Another FeBREWary is upon us - where will you be recycling your 💡 this weekend?

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This monthly newsletter is a way to distribute and transmit all things energy-related to our community.

Montgomery Energy Connection is a network of County Government and community partners. Created to provide customized education on the benefits of energy efficiency, availability of programs, and opportunities for assistance.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023 | Montgomery Energy Connection


FeBREWary

💡 FeBREWary 2023: Electrify Everything đŸș

RESIDENTIAL: You didn't think we would let the month go by without celebrating one of our favorite pun months? Another FeBREWary is upon us and we plan to keep the momentum going to help all Montgomery County residents Electrify Everything. This year, we are focusing on celebrating, electrifying, and help you keep money in your pockets. These events will not only be informative but fun so join us for one or all! Don't forget to bring your old incandescent and CFL bulbs! 

  • Friday, February 24, 2023 from 4:00 – 6:00 PM at Astro Lab Brewing, 8216 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910
  • Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 12:00 – 4:00 PM at True Respite Brewing Company, 7301 Calhoun Pl #600, Derwood, MD 20855
    • Induction cooking demonstration at 1:30 and 3:00 PM with Steeze Burger
  • Sunday, February 26, 2023 from 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM at Two Story Chimney Ciderworks, 7115 Damascus Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20882
    • Induction cooking demonstration at 1:30 and 3:00 PM with Steeze Burger

☀ Community Solar: LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE!

solar

RESIDENTIAL: Right now, 1 in 6 Montgomery County residents have trouble paying their electricity bill. Meanwhile, the impact of rising fuel prices and pollution continue to hit hardest in communities (near and far) who are least equipped to handle these shifts. Participating in a Groundswell Community Solar project is not just for saving money; it is for helping the whole community. There are Empowered subscriptions for income qualifying residents and SharePower subscriptions for everyone who wants to go solar but doesn’t want it on their roof/property.


Project Porchlight 2.0

Photo by Craig Adderley: https://www.pexels.com/photo/shallow-focus-photography-of-wall-sconce-1467565/

RESIDENTIAL: Montgomery Energy Connection’s pilot Project Porchlight was such a success that we are now looking for more Home Owners Associations and Community/Neighborhood groups to work with - are you a member of a group that would benefit from switching your porchlights to LEDs? Let us know, email energy@montgomerycountymd.gov if you are interested in participating. 


🔋 Help Plan Community EV Charging

EV Pilot

COUNTY: The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is developing a plan for how to expand Community EV Charging Infrastructure. Building more public charging is key to meeting the County's goals to cut climate change by encouraging EV adoption.

Community charging infrastructure can be located at private properties or at sites owned or operated by Montgomery County Government. Beginning in 2023, millions of dollars will be available for new infrastructure through state and federal programs. DEP has developed two new tools to help residents, policymakers, property owners, and regional organizations make smart decisions about how to expand charging.  

  1. Charge Montgomery Story Map is an interactive tool to explore different factors that can drive new charging infrastructure, including EV ownership trends, state and federal programs, racial equity, and social justice.
  2. Montgomery County Community EV Charging Survey is designed for EV drivers, property owners, fleet managers, and EVSE installers to weigh in on the County's goals, potential charging locations, and charging experiences.
  3. Charge Montgomery Kick-Off Webinars these meetings are to introduce the planning process, review initial progress and survey results, and provide an opportunity for Q&A

ArtemisWalk: Walk Into the Future of Sustainable Energy

artemis

COUNTY: Team Artemis, a group of elementary and middle school students in Montgomery County, is working on an innovation project related to sustainable energy sources. The team has responded to the challenge by designing a sidewalk system, named ArtemisWalk, that generates electricity from people’s footsteps and solar power. The electricity generated can then be used to light up street lamps or power local businesses. The team is one of four advancing teams from their qualifying competition. They will now be presenting their idea and competing with the top Maryland teams at the State Championships at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County at the end of February. 


2023 Energy Summit Registration is Open

Energy Summit

COUNTY: In its tenth year, the annual Montgomery County Energy Summit offers cutting-edge education focused on the latest trends in green building, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and related commercial, multifamily, and residential topics in the County. This year’s Summit will focus on preparing the commercial building community for compliance with energy benchmarking, building energy performance standards, and emerging building codes. 

The 2023 Energy Summit will take place at the metro-accessible Silver Spring Civic Building in downtown Silver Spring, MD on Tuesday, March 28 and Wednesday, March 29, 2023.


Job Board

Job Openings

The My Green Montgomery Green Jobs Board will help you find green jobs in our region. We post jobs for free that are green jobs (focused on energy, sustainability, water, trees, community greening, environmental ed, etc.) and based in the DC or Baltimore regions or easy for our residents to commute to work!

We pre-approve each job before posting, but we do not guarantee the length of time jobs will be posted. To look for new job opportunities, click here.


Energy News

The News Roundup

Energy is all around us and there is a lot happening in the world. We have compiled some interesting stories and articles to share with you. These stories will LINK you to what energy stories are happening in the world.

Electric Stoves: As evidence mounts that gas stoves are bad for human health, a growing number of professional chefs say electric even makes for a better cooking experience, www.theguardian.com

Energy Grid: The network of transmission lines that carry electricity across the U.S. is old and not set up to meet the anticipated demand for clean energy sources like wind and solar, www.cnbc.com

Greenhouse gas emissions: Montgomery County’s greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 30% between 2005 and 2020, according to recent findings from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, www.moco360.media

Multifamily Solar Installation: A 2.18 megawatt rooftop solar array at the Seneca Village apartment complex in Montgomery County will be the largest multifamily solar rooftop project in the Maryland county to date, www.wtop.com

Solar Parking Lots: In November, France’s senate approved a law which would require the owners of almost all large parking lots to install solar panels, would it be possible to do the same thing in the United States, www.time.com


Mark Your Calendar: Greenfest 2023

greenfest

The Montgomery County GreenFest is the largest annual environmental festival in Montgomery County, MD. GreenFest is organized by a coalition of public, non-profit, and university partners. GreenFest is expanding this year by taking place at two different locations over one weekend.

Brookside Gardens – April 22, 2023, 11am – 4pm
This event will focus on protecting and preserving the natural environment. Topics covered will include land use, food consumption and composting, clean water, biodiversity, sustainable gardening, and environmental justice.

Downtown Wheaton (2425 Reedie Drive) – April 23, 2023, 12pm – 5pm
This event will address how residents can “green” their home and daily commute. Topics covered at this event will include energy consumption, home and appliance efficiency, recycling, transportation, electric vehicles, and green business initiatives.