Maine
State Scorecard Rank
5
Maine
35.5Scored out of 50Updated 12/2022
State Government
Score: 4.5 out of 4.5
State Government Summary List All
Maine offers several financial incentives for consumer energy efficiency investments. The state government leads by example by setting energy requirements for public buildings and fleets and encouraging the use of energy savings performance contracts. Maine is one of the few states to adopt a residential energy use disclosure policy. Research focused on energy efficiency occurs at the Maine Technology Institute.
Financial Incentives List All
The state of Maine offers several financial incentives to encourage energy efficiency improvements. From Efficiency Maine:
- Electric Vehicle and EV Infrastructure: Program offers electric vehicle rebates with enhanced incentives for municipalities, NGOs, and low-income households, and grants for EV charging infrastructure.
- Home Energy Savings Program: Program offers rebates for residential heat pumps and weatherization.
- Low-Income Initiatives: Program offers enhanced rebates for residential heat pumps and weatherization, subset of heat pump water heaters.
- Commercial and Industrial Prescriptive Program and Small Business Initiative: Program offers rebates for commercial heat pumps, VRFs, and miscellaneous heating measures for unregulated fuels.
- Commercial and Industrial Custom Program: The C&I Custom Program is designed to leverage private investment to achieve electrical and thermal energy savings. Funding levels range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $1 million per customer, or up to 50% of the total project costs.
- Retail and Distributor Program: Program offers midstream incentives for HVAC.
From MaineHousing:
- Heat Pump Program: Program pays for the cost and installation of a heat pump for eligible homeowners.
- Weatherization Program: Program provides grants to low-income homeowners and renters to reduce energy costs by improving home energy efficiency. The program pays for the costs and installation of energy saving weatherization measures, such as air seaing and insulation, as well as related health and safety measures.
- Assurance 16 Program: Program provides services that encourage and enable households to reduce their home energy needs and thereby the need for energy assistance, including needs assessments, counseling, and assistance with energy vendors.
Further financial incentive information can be found in the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE Maine). In addition to these state-funded incentives, Maine has enabled commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing, but it does not have any active PACE programs. For additional information on PACE, visit PACENation.
Last Reviewed: June 2022
Equity Metrics and Workforce DevelopmentList All
Efficiency Maine Trust (EMT) has increased its engagement of low- to moderate-income customers and small businesses through targeted outreach regarding enhanced incentives for heat pumps and weatherization. For Low Income Initiatives, EMT holds quarterly stakeholder advisory group meetings to engage organizations who serve low-income households. EMT invites nonprofit groups, native American representatives, state government and utility staff. The purpose of this meeting is to increase engagement with low-income Mainers. Under Low Income Initiatives, EMT sends outreach material directly to eligible individuals as well as uses targeted digital ads and area-specific radio spots to broaden the reach. The program manager supplements these efforts with presentations to towns and affordable housing association members. For the Small Business Initiative, EMT conducts targeted marketing and outreach efforts to reach small businesses, including direct mail and phone calls to eligible businesses; collaboration with local groups such as Climate to Thrive, The Nature Conservancy, and chambers of commerce; and public relations activities targeted at eligible participants. Another means of engagement come from the network of trade allies called Qualified Partners. These independent businesses are the primary marketers of the program—working with their existing customers and identifying new customers for energy-efficient equipment. For businesses that do not currently work with a contractor or a Qualified Partner, the Efficiency Maine website features an online search tool to easily put potential customers in touch with a Qualified Partner in their area. The Program Managers for Electric Vehicle Initiatives engage with the aforementioned quarterly advisory group, the Maine Climate Council Equity Subcommittee, and the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition to gather insight and raise awareness about low-income EV rebates and charging infrastructure opportunities.
