battery." (Pending PSC approval; could be lower or structured differently.)
• ❌ "You'll definitely get enrolled in the VPP." (Capacity caps; first-come-first-served.)
• ❌ "Pepco's VPP pays $X/month." (Pepco's proposed compensation specifics are different from BGE's; don't conflate.)
• ❌ Pitching VPP to Delmarva or Potomac Edison MD customers as if it applies to them. (It doesn't — only BGE + Pepco have filed.)

MD Certified SRECs (Brighter Tomorrow Act 2024)

Real ongoing income, not modeled into proposal savings figures. Worth mentioning to customers who care about SREC income separate from the lump-sum RCES grant.

The mechanics

• Eligible: residential systems ≤ 5 MW placed in service between July 1, 2024 and January 1, 2028 on rooftops or parking canopies
• Value: 1.5x standard MD SREC value
• Current pricing (May 2026): standard MD SREC ~$40, Certified ~$55
• Each MWh of solar production = 1 SREC — typical 8 kW system produces ~10-12 MWh/yr = ~10-12 Certified SRECs/yr = ~$550-660/yr at current pricing

How to use it in conversation

"One thing not on the proposal because it's volatile market income: Maryland's 2024 Brighter Tomorrow Act created Certified SRECs at 1.5 times standard SREC value for systems installed through January 2028 on rooftops or parking. A typical 8 kW system generates 10 to 12 of those a year. Current pricing is around $55 per Certified SREC — that's $550 to $660 a year in ongoing income, separate from your bill savings. Not guaranteed — SREC markets move — but it's been a real income stream for MD solar customers, and the 1.5x bonus is locked in for systems through 2028."

What NOT to say

• ❌ Don't quote specific SREC pricing as guaranteed (markets move)
• ❌ Don't include SREC income in proposal savings math (volatility; sized separately by the customer's SREC aggregator)
• ❌ Don't claim Top Tier handles SREC sales (we don't — customer signs up with an SREC aggregator separately)

Federal & State Tax Credits

What's Gone

• Federal ITC expired December 31, 2025 per the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. New 2026 cash or financed residential battery installations do not qualify. Approximately $5,000-7,000 of lost incentive value on a typical $18,500 install.

What Remains for Maryland

• MD Energy Storage Income Tax Credit EXPIRED end of CY2024. Was 30% / $5K max with $750k/yr statewide cap and first-come-first-served. Replaced by RCES grant (which is a direct payment, not a tax credit — see RCES talk-track above).
• MD property tax exemption for residential solar. Installation does not increase home's assessed value for property-tax purposes. Worth $200-600/yr in avoided property-tax assessment over the system lifetime.
• No MD state income tax credit for residential solar or battery storage today. (Different from SC, which has TC-38.)
• Section 25D battery-with-solar residual 2026 eligibility unverified. Don't pitch without tax-counsel review.

How to Handle the Conversation

"You may have heard about the 30% federal tax credit. That expired at the end of 2025 for direct purchases. Maryland used to have a 30% state Energy Storage tax credit but that expired end of 2024 — it was replaced by RCES, which is a direct grant rather than a tax credit (see the RCES section above). Maryland DOES have a property tax exemption for residential solar — your install doesn't add to your property's assessed value, which is worth $200-600/yr in avoided property tax over the system lifetime. For cash or financed purchases like ours, there's no federal income-tax credit on this install."

The Inverter Hidden Risk

Most homeowners don't realize how exposed they are without a service relationship.

• Typical inverter failure window: 8-15 years for SolarEdge string inverters; 10-20 years for Enphase microinverters
• Replacement cost out of pocket: $3,000-$5,000+ if out of warranty
• The catch most don't learn until they need it: when the inverter fails and the original installer is gone, finding someone willing to handle the warranty claim and replacement is hard. Most installers refuse work on someone else's system.

With Top Tier, you're not on your own with it. Whenever a manufacturer warranty claim is needed — on the new battery or the existing panels and inverter — Top Tier coordinates it at no cost. And on top of equipment's existing manufacturer warranties, every installation includes a 5-year Align Solar Protection service contract at no extra cost, covering existing solar equipment for mechanical breakdown, parts and labor, with $0 deductible. Coverage is confirmed through a system inspection.

