Governor Martin O'Malley Accepts Report on Clean Energy, Outlines ...

Governor Martin O'Malley today accepted a report from the Maryland Energy Administration that evaluates the State's progress in meeting its progressive energy goals and offers specific recommendations to effect lasting market transformation. The Maryland Energy Outlook (MEO) report focuses on growing a green economy with a robust workforce, reducing electricity consumption, expanding renewable energy, and promoting energy independence through alternative transportation policies and use of alternative fuels for vehicles.

"Maryland, like many states, is on the cusp of an energy transformation, even during these difficult economic times," noted Governor Martin O'Malley. "At this critical juncture, we must objectively examine our State energy goals and assess our progress in achieving them, capitalizing on the opportunities these times offer us to create jobs and drive economic progress. This report will help guide energy policy as we continue to fight for affordable, reliable, and clean energy for all Maryland's citizens."

Under Governor O'Malley's leadership, Maryland established aggressive clean energy goals, including a 15% energy efficiency and peak demand goal, a 20% renewable electricity goal, a 25% greenhouse gas reduction target, and a goal of creating 100,000 new green jobs by 2015. The MEO report found that Maryland is on track to exceed the peak demand reduction goals, which will significantly minimize the risk of blackouts and reduce the need for new generation and transmission lines. In addition, over the last three years, thousands of families have reduced their monthly bills through home energy makeovers, new community college classes have trained hundreds of green collar workers, demand for residential renewable energy systems is at an all-time high, and the first major commercial scale wind and solar projects are in development.

Nevertheless, the MEO report highlights that more will be required to achieve our goals and create truly clean, affordable, and reliable energy for Maryland's citizens. The specific recommendations in the report include modifying the state's renewable portfolio standard to accelerate the deployment of solar energy, promote the purchase and use of electric-drive vehicles when commercially available through incentives such as State tax benefits and designated high occupancy lanes for their use, encouraging disclosure of energy consumption at the time residential or commercial property is listed for sale, and adopting an energy efficiency standard for televisions.

"Clean energy has emerged as one of the drivers of the 21st Century economy," remarked MEA Director Malcolm Woolf. "The Maryland Energy Outlook builds on Maryland's leading position in promoting cleaner, more reliable and more affordable energy and identifies additional steps we can take to accelerate our progress toward a green collar economy. We hope that the findings of the MEO will be taken under consideration during this legislative session and look forward to supporting Governor O'Malley's continued vision and leadership towards a Smart, Green and Growing Maryland."