As part of its Triennial Plan for FY2020-FY2022, Efficiency Maine Trust (EMT) establishes program budgets that reflect the minimum funding allocations to low-income customers set forth in statute [see 35-A MRS §10110(2)(B)] and 35-A MRS §10111(1)(B)] and rule [see 95-648 Code of Maine Rules (CMR) ch. 3, §3(A)(2) and 95-648 CMR ch. 4, §3(2)]. For the Electric Efficiency Procurement (electric ratepayer funds) this allocation is 10%. For the Natural Gas Conservation Fund (natural gas ratepayer funds), this allocation is set at a reasonable percentage considering low-income consumers' share of gas load and the cost-effective opportunity available at their homes. For RGGI funds, the target allocation to low-income programs is 10%. One of the State of Maine's primary electrification strategies involves a goal to install 100,000 additional high-efficiency heat pumps over five years by 2025. This goal was set forth in a bill passed by the Maine Legislature in 2019: LD 1766 - An Act To Transform Maine's Heat Pump Market To Advance Economic Security and Climate Objectives. The bill requires the Maine State Housing Authority to include information in its annual planning process (for low-income weatherization programs) on targets and budgets related to the heat pump goal. Efficiency Maine Trust is also offering enhanced rebates for low- and moderate-income households. The state's new climate action plan, entitled "Maine Won't Wait: A Four-Year Plan for Climate Action" establishes a goal of installing at least 15,000 new heat pumps in income-eligible households by 2025 as part of the 100,000-heat pump initiative. The Plan also recommends doubling the current pace of home weatherization, including at least 1,000 low-income units per year. Efficiency Maine Trust allocates funds from the Volkswagen Settlement and the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) specifically for disproportionately underserved communities in Maine to receive enhanced rebates for level 2 charging stations. These investments are targeted in areas that are especially rural where there is a higher upfront cost. EMT funding received through a settlement related to the New England Clean Energy Connect project includes dedicated resources for low- and moderate-income households for heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, weatherization, and electric vehicle rebates. All of the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and LIHEAP-Weatherization funds administered by MaineHousing are dedicated to low-income Mainers who meet the criteria for LIHEAP eligibility. The funds are allocated pro-rata across the nine regions served by CAP agencies in the state.
Workforce Development
In order to support the increased demand for heat pumps and to promote quality installations, Efficiency Maine specified a curriculum for registered trainers that support heat pump installers, and developed a training module on "heat pump basics" that is required for all heat pump installers working with Efficiency Maine's residential programs. Efficiency Maine provides other trainings and workshops to contractors working in its commercial programs and has started delivering building code training to contractors. Efficiency Maine's intent to continue these efforts is reflected in its new Triennial Plan (for Fiscal Years 2023-2025).
In 2022, the Maine Governor's Energy Office launched the Clean Energy Partnership to advance Maine’s clean energy, economic development, and workforce goals as outlined in the state climate action plan, Maine Won't Wait. The primary goal that the Clean Energy Partnership intends to achieve is to more than double Maine's clean energy workforce to 30,000 by 2030. This goal has an auxilliary effect of helping achieve additional climate goals such as heat pump adoptions and weatherization. The purpose of the Clean Energy Partnership is to prepare, expand, and support Maine’s clean energy workforce as well as supporting innovation of clean tech products and services. This initiative is supported by the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, innovation funds, and additional funding sources designated for bolstering this effort (e.g., Congressionally Designated Spending, etc.).
Last Reviewed: July 2021
Carbon Pricing PoliciesList All
Maine is a member of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a cap-and-trade program for reducing GHG emissions in North America that began its compliance period in 2009. Capping CO2 emissions from the power sector, the program aims to reduce emissions by 45% below 2005 levels by 2020 and additionally by 30% by 2030.
The Efficiency Maine Trust (EMT) reports on greenhouse gas emissions achieved RGGI-funded energy efficiency programs through two channels: (1) the annual "Investment of RGGI Proceeds" report to RGGI Inc., and (2) the RGGI Annual Report to the Maine State Legislature. Maine accounts for the avoided cost of carbon using the Avoided Energy Supply Components (AESC) report that is updated every few years. In it, the price (value) of RGGI carbon allowances is factored into the avoided costs of every kilowatt-hour saved through efficiency programs. Maine applies the AESC cost of carbon in its cost-effectiveness test which is used in establishing MACE (Maine’s study of the potential for “all cost-effective energy efficiency”) and also in its annual reports.
Per EO LD 1679 and EO 10, Maine does have a statewide emissions reduction goal in place, specifically to reduce emissions 100% by 2045 (baseline year 1990).
Last Reviewed: September 2022
Building Energy Disclosure List All
- Building type(s) affected: residential rental
H.P. 1468 requires the disclosure of an energy efficiency checklist to tenants or lessees and allows for the release of audit information of residential rental properties. This policy is triggered at the time of rental.
Last Reviewed: July 2019
Public Building Requirements List All
Maine requires that construction or renovation of state buildings must incorporate green building standards that would achieve "significant" energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, provided that the costs of doing so are cost-effective over the life of the building.
Maine Statutes Title 5, Section 1764-A also requires all planning and design for the construction of new or substantially renovated buildings owned or leased by the state include: (1) the consideration of energy efficiency, (2) an energy-use target that exceeds standards for commercial and institutional buildings by at least 20%, and (3) a life-cycle cost analysis over a minimum of 30 years that explicitly addresses the costs and benefits of efficiency improvements.
