The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) offers financial incentives for local governments to join its Maryland Smart Energy Communities (MSEC) initiative. The goal of the MSCE program is to have local governments adopt and implement policies that promote energy efficiency and renewable energy in their jurisdictions. As of 2015, there are 34 communities, including 26 municipalities and 7 counties plus Baltimore City that are part of the MSEC program. 

Eligibility

Any incorporated towns, cities, and counties in Maryland can apply to join the MSEC program. Communities that apply for the program and meet the requirements receive funding based on population size and funding availability. 

Program Description

The funding for the program will be divided between new and existing participants to the MSEC program. New participants will receive initial funding to help establish energy goals in the local community. 

To participate in the program the local government must adopt two of the three policies provided below:

1.  Energy Efficiency Policy: Establish an energy consumption baseline and develop a plan with the goal of reducing energy consumption of the city/town or county owned buildings by 15% by 5 years of the baseline year. 
2.  Renewable Energy Policy: Reduce conventional centralized energy generation serving a local government buildings by meeting 20% of the buildings electricity demand with distributed, renewable energy generation by 2022. 
3.  Transportation Petroleum Reduction Policy: Establish a baseline petroleum consumption for all local government vehicles and put in place a comprehensive program designed to reduce the baseline by 20% within 5 years. 

The program website contains guidance documents and model policies for establishing such policies which can be supplemented according to local needs.