Loan Economics

Service Finance loan structure for the backup-capable configuration (MD default):

Note: Service Finance loans cannot be re-amortized. Extra payments shorten the loan term but do not lower the monthly payment.

RCES grant note: if approved post-install, the $5K grant arrives as a direct payment to the customer (or applied per MEA's then-current procedures). It does NOT reduce the loan principal or the monthly payment. Customers can use the grant proceeds however they choose — typical use is to make an early loan payment, which shortens the term.

Objection Handling

"What if I sell the house before the loan is paid off?"

"Solar plus battery raises your home's value at sale. Your closing equity pays off whatever's left on the loan, so the new owner inherits a fully-owned system with no payment to take over. Most warranties carry over: Top Tier's 10-year workmanship and roof penetration warranty transfers to the new owner with written consent (we coordinate this at closing), and the manufacturer warranties on your inverter and battery transfer per the manufacturers' own terms. The 5-year Align Solar Protection service contract is non-transferable — the seller benefits from the inspection and 5-year coverage. The next owner gets a turnkey, manufacturer-warrantied home with severe-weather backup built in; you get a higher sale price. Maryland-specific: if you applied for the RCES grant before sale and it hasn't paid out yet, MEA's terms typically follow the original applicant, not the property — confirm with MEA before closing."

"My MD bill is small. Why do I need a battery?"

"You're right — your bill IS small. That's because Maryland law preserves 1:1 net metering with indefinite credit rollover for you. The battery isn't going to reduce your monthly bill in any meaningful way today. What it does is four things: First, it locks you in. Every other state with high solar penetration has either changed or proposed changes to 1:1 NM. MD just preserved it (statutorily) but the regulatory cycle continues. Second, [BGE/Pepco-only:] Maryland passed the DRIVE Act in 2024 that requires the IOUs to file VPP pilot proposals; BGE/Pepco filed at the PSC and BGE proposed up to $100/mo per customer. Customers with batteries installed are first in line. Third, MD's RCES program pays up to $5,000 per residential install — FY26 funding exhausted, FY27 expected this summer. We coordinate the application. Fourth, when the next big storm hits — and 2012 Derecho memory is still vivid here — your home keeps running."

"What about the 30% federal tax credit?"

"It expired December 31, 2025 for direct purchases. Some lease and PPA models still qualify at the leasing-company level. For cash or financed purchases like ours, there's no federal credit on a 2026 install. Maryland's state Energy Storage tax credit also expired end of 2024 — it was replaced by RCES, which is a direct grant rather than a tax credit, and it's POST-INSTALL REIMBURSEMENT (install cost stays the same). MD DOES still have a property tax exemption for residential solar, which is worth $200-600/yr."

"Does RCES bring my install price down to $13,500?"

"No, and this is important. RCES is post-install reimbursement, NOT a price reduction at contract. Your install cost is $18,500 cash or about $228/month financed regardless of the grant. The grant arrives weeks to months later, after MEA processes your application. Customers typically use the $5K to make an early loan payment if they want to shorten the term. We can't promise the grant — funding is finite and FY26 already exhausted. We CAN tell you your install positions you to apply on day one when the FY27 portal reopens this summer."

"What if I sell before the RCES grant comes through?"

"MEA's terms typically follow the original applicant, not the property — meaning the grant stays with you, not the buyer. Confirm with MEA before closing if RCES is in flight. The home-value lift from solar+battery + the resale story still applies."