Pursuant to a Legislative Resolve (Resolve 2009, Chapter 372), the State of Maine was charged with creating a task force to Advance Energy Efficiency, Conservation and Independence at State Facilities. The final report was issued in January 2010. The report concluded that energy efficiency, conservation and independence at the executive branch facilities of State Government should be improved by a number of means: continuing to attack and reduce consumption; conducting important and too-easily overlooked energy audits; diversifying the energy sources used at these facilities; reducing reliance on imported heating oil; and increasing the use of alternative and cost-effective renewable energy sources when possible.
In November 2019, Governor Mills signed Executive Order #13: An Order for State Agencies to Lead by Example Through Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy and Sustainability Measures. It called for the creation of a Sustainbility Leadership Committee to develop a baseline of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from state operations by February 1, 2021. Every two years thereafter, the state shall report annual energy use, sources, greenhouse gas emissions, and progress on the plan to the Governor, the Legislature, and post the report for the public.
The state's first Lead By Example report was published earlier last year, in accordance with EO-13. It outlines strategies to curb state agencies’ greenhouse gas emissions, transition state electricity use to 100 percent clean power by 2024, and purchase 100 percent electric vehicles for the state fleet by 2030. As part of the Lead by Example effort, EMT is coordinating with the Bureau of General Services and State facilities managers to create an initiative to promote the increased installation and use of clean, cost-effective energy measures at State properties. Per a December 29, 2020, Memorandum of Understanding between the Trust and the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Maine, the Trust received approximately $3.7 million in Volkswagen settlement funds to develop projects through this initiative.
The Governor's Energy Office - in collaboration with Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future - is currently drafting an executive order that will (1) encourage state buildings to become green certified, (2) require public improvements to meet 2021 IECC (the current stretch code), (3) include EV chargers or be EV ready for new construction, (4) require new construction to meet 2021 IECC, (5) meet, where applicable, an EPA ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager score of 75 or greater, (6) report of energy consumption, and (7) encourage adoption of mass timber in buildings thus reducing embodied carbon. This executive order is anticipated to be implemented - pending no changes - mid-2022.
Last Reviewed: June 2022
Fleets List All
Statute (MRSA Title 5 1812-E) mandates that except for cars and light-duty trucks purchased for law enforcement and other special use purposes, the State Purchasing Agent may not purchase or lease any car or light-duty truck for state use unless the car has a manufacturer's estimated highway mileage rating of at least 45 mpg and the light-duty truck has a manufacturer's estimated highway mileage rating of at least 35 mpg.
Pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order, the Maine DOT Central Fleet has purchased six battery electric vehicles for usage across state government.
Last Reviewed: June 2022
Energy Savings Performance Contracting List All
In 1999, Maine enacted an energy savings pilot project, which used ESPCs to achieve energy efficiency goals. In 2005, the governor of Maine joined the Energy Star Challenge, committing to encourage building owners and operators to improve energy efficiency by 10% using performance contracting and other mechanisms. Today, all energy efficiency programming in the State of Maine is administered by Efficiency Maine.
The State of Maine has identified specific projects that could be part of a performance contract agreement. The long term plans for the State include the development of additional Energy Saving Performance contracting at a variety of facilities and locations. BGS is working to determine the viability of Private Public Partnerships for renovation and energy improvements at older state facilities.
Last Reviewed: July 2020
Research & Development List All
The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) invests in research and development. MTI defines their areas of focus as clusters and one of those is Energy and the Environment and explicitly includes energy efficiency technologies.
Last Reviewed: July 2019
Important Links List All
Buildings
Score: 8.5 out of 12
Buildings Summary List All
In 2019, the Technical Codes and Standards Board formally decided to adopt the 2015 IRC, IEBC, and IECC and commenced a rulemaking process to update the Maine code. In 2020, the Technical Codes and Standards Board completed its rulemaking to implement the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code, which takes effect on July 1, 2021 and also adopted the 2021 IECC to serve as an appendix to the IECC as a statewide “stretch code” that municipalities may elect to adopt.
In 2020, state law required the Maine Climate Council to develop a new climate action plan. The plan, titled Maine Won't Wait: A Four-Year Plan for Climate Action, was issued in December of 2020, and identified among its top priorities the strategy to "Modernize Maine's Buildings." The strategy includes a recommendation to develop a long-term plan by 2024 to phase in modern, energy-efficient building codes to reach net-zero carbon emissions for new construction in Maine by 2035. In addition, it sets a goal to enhance existing training on building codes and expand these programs to support ongoing education of contractors and code-enforcement officials.
Last reviewed: May 2021
Residential Codes List All
In 2019, the Maine Legislature enacted three important amendments to residential building codes. First, Public Law (PL) 391 established that the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC) must update the code from the 2009 IECC to the 2015 or a newer version, that it must be kept up to date with the latest version of the IECC, and required that it be applied in every municipality in Maine, regardless of population. (Pursuant to existing law, enforcement of the code is voluntary in municipalities having fewer than 4,000 customers, representing about 40% of the population). Second, PL 517 modified and improved the oversight and training of code enforcement officers. Third, PL 392 required the MUBEC to establish a stretch code that may be adopted by any municipality.
