Maine

Regional Roundup Ranking

The Efficiency Maine Trust offers a broad portfolio of efficiency programs for residential and commercial customers under its well-recognized Efficiency Maine brand. The Trust creates three-year energy efficiency programs, known as a Triennial Plan, which are overseen by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

Their 2017-19 Triennial Plan targets savings between 2.2 and 2.6 percent of retail sales. Efficiency Maine continues to deliver a successful suite of programs, with an emphasis on new heating equipment, including heat pumps. Efficiency Maine also offers a variety of financing products to help residential customers bridge the gap and implement cost-effective measures.

Gov. Paul LePage continues to push for expansion of natural gas infrastructure and supply, believing that this will lower energy costs for consumers. His Public Utilities Commission went so far as to ignore a staff report and recommendations against a tariff on electric customers to pay for new gas pipelines.

The latest energy planning documents include the Comprehensive Energy Plan Update from 2015 and the Efficiency Maine Trust Annual Report covering FY 2017.

Complementary Policies

Building energy benchmarking ordinances have traditionally been enacted only in major cities across the country. Northeast cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston have been leaders when it comes to the adoption of benchmarking policies. South Portland, Maine on the other hand, is a very small community and has implemented a benchmarking ordinance that went into effect in January 2017. This is the smalled community (at the time of adoption) to require benchmarking of building energy use. The first required reporting was due May 1, 2018 with annual reporting thereafter. This ordinance covers municipal, public, residentia, and non-residential buildings.

Miane is currently on the 2009 IECC for residential building codes and the 2006 IECC - ASHRAE 90.1-2007 optional for commercial. There is no set schedule for building code updates, but the state cannot be more than 2 cycles behind. Statewide energy requirements may be modified or changed by legislative action at the state level and changes may be proposed whenever the legislature is in session.

Policy & Program Information

Maine at a Glance

Electric Program Expenditures	$32.6 million
Gas Program Expenditures	$1.01 million
Per Capita Expenditures	$81.27
Annual Electric Savings	157,921 MWh
Electric Savings as Percent of Retail Sales	1.38%
Annual Gas Savings	507,456 therms
Gas Savings as Percent of Retail Sales	0.47%

2016 program year data as reported to the NEEP EM&V Forum for the Regional Energy Efficiency Database (REED) and E2's Energy Efficiency Jobs in America report. Savings are expressed in gross annual terms.

State Offices

Program Administrators

Additional Resources

Drive Regional Energy Efficiency