Efficiency Maine Annual Event Honors Contractors, Vendors, and Communities That Advance Maine’s Affordable Energy Objectives

Augusta, Maine – September 18, 2026 – Last night, Efficiency Maine recognized contractors, vendors, and distributors that have made outstanding contributions to support energy upgrades in Maine homes and businesses. These market-leading contractors sell, install, and service high-efficiency lighting, insulation, heating and cooling systems, refrigeration equipment, electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, and other upgrades offered through the quasi-state agency’s programs. Efficiency Maine also honored the Penobscot Indian Nation with its Philip C. Hastings Award for significant contributions to Maine’s economy and environment through exemplary efforts in the field of energy efficiency. The event took place at the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport, Maine.

More than 130 electricians, plumbers, heating system installers, insulation technicians, distributors, manufacturers, business owners, electric vehicle dealers, battery distributors, and other stakeholders, gathered for the recognition and to hear Efficiency Maine’s program results from last year and its plans for the year ahead. In her keynote remarks, Maine Public Advocate Heather Sanborn, acknowledged the role that Efficiency Maine programs, and its contractors, vendors, and distributors have played in supporting the State’s affordability objectives, noting that the next set of challenges for Maine will require new approaches, including an increased focus on energy storage solutions.

Independent contractors play a critical role in assisting Maine consumers to install energy upgrades. With the help of Efficiency Maine’s rebates and educational materials, home energy upgrades are delivered by Residential Registered Vendors while energy improvements at commercial and industrial facilities are provided by Efficiency Maine’s Qualified Partners. Efficiency Maine’s Electric Vehicle (EV) program is supported by 92 participating car dealerships throughout the state, three of which also were recognized as the top sellers of all-electric vehicles.

Efficiency Maine presented 27 awards. Contractors, vendors, and dealerships were recognized for outstanding performance in selling and servicing energy-efficiency measures using financial incentives offered by the statewide energy efficiency administrator. In a new category, a battery distributor was recognized for helping to promote whole-home batteries in Maine. These companies are among the more than 800 trade allies listed on the organization’s website that meet Efficiency Maine’s requirements to access available incentives.

For outstanding contributions in the category of Residential Programs in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026), the Trust recognized:

• Able Trades, Sabattus
• Dave’s World, multiple locations
• EcoHeat Maine, Norway
• Evergreen Home Performance, multiple locations
• Excel Mechanical LLC, Brunswick
• F.W. Webb, multiple locations
• Greentech Renewables, Brunswick
• Heat Pumps of Maine, Lewiston
• Home Depot, multiple locations
• Rheem, Roswell, GA
• Taco, Cranston, RI
• TC Hafford Waterproofing, Wells

For outstanding contributions in the category of Commercial Programs in FY2026, the Trust recognized:

• Border Electric, Calais
• CRJ Electric, Sidney
• DL Thurrott Air Products, Waterville
• Energy Management Consultants (EMC), Portland
• Gilman Electrical Supply, Newport
• Homans Associates, Portland
• HVAC Services, Inc., Westbrook
• Mattra, Inc., Lewiston
• NorthEast Electrical, multiple locations
• Ranor Mechanical, Jay
• RLC Energy, LLC dba RLC Electric, Caribou
• Warren Mechanical, Westbrook

For outstanding contributions in the category of Electric Vehicle Rebates in FY2026, the Trust recognized:

• Green Wave LLC, North Hampton, NH
• Lee Toyota, Topsham
• Pape Chevrolet, Inc., Portland

For its efforts in FY2026 to promote whole-home batteries and to organize renewable suppliers and battery installers in Maine, the Trust recognized Greentech Renewables of Brunswick.

“As troubles abroad constrain the supply of imported oil and gasoline, Maine faces an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ moment,” said Michael Stoddard, executive director of Efficiency Maine. “Today we celebrate the vendors and contractors of Maine who are helping to meet that moment by insulating homes and upgrading heating systems to soften the impact of high-priced imported fuels.”

“In this era when everyone is laser-focused on affordability, Efficiency Maine’s mission is more important than ever,” said Heather Sanborn, Maine Public Advocate. “As technology evolves and electric load growth arrives, the next generation of programs will become more dynamic and grid responsive, shaping when and where we use electricity.”

The annual Philip C. Hastings Award was presented to the Penobscot Indian Nation. The Award recognizes an individual or organization for significant contributions to Maine’s economy and environment through exemplary efforts in the field of energy efficiency. The Hastings Award is named after the original director of state energy conservation programs when they were administered by the Maine Public Utilities Commission and celebrates his legacy by memorializing his extraordinary commitment to and leadership of energy efficiency programs.

Over the past two years, the Penobscot Indian Nation has completed multiple energy upgrades across both commercial buildings and residences. They installed 10 variable refrigerant flow systems and four heat pump systems to improve the heating and cooling in the public works, police and fire departments, and elder care buildings. Most of the upgrades were made possible by more than $475,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding through the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP) administered by Efficiency Maine. Tribal citizens also undertook more than 25 residential energy efficiency projects in 2026 using incentives from Efficiency Maine, including installing 24 whole-home heat pump systems.

Former Economic and Community Development Director Michael Burgess oversaw energy-efficiency projects between April 2024 and February 2026. Burgess is now the Director of Penobscot Indian Nation Enterprises (PINE).

“The Penobscot Indian Nation has long recognized the value of adopting energy efficiency measures in its buildings,” said Burgess. “We’re using a multi-pronged approach that includes creating new Tribal roles to help achieve energy resilience and sustainability goals, outfitting new construction with available and applicable energy efficiency measures, and implementing long-term strategic planning to efficiently deploy energy efficiency measures and renewable energy technologies. We appreciate the support Efficiency Maine’s incentives have provided in helping us move our plans forward.”

“The Penobscot Indian Nation projects have demonstrated the effectiveness of a comprehensive community-based approach for transitioning to high-efficiency heating systems,” said Stoddard, “and these strategic investments will deliver significant cost savings for their public buildings and participating households.”

About Efficiency Maine Trust

The Efficiency Maine Trust (Efficiency Maine) is the independent, quasi-state agency established to plan and implement programs that promote energy efficiency, beneficial electrification, and grid flexibility in Maine. Through its suite of nationally recognized programs, Efficiency Maine provides consumer information, marketing support, demonstration pilots, discounts, rebates, loans, and other initiatives to promote high-efficiency equipment and operations. The result is lower energy costs, job growth, better grid reliability, improved energy independence, a stronger local economy, and progress toward meeting the State’s climate change goals. Efficiency Maine is governed by a Board of Trustees with oversight from the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Visit www.efficiencymaine.com for more information.

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Contact:
Kate Rankin, Director of Communications
Efficiency Maine Trust
207-512-5905
Kate.rankin@efficiencymaine.com