Maine Governor's Energy Office

Last week, the Maine Governor's Energy Office (GEO) was awarded $815,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Energy Auditor Training (EAT) Program for residential energy auditor training. With this funding, GEO will develop the Maine Energy Auditor Pathways program to address the growing need for residential energy auditors in Maine. Participants will gain energy auditing competencies, achieve certification, and secure quality residential energy auditing jobs. Learn more about Maine's award and DOE's EAT program here: https://lnkd.in/eybfUYeD #workforcetraining #workforcedevelopment #greencollarjobs #cleanenergy #cleanenergyjobs #energyaudit #energyefficiency

It’s GEO staff spotlight time! 🌟 Meet Meghan Suslovic, Offshore Wind Policy Analyst at GEO. Meghan describes working at GEO as motivating, impactful, and dynamic. Most recently in her role, she has enjoyed supporting the Maine Offshore Wind Research Consortium, which brings together experts from diverse backgrounds to conduct critical research and advance responsible offshore wind for Maine. Her favorite Maine activity is recreating on and around Casco Bay, where she enjoys kayaking, rowing, and rollerblading.

The Mills Administration today announced six communities in Maine will receive technical assistance from the state to support locally-determined revitalization projects at current and former industrial sites to create good-paying jobs, drive local economic development, and meet state climate and clean energy goals. The communities of Auburn, Bucksport, Lincoln, Millinocket, Wiscasset and Yarmouth have been selected by the Governor’s Energy Office and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development to participate in the state’s Maine Community Energy Redevelopment Program, funded through the Governor’s Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan. The program will provide technical assistance to help revitalize former mill sites, power stations, and other facilities with available or excess electrical capacity. View the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/ddu-vtAK #economicdevelopment #cleanenergy #redevelopment #revitalization #reinvestment #infrastructure #cleangrid #cleaneconomy #jobs

Is your home ready for winter? Are you thinking about switching to a heat pump, or maybe looking for ways to save on home heating? Last week, we released our updated winter heating guide to help Maine people save money on their energy bills and keep warm this winter. The guide is full of helpful tips, program information, links, and resources to help you cut your energy bills and make your home more energy efficient. You can view and download the guide here: https://lnkd.in/efFWt8yN Learn more about the winter heating guide by reading the full announcement: https://lnkd.in/e3YRTWDt Efficiency Maine Trust MaineHousing #homeheating #energyefficiency #heatpumps #insulation #weatherization #heatingoil #firewood #propane #mainewinter

The Maine Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) announced today that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected GEO a receive a $65 million grant for new technologies to enhance electrical grid planning and operation in Maine, helping to deliver more clean energy to Maine households and businesses and strengthen the clean energy workforce in the state. The Federal award supports a new project known as Flexible Interconnections and Resilience for Maine (FIRM). FIRM is a collaboration between the State of Maine, Central Maine Power Company, and Versant Power – the first collaboration of this kind for Maine – which will deploy cutting-edge software and hardware to enhance grid stability, regulate voltage, and increase transmission capacity on existing lines. View the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/eVz98M5h

Last week, Governor Mills and a delegation of State of Maine officials completed a weeklong international mission to Norway and Denmark focused on positioning Maine as a leader in the responsible development and deployment of floating offshore wind. While overseas, the Governor and a delegation of state officials including GEO Director Dan Burgess and Deputy Director Celina Cunningham, Director of the Maine Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future Hannah Pingree, and Maine International Trade Center President Wade Merritt met with industry and government leaders to discuss Maine's emerging floating offshore wind industry and shared climate goals. The Governor and delegation also met with local government leaders, port operators, and business leaders in the Port of Esbjerg, Denmark (pictured below) -- the world's largest base port for offshore wind activities -- to learn about how the Port and its operations. Learn more about the trip here: https://lnkd.in/eAPjYXg2

Last week, Governor Janet Mills announced that the share of Maine households reliant on oil as their primary heat source fell by more than six percent between 2022 and 2023, the largest year over year decrease since at least 2010, according to new federal data. Since Governor Mills took office, heating oil reliance in the state has dropped nearly 16 percent. This trend is strongly correlated with an increase in the use of high efficiency heat pumps for home heating, a direct result of the Mills Administration's efforts to expand access to the energy-efficient technology in Maine. Currently, Maine has nearly 700 registered installers across Maine helping residents transition to heat pumps. View the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/eUwYvrVq #heatpumps #energyefficiency #installers #federaldata #homeheating

It’s GEO staff spotlight time! 🌟 Meet Tagwongo Obomsawin, GEO's Clean Energy Partnership Program Manager. Recently, you may have heard her talking about Maine clean energy jobs in the news or seen her at local workforce development events around Maine. Tagwongo describes working at GEO as meaningful, collaborative, and challenging. Lately, her favorite project has been launching programs that support clean energy startups, businesses, and entrepreneurs. She is constantly being inspired by the grit and ingenuity of the business community. Tagwongo's favorite Maine activity is canoe camping across Maine's remote rivers and lakes.

Join Recharge Maine* for a webinar to celebrate National Drive Electric Week! Whether you’re considering switching to an electric vehicle (EV) or interested in learning about Maine’s transition to electric transportation, this session will provide valuable information about Maine's EV landscape. The webinar will include: ⚡An overview of Maine’s ongoing efforts to expand EV charging ⚡Updates from the Maine Department of Transportation on EV-related state initiatives ⚡Financial incentives for EVs and charging stations ⚡Testimonials from real Maine EV drivers, including Chuck Hayward from Revision Energy ⚡ Audience Q&A *Recharge Maine is a partnership among the Maine Governor's Energy Office, Maine Department of Transportation, the Maine Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, and Efficiency Maine Trust. Visit the link below to register: https://lnkd.in/eFiaHTBA #driveelectricweek #electricvehicles #evcharging #webinar #driveelectric

It’s GEO staff spotlight time! 🌟 Meet Wendy Crosier, GEO’s Markets and Procurement Analyst. Wendy joined the office in Spring of 2024. Wendy researches and reviews market trends and procurement mechanisms, and coordinates with team members on renewable energy procurement design with special attention to offshore wind. For Wendy, working at GEO is an exciting, challenging, and invigorating next step after a two-year deployment as a Clean Energy Innovation Fellow with the U.S. Department of Energy. Recently, Wendy enjoyed learning about and collecting data on emerging and existing technology in the offshore wind industry. Wendy grew up in Maine and loves to get outdoors daily to enjoy watersports, hiking, and gardening.