Maine

45% by 2030 | Carbon neutral by 2045

Relative to 1990 levels

Maine Won't Wait 2.0

The 1990-2021 Greenhouse Gas Inventory was published in June 2024.

Maine Climate Council

"Frontline communities" are defined as those people and communities that experience the consequences of climate change first and to a greater degree than others.

The Department of Environmental Protection must also define "environmental justice populations," taking into consideration, at a minimum, median household income, race, ethnicity, and English language proficiency.

Equity Subcommittee of the Maine Climate Council

Efficiency Maine Green Bank

Maine’s public employee retirement system (MainePERS) is required to to divest from fossil-fuel stocks, bonds, and private equity financing by 2026. The state treasurer is directed to do the same with other state funds.

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) covers the electricity sector.

80% renewable energy by 2030 | 100% clean electricity by 2040, with 90% of retail electricity sales from renewable sources and 10% from “clean resources”

Maine Energy Plan 2025 and Maine Pathways to 2040: Analysis and Insights

Maine received a C grade from Freeing the Grid.

Starting in 2025, and every five years after, the Maine Public Utilities Commission must review the use of grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) and can use those findings to inform utility rate-making and grid planning proceedings.

Utilities must also consider the use of ATTs and GETs to improve grid reliability and efficiency in future planning exercises.

300 megawatts (MW) of energy storage by 2025 and 400 MW by December 31, 2030

Requires 100% renewable electricity by 2050, and does not include energy derived from coal in its definition of renewable electricity.

The statewide energy code for residential construction is 2021 IECC.

The statewide energy code for commercial building construction is 2021 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2019.

The Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC) Stretch Code incorporates 2021 IECC and certain appendices.

Maine’s Appliance Efficiency Standards apply to 15 products.

For the 2026-2028 Triennial Plan period, electric utilities are required to achieve annual savings of 148,000 MWh and a 45.6 MW reduction in summer peak demand associated with the electricity programs.

Gas utilities are required to achieve energy savings equivalent to 35,000 MMBtu.

Maine has enacted residential and commercial PACE-enabling legislation and has active programs.

The Governor's Energy Office must issue an RFI regarding the creation of a thermal energy networks program in the state, focusing on sources such as geothermal or waste heat. The Energy Office must prepare a report on TENs by January 15, 2026, which can include recommendations for the development of a TENs program.

Maine LEV Standards

Model Year (MY) 2025: 22% of new passenger vehicle sales are ZEVs.

Efficiency Maine's Electric Vehicle (EV) Incentive Program offers point-of-sale rebates for new EVs: up to $2,000 for battery EVs and $1,000 for plug-in hybrid EVs. Income-qualifying drivers could receive a rebate between $2,500 and $7,500, depending on the vehicle type.

As of November 2024, the program is only offering rebates for qualifying low-income Mainers.

50% of the state’s new leased or purchased light-duty vehicles are plug-in hybrid or ZEVs by 2025 | 100% are plug-in hybrid or ZEVs by 2030

At least 75% of annual school bus acquisitions are zero-emission vehicles by 2035

The state prohibits the use of certain HFCs in specific stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning products that are manufactured or used in Maine.

Food waste ban – The state requires businesses and institutions that generate the following amounts of food waste to divert food waste from landfills or incineration:

- 2 tons of food waste per week and located within 20 miles of an organics recycler, between July 1, 2030 and June 30, 2032

- 1 ton of food waste per week and located within 25 miles of an organics recycler, starting July 1, 2032

The Department of Environmental Protection may adopt composting rules for any person or facility that generates "at a single location an annual average of less than one ton but greater than 100 pounds per week of food waste" or is located farther than 25 miles from an organics recycler, no sooner than July 1, 2035.

The Maine Healthy Soils Program incentivizes healthy soils best practices, and the legislation calls for the program to equitably distribute incentives to beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

The Maine Healthy Soils Program promotes healthy soils best practices by facilitating peer learning opportunities, education, and outreach.