Small Motor Electric Equipment
Photo by Troy Moon
Beneficial Electrification is a key strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with our existing buildings, which comprise the largest portion of our building stock, and therefore the largest portion of building emissions.
Maine’s electric grid is one of the cleanest in the country and continues getting cleaner each year. Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) says that 80% of our electricity must come from renewable sources by 2030 and 100% by 2050. Additionally, Portland and South Portland have a goal to install 245 MWs of solar within city limits by 2045. Replacing furnaces and appliances that burn fossil fuels with electric heat pumps and heat pump water heaters paired with the decarbonizing grid will dramatically reduce carbon emissions and lower energy costs. This idea is known as beneficial electrification.
Analysis conducted for One Climate Future shows that the majority of single-family homes in Portland and South Portland use fuel oil for heating, and fuel oil makes up almost a quarter of citywide energy use and greenhouse gas emissions for both cities. Swithcing to electric appliances such as heat pimps and heat pumps water heaters will help lower emissions, save residents on their energy costs, and make homes more energy efficient.
In March, the OCF team hosted a Coffee and Climate on beneficial electrification with special guest Joel Rosenberg from Rewiring America. Watch the recording below!
Portland’s Electrify Everything! Program
The City of Portland partnered with ReVision Energy, a local full-service solar company with over 15 year of experience designing, installing, and maintaining solar energy systems in the region. As part of the program, Revision Energy is offering Portland residents:
-$500 off solar installations
-$250 off air-source heat pumps, heat pump water heater, and home EV chargers (maximum of $1,250 per address, achieved if homeowners installed all four technologies)
-Up to $60,000 to help low-income households going solar!
This is in addition to the generous rebates and incentives provided by Efficiency Maine for electric appliances and weatherization and tax credits available for solar installations.
To read more about the program, visit the Portland Electrify Everything! webpage.
Efficiency Maine Resources and Rebates
The Efficiency Maine Trust is the administrator for programs to improve the efficiency of energy use and reduce greenhouse gases in Maine. Its suite of nationally recognized programs provides consumer information, discounts, rebates, loans and investments for high-efficiency, clean energy equipment and strategies to manage energy demand.
Click below for up-to-date Efficiency Maine offerings:
