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Wednesday, March 22, 2023 | Montgomery Energy Connection
COUNTY: Montgomery County is seeking climate interns to join the County’s climate team. This is a part or full-time summer internship for qualified students in high school or college, or recent graduates who have strong experience, education, or interest, in climate, sustainability, racial equity, and clean and renewable energy policy. Apply before March 31, 2023.
RESIDENTIAL: Carbon Switch estimates heat pumps will shave anywhere from $100 to $1,300 off your utility bill per year, based on data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory but how do you know if you’re doing it right? The Climate Coach column in the Washington Post tracks the process do’s and don’ts to help you along your way.
Also, don't forget to sign the Electrify Everything Pledge to commit to choosing climate-friendly, clean, all-electric appliances and equipment when renovating or upgrading homes! You can also opt to be connected to our certified installer later this year!
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RESIDENTIAL: Weatherization is the process of protecting a home or building from the outside elements. Often this means insulating the home to reduce the effect of extremely hot or cold outdoor temperatures on indoor spaces. Weatherization includes air sealing, plumbing, recessed lighting, replacing doors, windows and insulation in walls, and the installation of energy-efficient heating, cooling, and lighting systems. These changes improve thermal comfort and lower energy bills. Low-income households have the most to gain from these improvements because they spend as much as 14% of their total annual income on energy costs. In contrast, more affluent homes spend only 3.0% on energy costs.
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RESIDENTIAL: The State of Maryland has developed a program which sets a limit on the amount of property taxes any homeowner must pay based upon his or her income. The Homeowners' Tax Credit is not automatically granted, and each person must apply and disclose his or her income.
The deadline to apply is October 1st of each year. However, it is to your advantage to submit the application by April 15th so that any credit due you can be deducted beforehand from the initial July tax bill. To learn more about the Homeowners' Property Tax Credit, click here.
The Renters' Tax Credit Program provides property tax credits for renters who meet certain requirements. The plan is based upon the relationship between rent and income. Under specified conditions, the renter may receive a credit of as much as $1,000. To learn more about the Renters' Tax Credit, click here
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 RESIDENTIAL: Public Conference 53 (PC53) was convened by the Public Service Commission (PSC) in 2020 to address the extraordinary challenges many residential gas and electric utility customers faced during the first phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. The PSC enacted several protections which, effective April 1, 2023, will be lifted. To learn more, read Order No 90455.
COMMERCIAL: Now in its tenth year, the annual Montgomery County Energy Summit has offered cutting-edge education focused on the latest trends in green building, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and related commercial, multifamily, and residential topics in Montgomery County. The target audience includes building owners, property managers, developers, energy contractors, and other sustainability professionals working in Montgomery County and the larger DMV area.
Registration closes this Friday, March 24th so make sure you register today: https://www.mcenergysummit.org/
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The My Green Montgomery Green Jobs Board will help you find green jobs in our region. We post jobs for no cost as long as they are focused on energy, sustainability, water, trees, community greening, environmental education and based in the DC or Baltimore regions, Montgomery County 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 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.
3D Batteries: Solid-state batteries are safer and better than lithium-ion — and we can now 3D print them at commercial scale, www.freethink.com
Cold Water: The Cold Water Saves Initiative educates about the benefits of cold water washing, a sustainable action that greatly benefits the environment with little effort on the individual’s part, www.cleaninginstitute.org
Electrification: Read David Lapp, Maryland People’s Counsel, the head of an independent state agency that advocates for Maryland’s residential utility customers, opinion piece about Debunking myths about electrification, www.marylandmatters.org
EV Delivery Trucks: Nissan has added two battery electric powered (BEV) trucks to a crucial link in its supply chains, www.cheddar.com
Global Carbon Emissions: In the future, self-driving cars' computational needs may fuel a large increase in global carbon emissions, www.nsf.gov
iPhone: The goal of clean energy charging, introduced in iOS 16.1, is so iPhone users can rely less on fossil fuel-intensive energy sources by "selectively charging when lower carbon-emission electricity is available", www.mashable.com
Solar Panels: Recycling old solar panels isn’t easy - but a group of Australian scientists may have found a solution, www.euronews.com
Sustainable Aviation Fuel: United Airlines Holdings Inc. is launching a fund backed by several big-name aerospace and financial companies to invest in startups aiming to produce sustainable aviation fuel, in one of the largest efforts yet to lower emissions from air travel, www.wsj.com
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.
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