In 2019, the Technical Codes and Standards Board formally decided to adopt the 2015 IRC, IEBC, and IECC and commenced a rulemaking process to update the Maine code. In 2020, the Technical Codes and Standards Board completed its rulemaking to implement the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code, which takes effect on July 1, 2021 and also adopted the 2021 IECC to serve as an appendix to the IECC as a statewide “stretch code” that municipalities may elect to adopt. Pursuant to 10 MRSA §9722 6.B, MUBEC is required to ensure that both the ICC and ASHRAE codes are either the most recent edition or the edition previous to the most recent edition. As such, MUBEC is currently reviewing 2021 IECC against 2015 IECC in perperation for its adoption as Maine's energy code which is anticipated in 2022.
Last Reviewed: May 2022
Commercial Code List All
In 2019, the Maine Legislature enacted three important amendments to building codes. First, Public Law (PL) 391 established that the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC) must update the code from the 2009 IECC to the 2015 or a newer version, that it must be kept up to date with the latest version of the IECC, and required that it be applied in every municipality in Maine, regardless of population. (Pursuant to existing law, enforcement of the code is voluntary in municipalities having fewer than 4,000 customers, representing about 40% of the population). Second, PL 517 modified and improved the oversight and training of code enforcement officers. Third, PL 392 required the MUBEC to establish a stretch code that may be adopted by any municipality.
In 2019, the Technical Codes and Standards Board formally decided to adopt the 2015 IRC, IEBC, and IECC and commenced a rulemaking process to update the Maine code. In 2020, the Technical Codes and Standards Board completed its rulemaking to implement the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code, which takes effect on July 1, 2021. Pursuant to 10 MRSA §9722 6.B, MUBEC is required to ensure that both the ICC and ASHRAE codes are either the most recent edition or the edition previous to the most recent edition. As such, MUBEC is currently reviewing 2021 IECC against 2015 IECC in preparation for its adoption as Maine's energy code which is anticipated in 2022.
Last Reviewed: May 2022
Compliance List All
- Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: A New Construction Baseline Assessment was performed by Ridgeline Energy Analytics in 2020-21. The study used Home Energy Rating Scores (HERS) and RemRate software to assess compliance against the 2009 IECC code performance path and found that 67% of homes were energy code compliant. The compliance study followed the PNNL methodology to the best of its ability, however limitations due to COVID-19 prevented in-person stakeholder engagement and impromptu site visits.
- Utility Involvement: Maine statute requires Efficiency Maine invovlement of adoption, amendment, and maintenance of the state's energy code. Efficiency Maine participates in code development and offers training programs for Maine builders and contractors.
- Stakeholder Advisory Group: Maine has a Technical Building Codes and Standards Board comprised of architects, engineers, builders, and energy efficiency experts. Additionally, Maine has an “advisory group,” managed by the Board, called the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), where energy efficiency advocate have provide cost-effectiveness analysis to support the adoption of building energy codes.
- Training/Outreach: There is advanced energy code training available; the cost is subsidized for code officials. This advanced training is a collaborative effort between the Dept. of Economic and Community Development, the State Fire Marshall, and the Energy Office. The state Dept. of Economic and Community Development offers training at the basic certification level (free to those applying for initial certification), as well as advanced energy code training. Once certified, code enforcement officers need to obtain training annually to keep their certification current. The Maine Building Officials and Inspector Association, as well as several regional organizations, seek out training opportunities for their members, and partially support the cost of these opportunities. Efficiency Maine Trust and the Maine Office of State Fire Marshal have jointly launched a training initiative for code officials, trades, and professionals involved in new construction. The first classes were a free one-hour webinar to introduce the energy provisions of Maine's updated building codes. Subsequent classes will provide more technical detail on updates to the codes and field training for best practices to achieve code compliance.
Last reviewed: May 2022
CHP
CHP Summary List All
Maine has a favorable interconnection standard that applies to CHP and includes CHP within its renewable energy standard. No new CHP systems were installed in 2018.
Interconnection StandardsList All
Policy: Docket No. 2009-219 - Order Adopting Interconnection Rule
Summary: In January 2010, Maine's Public Utility Commission (PUC) adopted interconnection procedures. These rules apply to all transmission and distribution utilities operating in Maine. The interconnection procedures set four tiers of review for interconnection requests for all eligible technologies and systems subject to Maine PUC jurisdiction. The four tiers are not subject to jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Last Updated: July 2018
Encouraging CHP as a ResourceList All
CHP in Energy Efficiency Standards: Adopted in 1999, Maine’s Renewable Resources Portfolio Requirement allows electricity generated from efficient CHP systems and other systems that qualify as "small power production facilities" under the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) as eligible. CHP counts toward renewable resources in the state, provided it is at least 60% efficient. Maine electricity providers must supply at least 30% of their total sales as renewable resources. In 2007, Maine created mandatory standards for new generation resources, with a goal of 10% of new energy resources to be supplied by renewable resources by 2017 and thereafter.
