MCEC CURRENTS

Abacus Property Solutions, LLC (Abacus) was recently selected by the Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) as the new administrator for the Maryland Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (MD-PACE) Program. The selection was made following a competitive procurement process, including a Request for Qualifications issued by MCEC over the summer. As an instrumentality of state, MCEC…

Maryland legislators took their seats in chambers on Monday, December 6, for the 2021 Special Legislative Session. Their mission included the debate of Redistricting Maps and the selection of a State Treasurer to replace retiring Nancy Kopp, who has served in the position since February 2002. With the return to chambers, the Maryland Constitution requires…

A new initiative is aiming to provide farms, forestry operations, manufacturers, Main Street businesses and other rural companies with greater access to energy-saving expertise and related funding in order to improve their bottom lines. The Rural Maryland Council (RMC-MAERDAF) has awarded grant funds for a Capacity Building Project developed by three collaborators: FEWSS Project (Forest…

Production and use of a ‘super pollutant’ commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment is about to experience dramatic reductions thanks to a years-long advocacy effort and an uncommon partnership between environmentalists and industrialists. This fall, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule that will phase down U.S. production and use of…

Consumers are now realizing the importance of buying sustainable products, and have started shifting decisions about purchases to place an importance on buying environmentally friendly products. Despite supply shortages and overall panic-induced buying during the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers seem to be more concerned about the environment, based on trends from purchase decisions. The pandemic encouraged…

The Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) has been awarded a grant of $10,000 from the Butz Foundation to support the Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator (MEIA) program. MEIA welcomed its inaugural cohort in January of 2020 and has received funding from a variety of sources for its work to assist with the commercialization of advanced energy…

Guest Editorial by John Kotek – Senior Vice President, Policy and Public Affairs for the Nuclear Energy Institute I get the same question with increasing regularity. “Why am I hearing so much about nuclear energy?” The answer boils down to two key considerations for a decarbonizing grid – reliability and cost. As Maryland and a…

The Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) has appointed 57 individuals to serve on its 2022 Advisory Council. The Council draws input from collaborative groups to advise MCEC in achieving its mission. “As global priorities focus on ways to best combat climate change, Maryland is fortunate to have so many clean energy leaders to support strategic…

MCEC needs your support to stay on target for the 2022 Maryland Legislative Session! Your sponsorship demonstrates the diversity and reach of the energy industry sector in Maryland to policymakers. The 2022 MCEC Legislative Reception will be held in a hybrid format to allow for in-person networking and remote attendees to hear from guest speakers on…

As Maryland works toward its decarbonization goals, clean energy advocates – and some foresters – insist wood energy could become a significant clean source of thermal energy in the state and stoke the creation of more clean energy jobs. “This is a really significant opportunity for Maryland. Wood energy could complement other clean energy sources…