Sustainable Energy
Announcements
Sustainable Energy is now accepting NEW Grant applications for our Clean Energy – Energy Efficiency Grant for Natural Gas incentives only. Applications for Electric incentives are not currently available. Please be advised that applications for our Solar Photovoltaic (PV) and Solar Water Heater Grants will remain on moratorium until further notice.
If you have any questions, email us at CleanE@co.pg.md.us.
Electric Vehicles (EV)
Read about County efforts promoting and adopting EVs, including how to find a public charger, residential incentives, and resources for those interested in transitioning away from fossil fuels.
Who We Are
Sustainable Energy's objective is to provide reliable and environmentally sound energy solutions that enhance the quality of life of Prince George’s County residents’ while concomitantly maximizing energy savings. The program coordinates the County’s efforts to reduce the 3 C's of energy: Consumption; Cost; and Carbon emissions.
Goals and Objectives
- Reduce County-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) or carbon emissions by 80% below 2008 levels by 2050;
- Meet 20% of County government buildings electricity demand with distributed, renewable energy generation by 2022;
- Help grant recipients achieve at least 15% energy savings for energy efficiency projects and 10% energy savings for solar projects;
- Help grant recipients reduce energy consumption by 20% or greater for office buildings and multifamily dwellings.
Guiding Themes
The County government has set forth actionable strategies in order to lead by example and help facilitate broad residents’ participation in becoming more energy conscious and efficient throughout the community. The following themes have emerged that inform selection of strategies and measures.
Build on Existing Efforts
The County has already put in place several initiatives, programs, and policies that support efficiency and climate protection goals. The guiding laws, policies and plans seek to bring those existing County efforts together under one framework, suggest improvements or augmentations, and add new efforts where gaps exist.
Alignment with County Goals and Priorities
The County has a responsibility to deliver high quality core services in a way that encourages economic development, creates jobs, and generally improves the quality of life for County residents.
Engage the Community
The development of far reaching solutions necessary to achieve significant GHG reductions will require coordinated and broad participation of residents, businesses, municipal governments and the other institutions that make-up Prince George’s County. This calls for significant outreach and communication efforts and the establishment of public/private partnerships to help build resilient communities.
Build Capacity in the Energy Sector
Sustainable Energy seeks to exemplify the nexus between energy, economic development, and job creation initiatives in the County. Staff work closely with the business community, including diverse suppliers and county-based businesses, to build an advance energy economy.
Sustainable Energy - Clean Energy Program
Energy Efficiency (Natural Gas Incentives Now Available), Solar PV, & Solar Water Heater Grants
The Clean Energy Program builds on Maryland and Prince George's County's energy-efficiency and carbon reduction goals and will help in making our County more energy resilient, using a holistic approach to break energy injustice and barriers. We offer residents within the Pepco and Washington Gas service territory of these nine neighborhoods, classified as Energy Resiliency Communities (ERCs), the ability to apply for grants to perform energy efficiency retrofits and subsequently, install solar photovoltaic (PV) and/or water heater systems.
Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 21 defines resiliency as "the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to changing conditions and withstand, respond to, and recover rapidly from disruptions". From an energy perspective, resiliency is the ability to prepare for and adapt to utility disruptions and recover quickly from these disruptions. It involves the deployment of distributed energy resources such as energy efficiency, renewable energy such as solar PV and thermal, battery storage, and microgrids. To learn more, select
ENERGY STAR Certification & Green Leasing Grant (On Moratorium)
Sustainable Energy provide grants to existing office and multifamily building owners that are Pepco and/or Washington Gas customers to perform energy and water efficiency retrofits, and also to obtain the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s ENERGY STAR certification. Additionally, the building owners are to adopt various best practices in Green Leasing to motivate landlords and tenants to engage in energy-efficient practices.
Guiding Policies and Plans
Smart Energy Communities Policy & Action Plan
The Smart Energy Communities Policy and Petroleum Reduction and Renewable Energy Action Plan declare the County's intent to take a leadership role in reducing transportation petroleum consumption and increasing renewable energy generation by partnering with the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) and enrolling as a Smart Energy Community.
Climate Change
Sustainable Energy works closely with our regional partner, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments on various initiatives such as the development of the regional and county-wide GHG emissions inventory. Prince George's County surpassed the regional 2012 goal, demonstrating that GHG reductions are possible even as the population and economy grows. As of April 2018, despite experiencing an 8% growth in population, GHG emissions reduced from 11.3 MMTCO2e (million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent) in 2005 to 9.9 MMTCO2e in 2015, representing an overall decrease of 12% within Prince George's County.
Plan Prince George's 2035 - Energy Infrastructure Chapter
Plan Prince George's 2035 builds on the County's General Plan to help guide future growth, development, and public investments in the County. It establishes policies and strategies to encourage investment in energy infrastructure, renewable energy, and the use of smart grid technologies and promote the efficient use of energy resources.
Clean Energy in County Government
Sustainable Energy has installed over 1MW of solar on government properties and will install an additional 4MW over the next 2 years. We’ve partnered with Prince George’s County Public School to install its first solar systems. Moreover, Sustainable Energy is working with various county agencies and utilities to install public-purpose electric vehicle charging stations on government properties. Click here Transforming County Government to learn more about government clean energy projects.
Quick Links
Ask the Energy Coach
Finding a Pepco Service Provider
Finding a Washington Gas Service Provider
Green Energy Loan Fund
Home Performance Contractor
Sustainable Energy Workforce Development Program