Maine Energy Summary
This page provides a summary of energy in Maine. Here you will find an overview of energy consumption, listing of energy efficiency goals under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), a summary of the status of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies, and a list of political leaders and state agency administrators who shape energy policy for Maine. You can link to the following subheadings on this page:
- Executive summary
- Economic and demographic facts that affect energy consumption
- Status of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies
Executive Summary
Total Energy Consumption per Capita 1980 - 2005 and EPAct Goal for Maine
(million Btu)
Section 123 of EPAct requires states to set an energy conservation goal that is 25% below 1990 consumption. DOE is currently considering a per capita goal among other options.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Information Administration State Energy Price, Expenditure, and Consumption Estimates (SEDS) database. Note, that 2005 is the latest year for which state-by-state data is available.
Maine has no reserves of fossil fuels, but has significant renewable energy resources. The state obtains a 22% of its electric power from conventional hydroelectric plants, which ranks it fifth among states and is the highest percentage for any state east of the Mississippi River. Eighty percent of Maine’s households use fuel oil for heating, which is the highest percentage in the United States.
Read a more complete energy summary for Maine, including consumption and production statistics for fossil fuels on the DOE Energy Information Administration (EIA) Maine Energy Profile.
| Total energy consumption per capita | 368 (million Btu) |
State rank | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPAct per capita goal for 2012 | 285.6 (million Btu) |
State rank | 17 |
| Average annual increase in total energy consumption | 0.3% | State rank | 23 |
Electricity
Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation
(trillion Btu)
Source: EIA SEDS Database.
| Annual growth of electricity consumption | 1.6% | State rank | 40 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity production from nonhydro renewable energy | 4,178 (million kWh) |
State rank | 4 |
Maine has a deregulated competitive market for electric power. Electricity consumption is growing at 1.6% per year, which is one-third less than the national average. At the same time, population is growing at only 0.6% per year, which is just over half the national average.
Maine has significant non-hydro renewable energy resources, especially wind and biomass. The state ranks third in electricity production from biomass. Maine Read more Maine electric power and renewable energy statistics published by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Transportation
Motor Gasoline Consumption per Capita 1980 - 2005
(gallons)
Source: EIA SEDS Database.
Transportation accounts for 27% of all energy consumption in Maine, which makes it the second largest energy-consuming sector of the state economy, after industry. You can find data about the consumption of alternative fuels in Maine from the DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center.
| Motor gasoline consumption per capita | 554 (gallons) |
State rank | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethanol consumption | 0 (gallons) |
State rank | 42 |
| Number of alternative fuel stations | 10 | State rank | 50 |
| Population | 1,312,000 | State rank | 40 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent urban population | 35.8% | State rank | 46 |
| Annual population growth rate | 0.6% | State rank | 30 |
| Per capita personal income | $30,808 | State rank | 38 |
| Gross state product | $46,973 (million) |
State rank | 44 |
Economic and Demographic Facts that Affect Energy Consumption
The following statistics for Maine put energy consumption into perspective in the context of the state economy and the size and growth of the population.
Status of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policies
Maine has the following state-level policies and incentives in place that support the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The links give detailed explanations of the policies and incentives published online by the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency:
Building energy codes for energy efficiency
Maine sets minimum requirements for local jurisdictions if they adopt a building energy code. However, neither the state’s residential or commercial building energy codes are mandatory statewide. The residential code is based on the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code, but is not mandatory statewide. The commercial code is based on the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code and the ASHRAE-IESNA 90.1-2001.
Grants for renewable energy
Maine's Voluntary Renewable Resources Grant supports small-scale demonstration projects designed to educate communities on the value and cost effectiveness of using natural resources to generate clean electricity.
Loans for energy efficiency
Maine has a home energy loan program and a small business energy efficiency loan program.
Public benefits funds for energy efficiency
Maine’s energy efficiency fund, Efficiency Maine, supports improvements in lighting efficiency, reductions in peak demand, high-performance buildings, appliance replacements for low-income residents, training, and education.
Public benefits funds for renewable energy
Maine's public benefits fund for renewable energy is funded by utility customers who voluntarily contribute money in addition to their monthly utility bills. The fund also supports grants for renewable energy research and development.
Rebates for energy efficiency
Maine has an efficiency rebate program for businesses and government facilities offering both prescriptive and custom incentives. Maine also has a residential rebate program for lighting.
Rebates for renewable energy
Maine has a rebate program for solar energy systems installed at homes or businesses.
Renewable portfolio standard for renewable energy
Maine requires retail electricity providers to obtain 30% of their power from renewable energy resources. This requirement is the highest of any state, but Maine allows existing hydropower facilities to qualify. As a result, the state already obtains more than 30% of its electricity from renewable energy. Maine also has a renewables portfolio standard to increase new renewable energy capacity by 10% by 2017.
State standards for public buildings for energy efficiency
Buildings owned or operated by a Maine agency, board, office, commission, or department are required to incorporate cost-effective Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards into the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of any new, expanded, or existing building.
