Resident urges changes to Maryland solar bill; cites technical concerns about portable systems

A Havre de Grace resident told the council Tuesday he wants state lawmakers to amend pending solar legislation to require portable residential solar generating systems be wired to dedicated circuits.

Kirk Smith of 840 Sego Street addressed council under citizen comments, citing House Bill 345 and Senate Bill 341 (referred to in his remarks as the "Affordable Solar Act") and urged changes that would require portable solar systems to be on a dedicated circuit. Smith said he has already contacted the city’s state delegates and the senator's office to request the amendment.

Smith provided illustrative technical numbers during his remarks: he said the bill’s 1,200-watt limit was chosen intentionally and observed that 1,200 watts is about 66% of the capacity of a 15-amp household circuit. He contrasted that with larger rooftop systems and summarized typical expected energy production: "a 13.2 kilowatt system the last few days has generated over 50 kilowatts per day," and "a similar system at 1,200 watts coming into a house will only generate approximately 74 kilowatts." He argued that requiring a dedicated circuit would help prevent feedback and safety issues when appliances and portable generation share the same line.

Smith framed the request as practical advice for safety and reliability, and urged other citizens to contact lawmakers in support of the amendment. The council did not take formal action on the request; Smith provided his contact information and offered to host officials to examine local installations.

Because this was a citizen comment rather than an agenda item, the council did not produce a formal response or vote. The record shows Smith's technical examples and his request that portable systems be required to use dedicated circuits, which he said would reduce potential feedback when appliances share the same line.