Community Energy Planning

Community Energy Plans 

In the past, the choices community have made about energy use were often made in a piecemeal fashion. In the context of rising energy costs, a community energy plan looks broadly at energy use throughout a community - including municipal energy use, and the impact of municipal policies (such as transportation, energy disposal, and housing) on community-wide energy use.

Washington County received an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provided through Efficiency Maine. This grant allowed the County to conduct energy efficiency planning and outreach. The Washington County Energy Initiative (WCEI) was formed and an Energy Committee met for the first time. Staffed by the Washington County Council of Governments, the group is composed of Washington County residents with experience and/or interest in the field of energy efficiency, building maintenance, heating, cooling and ventilation, and community health. They met monthly during the summer and fall of 2012.

A copy of the final Washington County Energy Plan can be downloaded from the GROWashington-Aroostook web site page addressing Renewable Energy and Workforce Development.