The Maryland Energy Administration is seeking applications for its Maryland Smart Energy Communities (MSEC) program to support local governments as they voluntarily adopt sustainable, long-term energy policies that lead to reduced energy usage, cost savings, and additional opportunities for renewable energy development.
Donor Name: Maryland Energy Administration
State: Maryland
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/15/2022
Grant Size: up to $1,280,000
Details:
The MSEC program serves several purposes: it assists municipal and county governments throughout Maryland as they participate in the State’s transition to affordable, clean and reliable energy; it supports those governments with grants for clean energy projects; it increases in-state renewable energy generation (that supports the State’s renewable portfolio standard goal and its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal); and, it supports the State’s goal for increasing the number of electric vehicles operating in state.
Funding Information
MEA anticipates that up to $1,575,000 total will be available as follows:
- up to $1,280,000 for energy efficiency projects
- up to $165,000 for Tier 1 renewable energy projects, and
- up to $130,000 for transportation petroleum-reduction projects.
Eligible Activities:
- New Communities
- New MSEC communities must adopt two of three energy policy goals, complete an energy baseline, and develop an action plan for achieving the adopted energy goals. Each new MSEC community MUST adopt the energy efficiency goal as one of its two initial energy policies, unless it can document to MEA substantial prior energy efficiency improvements. The MSEC energy policy goals consist of the following:
- Energy Efficiency: Establish an energy efficiency policy with the goal of reducing energy usage in city-/town- or county-owned facilities by 15% within five years of the baseline year through efficiency policies.
- Renewable Energy: Establish a renewable energy policy to meet 20% of the total electricity demand with distributed, renewable generation within five years of the baseline year.
- Transportation Petroleum Reduction: Establish a transportation-focused policy to reduce petroleum consumption for local government vehicles , and put in place a comprehensive program designed to reduce the baseline consumption by 20% within five years of the baseline year.
- New MSEC communities must adopt two of three energy policy goals, complete an energy baseline, and develop an action plan for achieving the adopted energy goals. Each new MSEC community MUST adopt the energy efficiency goal as one of its two initial energy policies, unless it can document to MEA substantial prior energy efficiency improvements. The MSEC energy policy goals consist of the following:
Any New community that applies to the program and commits to meeting the three deliverable requirements may subsequently be eligible to receive Program funding, subject to availability of funds at that time. The grant funds are made available ONLY after a community completes the deliverables noted above. To be reimbursed under the Program for eligible costs, a participating community must receive approval from MEA prior to spending funds on an eligible project. Note: full project funding is not available for New communities until the MSEC policy goals have been adopted, and the energy baseline and energy action plan developed.
- For all Communities
- MSEC funding is available for projects that involve energy efficiency, Maryland Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Tier 1-eligible renewable energy generation, or petroleum transportation fuel reduction. Funding is available only for projects located at government-owned buildings or facilities, or related to government-owned vehicles.
- Examples of Tier 1 renewable energy projects include solar (i.e., photovoltaic and heated water), wind, and geothermal heat pumps
- For transportation-related projects, MEA will give priority to providing support for the purchase of light-duty electric vehicles (EVs), or vehicles that leverage other alternative transportation fuels (e.g., compressed natural gas (CNG), hydrogen), that reduce petroleum-related fuel usage. The program will also consider electric utility vehicles, such as refuse trucks, police vehicles, or transit buses. Further, the program will consider funding assistance for projects involving the installation of EV charging equipment and/or stations.
- Program Requirement: with the purchase of any light-duty electric vehicle, the community must retire a similar gas-powered vehicle (GPV).
- MSEC funding is available for projects that involve energy efficiency, Maryland Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Tier 1-eligible renewable energy generation, or petroleum transportation fuel reduction. Funding is available only for projects located at government-owned buildings or facilities, or related to government-owned vehicles.
Eligibility Criteria
- All incorporated towns, cities, and counties of Maryland. Applicants are either NEW or EXISTING communities.
- Any incorporated town, city, or county previously engaged in MSEC during fiscal years FY13-FY22 that have completed all “New Community” deliverables and are in good standing with the MSEC Program are eligible to apply for funding as Existing Communities.
For more information, visit Maryland Energy Administration.