Production goal: Maine law requires that the utilities (through Efficiency Maine Trust) develop and procure all cost-effective, reliable and achievable energy efficiency resources (MACE) in the state (35-A MRS §§10110 and 10111). Based on the most recent MACE Potential Study, Efficiency Maine Trust is required to pursue 646,022 MWh in CHP savings over the next 10 years. The plan calls for Efficiency Maine to add incremental delivery of 42,000 MWh from CHP in 2017, 53,000 MWh in 2018, and 64,000 MWh in 2019. Qualifying CHP projects will receive from Efficiency Maine a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $1 million per facility or up to 50% of the total project costs.
Last Updated: July 2018
Deployment IncentivesList All
Incentives, grants, or financing: CHP is eligible for incentives through Efficiency Maine Trust’s Commercial and Industrial Custom Program, an incentive program for large electrical efficiency and distributed generation projects. This competitive program solicits proposals for projects that reduce grid supplied kilowatt hour (kWh) consumption from Maine businesses, institutions, and governments. Incentive awards range from $10,000 and $1,000,000 per project, or up to 50% of total project costs. In 2017, the program ran a limited-time bonus incentive for CHP projects, offering assistance for up to 70% of total project costs. While this bonus ended, Efficiency Maine continues to collaborate with the University of Maine-led CHP Technical Assistance Partnership center on CHP project outreach efforts.
Net Metering: All of Maine's electric utilities -- investor-owned utilities (IOUs), consumer-owned utilities (COUs, which include municipal utilities and electric cooperatives) -- must offer net energy billing (net metering) for individual customers. IOUs are required to offer net metering to eligible facilities with capacity limits up to 660 kilowatts (kW). COUs are required to offer net metering to customer-generators up to 100 kW, but, they are authorized to offer net metering to eligible facilities with capacity limits up to 660 kW at their discretion.
Net metering is available to owners of eligible, qualified facilities, including facilities generating electricity using eligible CHP systems. CHP systems must meet efficiency requirements in order to qualify for net metering: micro-CHP 30 kW and below must achieve combined electrical and thermal efficiency of 80% or greater, and micro-CHP 31 kW to 660 kW must achieve combined efficiency of 65% or greater.
Maine requires that a third party review the feasibility of non-transmission alternatives, including distributed generation such as CHP, before approving any new transmission infrastrucutre of 69 kV or more.
Last Updated: July 2019
Additional Supportive PoliciesList All
Some additional supportive policies exist to encourage CHP in Maine. Efficiency Maine provides funding for up to 50% of the cost of Technical Assistance Studies up to $20,000.
Renewable-fueled CHP is also eligible for credit within Maine's Renewables Portfolio Standard, which involves the use of NEPOOL Generation Information System (GIS) certificates (similar to renewable-energy credits, or RECs) to satisfy the portfolio requirement.
Last Updated: July 2018
Utilities
Score: 10 out of 15
Utilities Summary List All
In 2010, the independent Efficiency Maine, managed by a stakeholder board, assumed responsibility for administering energy efficiency and alternative energy programs across all utility territories in Maine. The Legislature directed the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) to provide oversight of Efficiency Maine’s administration as well as approve its three-year strategic plans and budgets. Legislation enacted in 2013 requires the utilities to fund Efficiency Maine’s budgets at a level sufficient to procure all electric and natural gas efficiency that is cost-effective, reliable, and achievable.
The most recent budgets for energy efficiency programs and electricity and natural gas savings can be found in the State Spending and Savings Tables.
Last reviewed: September 2020
Customer Energy Efficiency Programs List All
All customer energy efficiency programs in Maine are administered by the Efficiency Maine Trust. The purposes of Efficiency Maine include consolidating the funds for Maine's consumer efficiency programs for all fuel types; integrating delivery of electric and thermal efficiency measures to consumers; acquiring customer-sited energy resources (efficiency and alternative energy) at lower cost than traditional energy supply; and helping to transform the energy market in Maine by providing consumers with more efficient, affordable products and energy services.
