Governor O'Malley, County Executive Leggett Announce Region's First Clean Energy Center
Center to be located in Montgomery County at University of Maryland Kendall Academic Center
ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 31, 2009) – Governor Martin O’Malley and Montgomery County Isiah Leggett announced the launch of the region’s first Clean Energy Center today, to be located at the Camille Kendall Academic Center at the University of Maryland, The Universities at Shady Grove campus in Montgomery County. The Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) will support the State’s Smart, Green and Growing efforts through assistance to newly developed technologies with pilot projects, the collection, analysis and dissemination of industry data, and by providing outreach and technical support to further the clean energy industry in Maryland.
“Today’s announcement marks yet another large step towards our goal of creating 100,000 ‘green collar’ jobs by 2015. This Center will leverage greater opportunities for our workers and a cleaner, greener Maryland for our families,” said Governor O’Malley. “Maryland has emerged as a national leader in smart, green, and growing initiatives, and this exciting announcement today demonstrates our unified commitment to sustainability as One Maryland.”
With Montgomery County selected as the headquarter location, the MCEC will continue to move quickly in offering a coordinated approach to building a strong clean energy industry in Maryland, by promoting clean energy economic development and jobs in the state and by encouraging deployment of clean energy technologies across Maryland. Program priorities for the Center range from technology commercialization and business incubation to workforce development and training, with expected outcomes of increased health of our economy and environment.
“It is a great honor to be selected to host the Maryland Clean Energy Center headquarters,” said County Executive Leggett. “Montgomery County is a nationally recognized leader in advancing clean energy and promoting sustainability, and we are committed to making our community a model for developing a green 21st century economy. No jurisdiction in the state can match the County’s track record in successfully nurturing the growth of fledgling industries. Montgomery County, the University System of Maryland and the City of Annapolis offer an unparalleled package of resources, networks and access to federal agencies that will help drive the future of clean energy and green technologies in the State of Maryland.”
The City of Annapolis has partnered with Montgomery County for the benefit of the MCEC in offering access and free use of the 500 acre Annapolis National Clean Energy Park. In addition, the MCEC board is anticipating collaborations with both the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and Frederick County to further expand the reach and impact of the Center across Maryland.
The Universities at Shady Grove is not only one university, but nine of the State’s top public universities housed in one central locale. The location for the Center was constructed to be both energy-efficient and environmentally sensitive. It is the largest green higher education building in the State, and is a gold-certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) building.
“The board has been tasked with an aggressive, but attainable series of clean energy goals by the O’Malley-Brown Administration,” commented board president Ken Connolly, “Selecting the center’s location was a top priority. The Maryland Clean Energy Center board is thrilled to have an official brick and mortar location and is impressed at the level of partnership across our State that has been forged in order to make the Center’s foundation a huge success.”
“The Maryland Clean Energy Center is an essential piece of Maryland’s clean energy future, as it will help create jobs, support clean energy businesses and strengthen our communities through continual clean energy advancements,” noted Maryland Energy Administration Director Malcolm Woolf. “We have every confidence that the Center will become an invaluable resource for our citizens and future generations.”
Last month, Governor O’Malley announced a plan to move Maryland forward toward the goal of creating 100,000 green collar jobs in Maryland by 2015. Details of that plan can be found at here. These goals will be additionally supported by President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. For clean energy alone, Maryland will receive $61 million for weatherization, $52 million to help local authorities with energy efficiency improvements, and $51.8 million which will support an array of State clean energy initiatives, including solar and geothermal grants and home energy retrofits to help Maryland families save on their energy bills.
In the past two years, the O’Malley-Brown Administration has set some of the most ambitious goals in America for reducing energy consumption 15 percent by 2015, partly by raising the state’s renewable portfolio standard and leading the charge for America’s first ever cap-and-trade auction of greenhouse gases. In addition, the O’Malley-Brown Administration has passed landmark clean cars legislation, created incentives to help homeowners and businesses utilize green energy, and this past Friday, passed legislation which set ambitious goals for reducing our carbon footprint by reducing greenhouse gases.
Information regarding the MCEC can be found at www.marylandcleanenergycenter.org. The web site also contains detailed information for candidates who wish to apply for open positions for the Center. For details on The Camille Kendall Academic Center’s green building and energy-efficient design and resources, please visit: www.shadygrove.umd.edu
