Home Electrification: Request for Information

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Request for Information

Program Purpose: The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) is seeking feedback from non-profits, community-based organizations, and county and municipal governments who wish to educate residents on the health and cost saving benefits of electrification measures in residential single-family homes and multifamily buildings. 

Whole-home and community-scale electrification outreach can help underscore and advance several state climate policies, such as the State’s upcoming networked geothermal pilot program, (WARMTH Act HB397 2024); the State’s decarbonization requirements in the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 (CSNA); new whole home electrification federal rebate and utility programs; and efforts to encourage the electrification of large and multi-family buildings under the Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPs) from the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Program Description: MEA’s Whole Home and Community Scale Electrification Outreach Program will be offered to Maryland community-based organizations, and county and municipal governments who wish to educate residents on the health and cost saving benefits of electrification measures in residential single-family homes and multifamily buildings.  This Request for Information (RFI) is being issued to seek preliminary feedback on the State’s support of community-based outreach and education, especially for those who live in low and moderate income housing, to encourage adoption of whole home and building electrification measures including electric heat pumps for heating and cooling, heat pump water heaters, and other electric appliances.  

The program has two tracks: 
  • Track 1: Whole-Home and Community-Scale Building Electrification. Education on whole home electrification measures may ultimately benefit customers who are eligible for existing and forthcoming home and building electrification incentives, tax credits, rebates, and utility programs.  
  • Track  2: WARMTH Act. In 2024, the Maryland General Assembly passed the WARMTH Act (HB397), which mandated the ​creation of networked geothermal pilot programs in the service territories of certain gas utilities. Networked geothermal refers to the process of efficiently heating and cooling a network of buildings through a connected geothermal loop system, and represents a promising approach to the efficient electrification of whole neighborhoods and communities. The gas companies participating will be Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) and Washington Gas and Light (Washington Gas).
The feedback will help inform MEA’s upcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the Whole-Home and Community-Scale Electrification Outreach and Education Program. Full eligibility requirements will be provided in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).

RFI Program Documents: ​MEA has posted a Request for Information (RFI) that seeks feedback from stakeholders to help inform the Whole-Home and Community-Scale Electrification Outreach and Education Program. MEA is requesting that comments be submitted via this Google Form by December 9, 2024. MEA may continue to receive comments after the deadline, but comments received by this date may be most impactful. MEA will use this information to craft and publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)

Program Contact: For more information on this upcoming MEA funding opportunity, please contact us at building.decarbonization@maryland.gov with Home Electrification RFI Comments in the subject line.