All electric utility customers—both of consumer-owned and publicly-owned utilities—are eligible to receive services through the statewide electric energy efficiency programs administered by Efficiency Maine (with the exception of large electricity users that take service at the transmission or subtransmission level). All electric utilities contribute funding to the programs. Natural gas programs are also administered by Efficiency Maine and serve commercial, industrial, and residential customers, including low-income residential customers. State statute was amended as part of the Omnibus Energy Act passed in 2013, to extend these programs to each natural gas utility in the state. Historically, the PUC has assessed electric and natural gas utilities to collect funds for energy programs and administrative costs. The funds for natural gas conservation programs are collected through a rate surcharge. In addition, Efficiency Maine manages money from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the Foward Capacity market, various settlents, and grants, such as those received from the Federal government's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
The most recent budgets for energy efficiency programs and electricity and natural gas savings can be found in the State Spending and Savings Tables.
Last reviewed: May 2022
Energy Efficiency as a Resource List All
The Maine statute establishes the requirement that utilities procure "all cost-effective energy efficiency" by funding Efficiency Maine Trust programs at levels sufficient to meet that standard. See 35-A MRS 10104(4). Also, the newly established Non-Wires Alternative (NWA) law establishes an independent Coordinator to analyze all transmission and distribution proposals over $500,000 to determine if NWA resources, including energy efficiency, are the more cost-effective resource and, if so, to effectuate the procurement of that resource. See 35-A MRS 3132-C.
Also, Maine has had a loading order that requires utilities to use energy efficiency before any other traditional resource (35-A MRS 3210-C (4)) when securing energy resources by means of long-term contracts. In March 2010, the Governor signed Public Law Chapter 518, An Act To Enhance Maine's Clean Energy Opportunities. It goes beyond previous policy to set the goal for Efficiency Maine as “capturing all cost-effective energy efficiency resources available for electric and natural gas utility ratepayers”.
Efficiency Maine plans energy efficiency programs in three-year increments. The fourth Triennial Plan covering fiscal years 2020-2022 was approved in 2019.
Last reviewed: May 2022
Energy Efficiency Resource Standards List All
Summary: Annual savings targets of ~2.3% for electric and 0.1% for natural gas for 2020-2022.
The Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) approved the fourth Triennial Plan of Efficiency Maine, which develops, plans, coordinates, and implements energy efficiency programs in the state. The fourth Triennial Plan sets annual savings targets for 2020-2022 of 2.3% for electricity and 0.1% for natural gas, along with additional savings targets for other fuels.
The long-term targets established by statute were updated in 2021 to reflect the state's goal of capturing all cost-effective energy efficiency for both electricity and natural gas (vs. percentage-based targets) and to incorporate new goals set forth in the state's climate action plan. The revised targets (beyond capturing all cost-effective energy efficiency) include reducing energy costs, weatherizing 35,000 homes and businesses (including 10,000 low-income households) by 2030, promoting heat pump installations such that at 115,000 households are wholly heated by heat pumps and 130,000 are partially heated by heat pumps by 2030, and achieiving 220,000 electric vehicle registrations in Maine by 2030.
Last reviewed: May 2022
Utility Business Model List All
Efficiency programs across all utility territories in Maine are implemented by a single, third-party administrator called Efficiency Maine. Efficiency Maine is managed by a stakeholder board of trustees, with oversight from the MPUC. It is considered a quasi-state agency. There are statutory provisions allowing decoupling and incentives. 35-A MRSA section 3195, subsection 3195 (1) deals with rate-adjustment mechanisms and subsection 3195 (1) (A) authorizes the MPUC to adopt a decoupling mechanism. The state’s largest electric utility, serving roughly 80% of statewide load, proposed and was granted decoupling in its rate case in 2014 (Docket No. 2013-00168).
Last reviewed: May 2022
Evaluation, Measurement, & Verification List All
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Primary cost-effectiveness test(s) used: total resource cost test
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Secondary cost-effectiveness test(s) used: utility cost test
The independent evaluation of ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs in Maine is required by statute (Title 35a Section 10104 subsection 10). Evaluations are administered by Efficiency Maine. Requirements for these evaluations in Maine are articulated in Code of Maine Rules 65-407, Ch. 380 transferred to Code of Maine Rules 95-648, Ch. 380. Statewide evaluations are conducted
According to the Database of State Efficiency Screening Practices (DSESP), Maine relies on the Total Resource Cost Test (TRC) and considers it to be its primary cost-effectiveness test. Maine’s TRC accounts for avoided fossil fuel and supply water and wastewater processing costs. Economic development, job creation, productivity improvements, and environmental benefits are included to the extent they can be quantified and valued. Maine also has a target of 10% of available program funds or $2.6 million, whichever is greater, to low-income programs.
Further information on cost-effectiveness screening practices for Maine is available in the Database of State Efficiency Screening Practices (DSESP), a resource of the National Efficiency Screening Project (NESP).
