Howard County
Howard County, Maryland: solar permitting grade D (score 56/100, High Risk). Score has worsened by 24 points over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 56/100 |
| Population | 333,234 |
| Solar ordinance | Ordinance status not yet documented |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Worsening (composite risk score has risen over 12 months) |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Howard County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Conditions have been tightening over the past 12 months — watch for additional ordinance changes or board activity. Maryland's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
4 energy-related meetings · 6 opposition groups
- SolarSkip to main content Menu Main Content Renewable Energy Certainty Act (HB1036) Effective July 1, 2025, Maryland’s Renewable Energy Certainty Act (HB1036)… · agenda
- SolarCalvin Ball Howard County Executive CB 17-2021 expands opportunities for solar within the county to: Allow rooftop solar collectors in all zoning districts… · agenda
- SolarSolar Submission Procedure To submit a Commercial Solar Facilities (CSF) Conditional Use (CU) Petition to the Agricultural Preservation Board (APB), please… · agenda
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.