What To Say · What NOT To Say

Key Disclosures for Maryland Customers

1. All 4 MD IOUs preserve full retail 1:1 NM with indefinite credit rollover (MD statutory). Strongest NM treatment in any Top Tier market.
2. MD RCES grant up to $5K — POST-INSTALL REIMBURSEMENT. FY26 exhausted; FY27 expected summer 2026. Lesser of 30% of installed cost or $5K. Top Tier coordinates MEA application paperwork.
3. BGE + Pepco VPP pilots filed under DRIVE Act 2024 — pending PSC approval, not yet enrolling. BGE proposed UP TO $100/mo per customer; Pepco parallel pilot. Customers with batteries installed are first in line.
4. Delmarva + Potomac Edison MD have no VPP pilots at this cycle. Don't pitch a VPP for those utilities today.
5. MD Certified SRECs (Brighter Tomorrow Act 2024) pay 1.5x standard value through Jan 2028 for ≤5 MW rooftop/parking systems. Real ongoing income (not modeled into proposal).
6. MD property tax exemption for residential solar. Worth $200-600/yr.
7. No MD state income tax credit today (legacy Energy Storage tax credit expired end of CY2024, replaced by RCES grant).
8. Federal ITC expired 12/31/2025. No MD state extension. Section 25D battery residual eligibility uncertain.
9. PJM capacity costs spiked 833% in 2025/26 auction — flowing through MD residential rates over multi-year recovery cycles.
10. Battery duration depends on loads (10 kWh = 18-30 hr critical loads; not whole-home backup for sustained outages).
11. Service Finance loans cannot be re-amortized. Extra payments shorten term, not monthly payment.
12. 10-year workmanship warranty contingent on inspection acceptance.

Recent MD Outage Events (Resilience Pillar Anchors)

1. June 29, 2012 — Mid-Atlantic Derecho. The defining MD event. 91 mph peak gusts; 9,200+ power lines down; 430k peak outages. BGE: 762k customers out over 9 days. Pepco: 786k customer-outages over 20.5M customer-interruption-hours (longest major outage 8 days 6 hours). President Obama declared major disaster.
2. May 17, 2025 — DC/MD/VA storms. >2M customers out across the region. BGE/Pepco restored most by Sunday night.
3. July 2022 — BGE territory storms. 60k+ BGE customers still without power after main event in Prince George's/Carroll/Baltimore/Harford counties.
4. January 2026 — Western MD winter storm. Mountain-weather + winter peak demand combined for sustained multi-day outages in Frederick/Washington/Allegany/Garrett counties (Potomac Edison MD service area).

Walk-Away Profiles

When the deal doesn't fit, walk away cleanly. None of these are tenure-based.

• Customer has no existing solar. Top Tier specializes in battery added to existing solar. New solar + battery is a different conversation we don't quote today.
• Customer's existing solar is a lease or PPA. Third-party structure complicates takeover. Route to Todd.
• Customer is on SMECO (Southern Maryland Electric Coop) or an MD municipal utility. Out of scope at launch. Document and pass.
• Customer is income-eligible (≤150% AMI) and asking about MD Solar Access Program (MSAP). That's a different state grant program (solar PV, not battery). $750/kW up to $7,500 grant. Portal closed April 17, 2026; FY27 expected summer 2026. Worth mentioning but outside our typical residential-prospect profile.
• Customer demands a confirmed RCES payment commitment we can't make. Honest answer: MEA controls funding + timing; we coordinate paperwork. If customer wants to wait until FY27 portal opens before signing, that's fine — we'll follow up.

TODO / Follow-Up

• Verify Delmarva Power MD + Potomac Edison MD customer charges from current tariff PDFs (Phase A research could not directly verify the exact figures; $8-$12 is the working range). Use the pypdf-against-cached-PDF approach (the trick that unblocked KY PSC research) or pull from utility customer-facing rate pages. Refine the per-utility defaultMonthlyBill accordingly.
• Watch for BGE + Pepco VPP PSC approval (April 2026 hearings; decision timeline TBD). When tariffs are approved with specific compensation amounts, update the rep guide VPP framing from "proposed UP TO $100/mo" to actual program details + enrollment process.
• Watch for RCES FY27 portal reopen. Expected summer 2026 (imminent as of this commit). When MEA publishes the FY27 application opening, update the RCES talk-track from "expected" to "live + open."
• Re-verify Section 25D battery-with-solar 2026 residual eligibility with tax counsel before any inclusion in rep guide or customer copy. Currently flagged as uncertain and not pitched.
• Optional cooperative + muni expansion: SMECO + MD municipal utilities (Easton, Hagerstown, etc.) out of scope at launch. Add as additional MarketUtility entries if rep demand surfaces.