Last reviewed: July 2019
Guidelines for Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs List All
Requirements for State and Utility Support of Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs
LD-1559, passed in June 2013, states that Efficiency Maine Trust shall “target at least 10% of funds for electricity conservation collected under subsection 4 or 4-A or $2,600,000, whichever is greater, to programs for low-income residential consumers, as defined by the board by rule.” For the Natural Gas Conservation Fund (natural gas ratepayer funds), this allocation is set at a reasonable percentage considering low-income consumers’ share of gas load and the cost-effective opportunity available at their homes, which in practice Efficiency Maine has set at 10%. Regarding the use of RGGI funds, the statute requires that Efficiency Maine "shall ensure that measures to reduce the cost of residential heating are available for low-income households..." and Efficiency Maine allocates a minimum of 10% to Low-Income Initiatives. See 35-A MRS §10109(4)(A).
Following the passage of LD 1766 in 2019 and its establishment of a state-wide goal to install 100,000 high-performance heat pumps by 2025, MaineHousing allocated a portion of its annual LIHEAP weatherization budgets to pay for the installation of 1,000 heat pumps/year in LIHEAP-eligible homes.
In 2021, the Legislature passed LD 1766, codifying the state's plan (the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan) to spend roughly $1 billion in discretionary funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronovirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. This plan allocated $25 million to the Efficiency Maine Trust to to accelerate weatherization and efficiency upgrades for homes in the State, especially for low-income, older residents and renters.
Cost-Effectiveness Rules for Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs
Maine does not have specific cost-effectiveness guidelines in place for low-income programs. However, the cost-effectiveness test for all programs requires consideration of non-energy benefits including “…reduced operations and maintenance costs, job training opportunities and workforce development, general economic development and environmental benefits, to the extent that such benefits can be accurately and reasonably quantified and attributed to the program or project.”
The Maine PUC allows EMT to bundle individual measures in Low-Income homes that, taken alone, may score as low as 0.7 using the Total Resource Cost Test but, when bundled, achieve a TRC of 1.0 or above. Additionally, EMT's strategic plan, approved by the PUC, provides that "For Low-Income Initiatives, a monetary benefit for avoided bad debt may be included in the benefit-cost assessment. Inclusion of that benefit requires a study of bad debt avoidance attributable to energy efficiency to quantify the impact." EMT, Triennial Plan IV, at pp. 4-7
Coordination of Ratepayer-Funded Low-Income Programs with WAP Services
The Maine State Housing Authority administers the federal Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) for the state. State regulations require the Housing Authority to ensure effective coordination of WAP with the Housing Authority’s Central Heating Improvement Program (CHIP)—which finances energy-related repairs for low-income homeowners—as well as with other bill assistance programs. 2009 Public Law Chapter 372 requires that the Housing Authority must also coordinate WAP plans and use of federal DOE funds with the programs administered by Efficiency Maine Trust.
Following the passage of LD 1766 in 2019 and its establishment of a statewide goal to install 100,000 high-performance heat pumps by 2025, MaineHousing allocated a portion of its annual LIHEAP weatherization budgets to pay for the installation of 1,000 heat pumps/year in LIHEAP-eligible homes.
Last reviewed: May 2022
Self Direct and Opt-Out Programs List All
Pursuant to Title 35-A MRSA §10110 (6), large electricity customers receiving service at transmission and subtransmission (T&ST) voltage levels are not required to pay in rates any amount associated with any procurement of energy efficiency resources by transmission and distribution utilities. Consequently, these customers are not eligible for incentives that leverage the Electric Efficiency Procurement funds through the Efficiency Maine Trust. Instead, electric efficiency incentives for these customers are funded with Forward Capacity Market (FCM) revenues, Maine Power Reliability Program (MPRP) Settlement, or RGGI funds.
Until recently, Maine’s largest natural gas customers, whose usage exceeded 1 million centum cubic feet (CCF) of natural gas annually, were exempt from contributing to the Natural Gas Efficiency Procurement; as such, they were not eligible for the Trust’s natural gas efficiency programs. However, in the spring of 2017, the Legislature amended the law once again, codifying the inclusion of large, non-generator, users. It maintained a limited exclusion for large manufacturers, agricultural, and aquaculture businesses; from FY2018 forward, these customers pay the natural gas assessment on their first 1 million CCF of usage and are eligible for the Trust’s natural gas efficiency programs. (See 35-A MRSA §10111(2)).
More information on large customer self-direct programs can be found in the ACEEE report, Follow the Leaders: Improving Large Customer Self-Direct Programs.
Last reviewed: May 2022
Data AccessList All
Guidelines for Third Party Access
In 2007, Maine's Electronic Business Transactions (EBT) Working Group prepared Standards for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) in the Restructured Electric Industry, which includes procedures, electronic protocols and data formats to be used when transferring data among entities in support of retail competition. There is also ongoing Customer Data Dissemination Working Group to develop the policies and guidelines around customer AMI data. Please see here for more information.
