BALTIMORE, Md. – The Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) is proud to announce that our community has received $250,000 market building grant from phase 1 of the Municipal Investment Fund, to develop public-private partnership plans to develop an innovative pipeline of solar and geothermal projects that help bring down energy prices for Baltimore. The grant was made possible by the Coalition for Green Capital, and supported by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability USA (ICLEI USA), which have created a public/private partnership to accelerate the development and construction of smart infrastructure projects across the country. Our community was selected along with 49 other communities out of 114 across 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and tribal nations who applied.
The Maryland Clean Energy Center-City of Baltimore Market-Building Project has been awarded these funds specifically to help build new infrastructure that will meet the rising demand for electricity by developing public-private partnerships that will fund the construction of geothermal and solar projects in the City of Baltimore.
“This grant marks an important step forward for Maryland communities. By helping develop a pipeline of clean energy projects, we’re laying the groundwork for new jobs, lower energy costs, and stronger local infrastructure,” said MCEC Executive Director Kathy Magruder. “The Municipal Investment Fund is about more than dollars — it’s about giving communities the tools and partnerships they need to take control of their energy future.”
“In Baltimore City’s 2024 Climate Action Plan, we commit to a 60% reduction on emissions by 2030 as an interim target to carbon neutrality by 2045,” said Baltimore City Sustainability Director Ava Richardson. “The Municipal Investment Fund is fueling critical progress needed to meet this goal, providing clean energy to some of our most vulnerable residents, minimizing the financial burdens of rising energy costs and improving quality of life for residents through conscious climate action.”
The grant is the result of a partnership between MCEC and the City of Baltimore, who have come together to invest in new tech and energy infrastructure that our community needs to attract future economic development to our region.
The grant will be used to develop public-private partnerships to bring online a pipeline of solar and geothermal projects, giving the grant recipients access to the capital they need to put together a comprehensive funding plan.
The City of Baltimore was selected by ICLEI USA because of the potential impacts that the projects would have directly on the community, as well as the expected attractiveness the project would have for both future grants and private investments. By receiving the grant, Baltimore will develop a smart, competitive, and ultimately cost-effective plan that would be a win-win for both the community as well as potential investors.
Richard Kauffman, the CEO of the Coalition for Green Capital, said, “We are honored to provide funding to communities across the United States under the MIF program so they can take initial steps toward bringing America clean, affordable energy in this time of crisis. We congratulate the winners of this vigorous competition. They are real heroes.”
“This funding is about unlocking local leadership and moving forward the kinds of projects that communities have been ready to deliver for years,” said Saharnaz Mirzazad, Executive Director of ICLEI USA. “These awards show how public-private partnerships can lead to real progress on energy, infrastructure, and economic resilience. These projects make communities safer, lower energy costs, and meet local needs head-on.”
For more information about the grant or to speak to the Maryland Clean Energy Center about the project, please reach out to [email protected].
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