"Confronting climate change represents an opportunity for Maryland to lead — and together, we can be a leader in wind technology, in grid electrification, and in clean transit. We will protect our Chesapeake Bay, and address the toxic air pollution that chokes our cities. And we will put Maryland on track to generate 100 percent clean energy by 2035 — creating thousands of jobs in the process." - Governor Wes Moore
The policies will nearly put an end to the fossil fuel era and accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. In turn, the state will experience improved air quality, health, wealth, and the prospect of keeping our planet habitable for future generations.
● December 2023: The Maryland Climate Pollution Reduction Plan outlines goals to achieve 60% climate pollution reductions by 2031 and be on track to net zero emissions by 2045.
● March 2024: Maryland’s Priority Climate Action Plan to identify near-term, high-priority, and implementation-ready measures to reduce climate pollution and prepare Maryland’s eligible entities to compete in the transformative federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, including the $4.6 billion EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant competition.
By 2050, Maryland's climate will be similar to that of Mississippi today.
Maryland tracks progress against its climate goals through a number of different metrics.
1. Zero Emissions Vehicles
2. Vehicle Miles Traveled
3. Clean and Renewable Sources of In-state Generated Electricity
4. Carbon Intensity of Imported Electricity
5. Building Energy Use Intensity
6. Fuel Use in Buildings
7. Hydrofluorocarbons from Refrigerants, Aerosols, and Foams
8. Methane (CH4)
9. Nature-focused metrics: Trees & Forests; Agricultural Soils; Tidal Wetlands
Read on for a brief summary and highlights of each metric.1. Zero Emissions Vehicles
Goal: substantially increase the share of light-duty passenger ZEV cars and trucks in Maryland
On road transportation emissions are the single largest source of GHG emissions in Maryland (~35%.) To reduce this number Maryland is focusing on four pillars: travel choice, travel efficiencies, vehicle technologies, and infrastructure design.
Maryland is committed to the conversion of ZEV technology for the medium and heavy-duty vehicle fleets. Maryland has been actively participating in the multi-state ZEV task force to develop an action plan.
The plan will provide a framework for meeting the target of at least 30% of all new truck and bus sales being ZEV by 2030 and 100% by 2050 that includes only ZEV buses beginning in 2023.
2. Vehicle Miles Traveled (annually) (VMT)
Goal: Slow the growth of vehicle miles traveled by continued and expanded investments in public transit systems and multi-modal transportation
VMT growth has been consistent with population growth as VMT per capita has remained stable. VMT steadily increase in Maryland since 2014, peaking in 2019.
The state continues to invest in public transit, encourage high density housing and provide more housing near transit, improve the quality of bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and invest in downtown communities. Providing alternatives to personal vehicle travel will reduce GHG emissions.
3. Clean and Renewable Sources of in-state generated electricity
Goal: Go beyond the 50% Renewable Portfolio Standard and build in-state renewable energy to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2040.
Offshore wind presents one of the most reliable clean energy resources available to the state. The Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013, the Clean Energy Jobs Act added a second round of offshore wind procurement for a minimum of an additional 1,200 megawatts with a cap of annual residential energy bills to protect ratepayers. Several major wind projects are to be built more that a dozen miles off the Maryland coast between first and second rounds of applications.
Maryland aims to expand education and training programs to grow a new offshore wind workforce, expand local supply chains, support the redevelopment of and the improvements to critical port infrastructure, and advance research and innovation. In addition, Maryland will work with the US Department of the Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to explore the expansion of offshore wind lead areas in federal waters.
Unfortunately, Maryland has seen setbacks to deploying solar and wind energy for various reasons, namely delays in offshore wind development and barriers to solar development, including but not limited to siting and supply chain issues.
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has prepared a draft environmental impact for the proposed Maryland Offshore Wind Project.
4. Carbon Intensity of Imported Electricity
Goal: Achieve 100% clean electricity by 2040 by both building clean energy and capping emissions from fossil fuel-based energy via Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
Carbon intensity is a measure of how much C02 is released per unit of electrical energy used.