Requirements for Provision of Energy Data
Maine requires the provision of individual meter data to customers in an electronic format and to third parties upon authorization of the customer. Data is generally provided via spreadsheet through secure electronic transfer. Utilities cannot disclose customer information except for debt collection, credit reporting, usage reporting pursuant to state and federal law, law enforcement requests, and in response to a Commission Order. Third-party eligibility depends on whether or not the party falls into one of these exemptions. Efficiency Maine has been granted access to individual meter data through a Commission Order.
Energy Use Data Availability
Energy use data may be requested by Efficiency Maine by submitting the request to the Maine Public Utilities Commission. The Commission will issue a Protective Order that ensures the confidentiality of the data. Efficiency Maine has the authority to request this data under the Efficiency Maine Trust Act (35-A M.R.S.A. §10104(4)(A)(1)).
Last reviewed: July 2019
Transportation
Score: 8.5 out of 13
Transportation Summary List All
Maine has set targets for reduced vehicle miles traveled, has standards for tailpipe emissions, and integrates transportation and land use planning.
Tailpipe Emission Standards List All
Maine adopted California’s Low-Emission Vehicle Program in 2005, committing to a 30% reduction in average new vehicle greenhouse gas emissions from 2002 levels by 2016. The state has also adopted California's Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program, which requires increasing production of plug-in hybrid, battery electric, and fuel-cell vehicles from 2018 to 2025.
Last Reviewed: November 2022
Transportation System Efficiency List All
Transportation and Land Use Integration: Maine adopted a Growth Management Act in 1987 that aimed to encourage growth in certain areas of the state while also planning for and financing an efficient system of public facilities and amenities that would cater to added development. The Act also encouraged municipalities to plan for future growth by developing comprehensive local plans while keeping the regional impact in perspective. The state also implemented a complete streets policy in 2014 as a complement to their land use policies.
VMT Targets: No policy in place or proposed.
FAST Freight Plans and Goals: Maine has a state freight plan that identifies a multimodal freight network, but it does not include freight energy or greenhouse gas reduction goals.
Last Reviewed: November 2022
Transit Funding List All
The Maine Legislature created a dedicated revenue stream for multimodal transportation in 2012 (M.R.S.A Title 23, §4210-B). Through sales tax revenues derived from taxes on vehicle rentals, Maine’s Multimodal Transportation Fund must be used for the purposes of purchasing, operating, maintaining, improving, repairing, constructing and managing the assets of multimodal forms of transportation.
Last Reviewed: November 2022
Equitable Access to TransportationList All
Public transit access
Maine does not have any state programs in place to incentivize the creation of low-income housing near transit facilities, but it does consider the proximity of transit facilities when distributing federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits to qualifying property owners.
As part of its Electric Vehicle Initiative program, Efficiency Maine has assessed travel data and existing charging infrastructure distribution and conducted stakeholder engagement to ensure geographic distribution of new EV charging infrastructure with public funds. Efficiency Maine has allocated a portion of its funds for use by governmental entities, tribal governments, and nonprofits. EMT funding received through a settlement related to the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project includes dedicated resources for low- and moderate-income households for heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, weatherization, and electric vehicle rebates. For EV rebates specifically, the NECEC settlement specifies 25% of the EV rebate budget must be spent on low-income individuals. Maine Won't Wait recommends establishing a time-limited incentive program targeting low- and moderate-income drivers to encourage drivers to upgrade to higher-efficiency vehicles in the near term. The state is also in the process of developing a Clean Transportation Roadmap to set forth a comprehensive plan for advancing EV adoption in Maine, and equity will be a key focus throughout hat analysis.The Maine Climate Council also established an Equity Subcommittee to support ongoing planning and implementation of Maine's climate strategies to ensure shared benefits across diverse populations of Maine people and to understand any concerns for implementation and it is developing mechanisms to track the progress of equitable expansion of electric vehicle adoption in Maine.
Equity in transportation electrification
In its electric vehicle (EV) rebate program, Efficiency Maine Trust offers an additional $2,500 on top of the standard rebate amount for any qualifying low-income Mainer who purchases/leases any qualifying battery electric vehicle (BEV) or (PHEV) for a total enhanced rebate of $5,500 and $4,000, respectively. The program also expanded eligibility of qualifying used BEVs and PHEVs to low-income customers. The Trust will continue to strategically conduct gap analyses and seek opportunities to invest in EV charging infrastructure in underserved areas throughout the state. In particular, the Trust is interested in prioritizing EV charging at affordable housing developments.
Last Reviewed: November 2022