Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is produced from resources that naturally replenish, and do not run out, like from sun and wind. These sources of energy create little or no greenhouse gas emissions when they are used. Renewable energy can be used for electricity, heating and cooling, and transportation.

Renewable sources of energy are essential in meeting Maryland’s climate goals set forth in the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022. The act requires Maryland to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 60% below 2006 levels by 2031 and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2024.

Maryland considers the following sources of energy:

Solar energy

Wind power

Biomass from renewable, organic material

Methane from the anaerobic decomposition of organic materials in a landfill or wastewater treatment plant

Geothermal

Ocean, including energy from waves, tides, currents, and thermal differences

Fuel cell that produces electricity from either biomass or methane from anaerobic decomposition from a landfill or wastewater

Poultry litter-to-energy

Waste-to-energy

Refuse-derived fuel

Thermal energy from a thermal biomass system

Raw or treated wastewater used as a heat source or sink for a heating or cooling system

Hydroelectric power (small-scale hydroelectric is considered Tier 1, and large-scale is considered Tier 2).

The Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (“RPS”) requires electricity suppliers to fill a minimum of their electricity sales with energy from renewable sources. The RPS allows for the sale and transfer of renewable energy credits (“RECs”) where individuals and companies interested installing a qualifying source of energy can sell their RECs to an electricity supplier. If an electricity supplier does not comply with the minimum requirements, it will have to pay a financial penalty.