Between 2005 and 2021 carbon intensity rates fell by about 35% across PJM region.
For this reason and others, Maryland’s success in reducing GHG emissions is tied to the decarbonization efforts of the broader region. There are several power sector programs focused on decarbonization in the state, with one key program being RGGI (Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.)
In 2020, approximately half of the electricity consumed in Maryland was imported from neighboring states.
5. Building Energy Use Intensity
Goal: Improve the overall energy efficiency of buildings
Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is a measure of a building’s total energy use per one square foot. It is a common metric used to measure energy efficiency. Residential and commercial buildings have seen modest improvements in energy efficiency since 2006.
EmPOWER Maryland is the state’s program for improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Residential energy efficiency programs include home energy audits; discounted light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and appliances; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) rebates; and weatherization and insulation rebates.
In 2021 the MCCC recommended that the core objective of empower change from electricity demand reduction to a portfolio of mutually reinforcing goals, including GHG emissions reduction, energy savings, net customer benefits, and reaching underserved customers. The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) is currently working with electric and gas utility companies and other stakeholders to design and implement the future programming for EmPOWER.
6. Fuel Use in Buildings
Goal: Reduce direct emissions from the building sector through improved energy efficiency and electrification of heating equipment.
Combustion of fuel use in buildings is a substantial source of emissions, mostly resulting from space and water heating. The 2030 GGRA Plan aims to reduce emissions from buildings by prioritizing energy efficiency and by converting heating systems to efficient electric heat pumps that are powered by increasingly clean and renewable electricity.
The 2030 GGRA Plan acknowledged that more policies are needed to reduce emissions and called on the MCCC to produce a Building Energy Transition Plan in 2021 to further develop policies for decarbonizing Maryland’s building sector. The MCCC’s Building Energy Transition Plan included several recommendations, including that the state set a target for 50% of residential HVAC and water heater sales to heat pumps by 2025, reaching 95% by 2030. The MCCC’s Plan also called for new standards to guide large commercial and multifamily residential buildings to electrify and fully decarbonize by 2040, targets that CSNA put into law.
7. Hydrofluorocarbons from Refrigerants, Aerosols, and Foams
Goal: Reduce hydrofluorocarbons by 23% below 2014 levels.
HFCs are manmade chemicals used as propellants and refrigerants in a variety of products, as well as air conditioning and refrigeration systems. They are extremely potent GHGs when released into the atmosphere. HFCs are the fastest growing source of GHG emissions in the US and globally.
The American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) act mandated a phase down of HFC production and consumption, and maximizing reclamation. The phase down goal is 85% of production and consumption over the next 15 years, adding the US to the list of 150+ states globally that have already ratified the Kigali amendment to the Montreal protocol.A global HFC phase down is expected to avoid up to 0.5 C of global warming by 2100.
A global HFC phase down is expected to avoid up to 0.5 C of global warming by 2100.
8. Methane (CH4)
Goal: Reduce methane emissions from natural gas transmission and distribution, and waste management.
Methane is a byproduct of natural gas combustion on-site.
Non-energy emissions of CH4 are predominantly from waste management, including municipal solid waste landfills, composting, and enteric fermentation, waste water treatment plants, natural gas transmissions storage and distribution, as well as agricultural practices and manure.
Six facilities began conducting surveys for CH4 leaks and reporting to MDE in 2021.
Landfills are the biggest source of methane emissions.
Other Metrics:
9. Trees and Forests
Goal: DNR estimates an average annual target of 550 acres of afforestation (establishing a forest in an area where there was no recent tree cover), 600 acres of reforestation, between 150,000 and 500,000 urban trees planted, and sustainable forest management on 38,000 of private land
10. Agricultural Soils
Goal: Additional acres with the Best Management Practices that increase carbon sequestration in agricultural soils.
11. Tidal Wetlands
Goal: 230 acres of tidal wetland restored per year by 2030
SOURCES:
Read more at: Climate Change Program (maryland.gov)