As higher electric bills start going out to Baltimore-area consumers and businesses, Gov. Martin O?Malley hit the roof ? the top of a state garage in Annapolis outfitted with solar panels generating power.
O?Malley used the solar array to announce Monday a program for the state to cut its own energy usage 15 percent by 2015.
O?Malley said the state has been lagging behind other states, particularly California, in its energy conservation measures. “The least expensive kilowatt of energy is the one that we don?t use,” he said.
The governor announced that the Department of General Services was hiring Hatim Jabaji as director of energy performance and conservation for the state. Jabaji has been head of Baltimore City?s energy office.
O?Malley also emphasized the need for the state to set up new and cleaner power generation plants.
The solar panels on the roof of the General Service garage and offices on Bladen Street are an example of such generation, supplying about 10,000 kilowatt hours since their installation last year. They do not actually power the building but send electricity into the power grid, and the state gets credit on its electric bills, said Malcolm Wolf, new head of the Maryland Energy Administration.
Wolf said there are both federal and state tax credits for businesses and homeowners to install similar equipment.
O?Malley said he also wants to find ways to “decouple consumption from profit,” since utilities make more money when consumers use more electricity.
O?Malley?s energy plan
» Improve building operations for a 5 percent reduction in energy use, including replacement of incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights.
»Require new state buildings to be more energy-efficient. This may add 2.2 percent to building costs, but that cost can be recovered in three years.
» Expand a state community energy loan program to $2 million so local governments and nonprofit groups may also invest in their own energy projects.
» Make energy conservation part of the StateStat performance measurement program in state government.
