Mixed news for Maine when it comes to climate action - WMTW Portland

Mixed news for Maine's climate action goals, report says

Mixed news for Maine when it comes to climate action

Maine is adding a lot of heat pumps, but people seem slow to hop in electric vehicles, report says

A recent report from the Maine Climate Council finds Maine has met or exceeded several goals outlined in its climate action plan while falling short of others.

The third annual report under Maine Won't Wait outlines efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As per laws passed by the Maine Legislature in 2019, the state has a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. There is also a goal for the state to be carbon-neutral by 2045.

The report says more than 115,000 high-efficiency heat pumps have been installed in Maine, which is better than the goal of 100,000 by 2025. Gov. Janet Mills has set a new goal of another 175,000 heat pumps by 2027.

The report says the number of homes weatherized increased by 39% from 2022 to 2023 — from 9,135 homes to 12,705 homes. The goal is 17,500 homes by the end of 2025.

By the end of 2023, the report says 51% of energy consumed in Maine will come from renewable sources. The state's statutory goal is 80% by 2030, and Mills has said she wants the state to be at 100% by 2040.

The report says Maine's clean energy and energy efficiency sector now supports more than 15,000 jobs, meaning the state is more than halfway to the goal of 30,000 by 2030.

However, the report says there are only 12,369 battery or plug-in hybrid vehicles registered in Maine. While that is up from 9,244 in 2022, emissions modeling for the climate plan says Maine would need 219,000 electric vehicles by 2030 to support the progress toward emissions targets.

A total of 174 communities in Maine are taking part in the Community Resilience Partnership, a state program that provides funding and technical help to address local climate priorities.

By law, the 39-member council must deliver an updated four-year climate plan by Dec. 1, 2024. The work is funded in part by a $3 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.