About Efficiency Maine
Efficiency Maine was established in 2002 by the State Legislature’s “Act to Strengthen Energy Conservation,” with clear goals of saving energy, reducing energy costs, helping the environment and promoting sustainable economic development in our state. From the start, we’ve helped businesses and residents all over Maine use our precious energy resources more efficiently, reduce energy costs, and lighten the impact on Maine’s environment of emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.
We offer a wide range of programs providing information, incentives, training and technical assistance to a variety of groups, including residents, businesses, contractors, schoolchildren and others. We have special programs to help low-income Mainers and small businesses save energy and money. Some of our fastest-growing programs foster development of renewable wind and solar power.
Efficiency Maine is funded by a small percentage of all Maine electricity bills, along with other Federal sources in recent years. Each year, we carefully evaluate the cost-effectiveness of our programs individually and as a whole. The cumulative ratio of benefits to costs 2004-2009 is 2.99:1, that is, every dollar spent has generated nearly $3 in lifetime economic benefits.
Our programs to date are estimated to have generated the following benefits:
- Total lifetime economic benefits of at approximately $400 million
- Savings of approximately 4 million megawatt hours of electricity—enough to power 600,000 Maine homes for a year
- Avoided emissions of 2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), the leading contributor to global warming, as well as other pollutants.
Efficiency Maine’s programs are managed by just a few state employees working with key strategic partners. Our Business Program uses private contractors chosen through a competitive bidding process. Hundreds of mechanical and electrical contracting businesses are Efficiency Maine “Qualified Partners,” who work through the program to provide efficient products and services to commercial customers.
Our Residential Program partners with more than 300 retail stores to help promote sales of high-efficiency CFLs and Energy Star appliances. Partners such as the Maine State Housing Authority and local Community Action Programs help serve low-income Mainers.
