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Maine
State Programs
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State Planning and Incentive Structures | Energy Efficiency Actions | Energy Supply Actions
State Planning and Incentive Structures
Lead By Example—Energy Efficiency in Public Facilities
Status: Completed
Details: Executive Order 8, effective November 2003, requires newly constructed and renovated buildings to adhere to LEED standards in order to maximize energy efficiency and sustainability, provided this can be accomplished on a cost-effective basis. Statute (MRSA Title 5 1764-A) requires that new buildings and renovations over 5,000 square feet funded by the state involve consideration of architectural designs and energy systems that show the greatest net benefit over the life of the building by minimizing long-term energy costs and include an energy-use target that exceeds at least 20% of the energy efficiency standards in effect for commercial and institutional buildings.
- http://www.dsireusa.org/documents/Incentives/ME09R.pdf
- http://janus.state.me.us/legis/statutes/5/title5sec1764-A.html
Lead By Example—Energy Efficient Appliance and Equipment Purchase Requirements for Public Facilities
Status: No Activity Identified
Lead By Example—Clean Energy Goals for Public Facilities
Status: Completed
Details: Since 2007, the Maine state government has purchased 100% of its power from renewable energy sources. The state renewable energy portfolio standard accounts for 30% and renewable energy credits from Rumford Falls hydropower project make up the other 70%. In 2003 the governor established a state government goal to buy at least 50% of its electricity from "reasonably priced" renewable power sources, paid for by energy conservation improvements in all state buildings.
Lead By Example—Energy Efficiency and Alternative Fuel Goals for Public Fleets
Status: Completed
Details: 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.
Executive Order 11, effective March 2004, requires the Department of Environmental Protection to compile an annual vehicle replacement report that tracks improvement of state fleet fuel economy and includes emissions profiles for all new vehicles purchased by the state. It also calls for the use of cleaner and renewable fuels in state vehicles; requires each agency to report vehicle miles traveled; and promotes carpooling by state employees.
- http://janus.state.me.us/legis/statutes/5/title5sec1812-e.html
- http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=Gov_Executive_Orders&id=21349&v=Article
State and Regional Energy Planning
Status: Completed
Details: Maine's Energy Resource Council (established by legislation in 2001) is a cabinet-level coordinating council of 9 State agencies working on energy issues. The Council, in 2003, completed a review of State energy policy and offered opportunities for action, including increasing government lead-by-example efforts with regard to energy efficiency and renewable energy, promoting renewable energy in Maine, and updating energy standards for residential construction.
Determining the Air Quality Benefits of Clean Energy—Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Set Asides (NOX Budget Trading Program)
Status: No Activity Identified
Determining the Air Quality Benefits of Clean Energy—Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Set Asides (CAIR Budget Trading Program)
Status: No Activity Identified
Energy Efficiency Actions
Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards
Status: No Activity Identified
Public Benefit Funds for Energy Efficiency
Status: Completed
Details: The public benefits program operated by the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is known as Efficiency Maine. The fee ranges between $0.0015/kWh and $0.003/kWh. The fund collected $9.6 million in 2006, and the PUC projects that the fund will collect a total of approximately $43 million through mid-2009 (there is no expiration date for the fund). Efficiency Maine supports improvements in lighting efficiency, reductions in peak demand, high-performance buildings, appliance replacements for low-income residents, energy training and certification, and public education.
- http://www.efficiencymaine.com
- http://janus.state.me.us/legis/statutes/35-A/title35-Asec3211-A.html
- http://www.liheap.ncat.org/dereg/states/maine.htm
Building Codes for Energy Efficiency—Commercial Programs
Status: Goes Beyond ECPA
Details: 2003 IECC or ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-2004, mandatory statewide; can COMcheck to show compliance.
Building Codes for Energy Efficiency—Residential Programs
Status: No Activity Identified
Details: State-developed code, less stringent than 1992 MEC, not mandatory statewide.
State Appliance Efficiency Standards
Status: Completed
Details: Section D-1 of the governor's Act To Enhance Maine's Energy Independence and Security, LD2041 (signed into law on June 1, 2006), states the Public Utilities Commission must establish, "minimum energy efficiency standards for commercial and consumer products sold or offered for sale in this State and not covered by the federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 .... The standards must be substantively the same as those adopted by at least 3 other New England states."
Energy Supply Actions
Renewable Portfolio Standards
Status: Completed
Details: On June 1, 2006, the Governor signed LD2041. The law puts in place an additional RPS for new renewable sources (sources created after March 2006), increasing the original RPS by 1% annually from 2007 to 2017. Under the new legislation, the RPS for new renewables is 10% by 2017, in addition to the 30% required under the existing RPS. HB1429B (passed 2002) amended the RPS to increase use of renewables for electricity and reduce GHG emissions from electricity supply.
Public Benefit Funds for Clean Energy Supply
Status: No Activity Identified
Details: The Maine Renewable Resource Fund started in 1997. It is a voluntary program, which is why it is considered no activity. Monthly utility statements ask customers if they would like to contribute to the fund. Uilities also send out periodic information about the fund, its purpose, and projects that the fund has sponsored.
Output-Based Environmental Regulations
Status: Completed
Details: Maine’s output-based regulation entitled “Emissions from Smaller-Scale Electric Generating Resources,” limits emissions of NOx, SO2, PM and CO. The emissions standard applies to stationary generators with a capacity equal to or greater than 50 kW installed on or after January 1, 2005. Generators that use combined heat and power (CHP) can receive credit for heat recovery to comply with the emission standards. Credit is given at the rate of 1 MWh for each 3.4 MMBtu of heat recovered. Total CHP system efficiency must be at least 55%. The heat recovered from a CHP unit must be at least 20% of the total energy output and at least 13% of total output must be electric.
Interconnection Standards—Clean Distributed Generation
Status: No Activity Identified
Interconnection Standards—Net Metering
Status: Completed/Further Work Proposed
Details: L.D. 2149, which Governor John Baldacci signed on April 7, 2008, requires the PUC to review and make recommendations about increasing the size of generators eligible for net billing from 100 kW to 5 MW.
Statewide net metering for all utility types. Net metering has been available in Maine since 1987 for the state's qualified cogeneration and small power production facilities with a maximum capacity of 100 kW.