Getting Ready: Calculate your way to a greener home with Efficiency Maine

Mac McAbee
·2 min read

We Mainers can take pride in being one of the most progressive states nationally in addressing climate change. This month’s action will introduce you to one of the primary reasons why Maine is a climate change leader – Efficiency Maine.

Efficiency Maine is an independent, quasi-state agency established by the Legislature in 2009 to “plan and implement energy efficient programs in Maine.” They now manage the energy project rebates for the state. Efficiency Maine has become a respected leader among other similar state agencies.

York Ready for Climate Action
York Ready for Climate Action

Efficiency Maine provides information on rebates on any number of energy-consuming products, from washing machines to electric vehicles. Many of these rebates are income-dependent and may be as high as $8,000 for insulation and heat pumps. They also provide loans for home energy upgrades to up to $7,500 for low/moderate-income residents. Efficiency Maine offers a listing of vetted vendors for heat pump installation, weatherization projects, etc. And, they educate on the characteristics of a variety of appliances from light bulbs to solar panels. They also provide a variety of calculators (Efficiency Maine calls them tools) to explore your home's energy use.

Let's look at 4 of these tools:

How does your house’s building envelope compare with others in the state? Plug in the type and amount of heating fuel you use annually. Is your home tight and weatherized or is it drafty and lacking insulation? https://www.efficiencymaine.com/at-home/savings-calculator/

What do you use for home heating fuel? How much would you save if you chose an alternative heating system?https://www.efficiencymaine.com/at-home/heating-cost-comparison/

Heating water for domestic use is one of your home’s highest energy costs. Let’s look at the costs of different systems for heating water. https://www.efficiencymaine.com/at-home/water-heating-cost-comparison/

CMP has introduced two new options regarding your electricity rate: a seasonal heat pump rate and an electric technology rate. These rates are targeted to individuals who are high users of electricity because of heat pump or EV adoption. Details are included in this link. https://www.efficiencymaine.com/electricity-rate-options/

Have fun playing with the numbers. Will they convince you to move gradually off fossil fuels and eventually electrify everything in your home? We hope so! If you would like assistance navigating these tools, reach out to York Ready for Climate Action. And then, tell us how your house measures up! After you use the building envelope comparison tool, let us know how you did. (info@yorkreadyfor100.org) And remember, we are all in this together!

Mac McAbee is the chair of the York Ready for Climate Action board.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Getting Ready: Calculate your way to a greener home