Energy (Energy Efficiency)

HB 695 establishes the Green and Renewable Energy Efficiency for Nonprofits (GREEN) Loan Program to provide no-interest loans to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in Maryland. The program, managed by the Maryland Clean Energy Center, funds the planning, purchase, and installation of qualifying renewable energy systems (like solar panels) and energy efficiency improvements (such as HVAC upgrades or window replacements). Eligible projects must support Maryland’s environmental and greenhouse gas reduction goals. The program is funded through a new special nonlapsing loan fund, with interest earnings reinvested into the fund.

SB 381 requires Maryland county school boards to collect monthly energy usage data for all school buildings and report it to the state Interagency Commission on School Construction. The commission must then create rules for what data to collect and how often to report it, analyze the collected data, and provide specific recommendations to improve school energy efficiency. This bill directly affects county school boards and the state commission, aiming to make school energy use more efficient through data-driven insights. The law will take effect on July 1, 2026.

HB 119 requires public bodies (including state agencies, counties, schools, and hospitals) to work with designated "navigators" when creating energy performance contracts - agreements where a company improves building energy efficiency in exchange for a share of savings. The Maryland Clean Energy Center must hire or contract with navigators in all Maryland regions using $1.5 million from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, providing assistance with grant applications, energy assessments, and navigating the Jane E. Lawton Conservation Program. Navigators help public bodies secure funding, review energy efficiency measures, and ensure compliance with reporting requirements for these contracts. The bill also updates state law to establish the navigator program and adjust funding mechanisms for energy efficiency initiatives.

SB 223 transfers administration of the Jane E. Lawton Conservation Loan Program from the Maryland Energy Administration to the Maryland Clean Energy Center. The bill moves the program’s legal authority to the Maryland Clean Energy Center, repeals the Energy Administration’s regulatory power over the program, and updates reporting requirements for the related Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund. The program itself continues to provide low-interest loans to nonprofit organizations, local governments, state agencies, and eligible businesses for energy efficiency projects that reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. This change is purely administrative and does not alter the program’s eligibility criteria, loan terms, or funding mechanisms.