ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today announced the availability of $36 million in new funding to help local school districts across Maryland expand the use of clean energy systems and cost-cutting energy efficiency technologies. Through the Decarbonizing Public Schools Program, the Maryland Energy Administration will help local districts reduce energy consumption, manage energy data, cut emissions, and design the next generation of high-performance schools.
“We are taking a comprehensive approach to making energy more efficient, more affordable, and more sustainable in the State of Maryland,” said Gov. Moore. “Every dollar we invest to improve energy performance in schools helps us save money and direct more resources toward our children’s education. This is what creative and responsible governing looks like.”
Now entering its third year, the Decarbonizing Public Schools Program funds a wide range of energy efficiency, electrification, and clean energy projects throughout Maryland’s K-12 public schools. The investments help reduce emissions and generate energy cost savings. Because energy is the second-largest expense for school districts, reducing energy costs allows districts to dedicate more resources to educational programming.
“K–12 schools are more than classrooms—they serve as the heart of communities where people learn, play, vote, and come together in times of need. By decarbonizing schools, Maryland is both reducing emissions and modeling sustainable values for students, families, and the wider community,” said Maryland Energy Administration Director Paul G. Pinsky. “Maryland’s public schools are teaching the country by example how to cut their operating costs and carbon emissions at the same time.”
The new grants are funded by the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund, which reinvests proceeds from greenhouse gas-emissions auctions and alternative compliance payments from utilities into a wide variety of programs. The fund helps reduce Marylanders’ energy bills, minimizes energy waste, creates jobs, promotes energy independence, and improves reliability and resiliency.
The Moore-Miller Administration has made lowering energy costs a top priority—delivering relief to Marylanders burdened by high costs while working towards long-term solutions for energy affordability. Governor Moore last week joined Senate President Bill Ferguson, House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, and legislative leaders to roll out $200 million in direct rebates for Maryland families. The funding covers two direct payments to all Maryland ratepayers, with the first being administered between August and September of this year and the second between January and February of 2026, providing relief from energy cost increases during the winter months.
In June, the governor announced the launch of the Customer Relief Fund, which provided $19 million in relief to limited- and middle-income ratepayers. The one-time assistance program funds donated by utility parent company Exelon were administered through trusted local nonprofit organizations, ensuring that aid is distributed efficiently while targeting communities most in need.
The governor has also prioritized strategies to achieve long-term consumer cost-savings in partnership with federal, state, and regional policymakers. In May, the governor announced that Maryland joined the Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission in issuing a joint strategic action plan to pursue interregional transmission solutions that reduce costs for consumers and make energy systems more reliable. The collaborative represents a first-of-its-kind coordination effort to address gaps in transmission planning and promote solutions that offer significant grid and consumer benefits.
The Maryland Energy Administration is accepting applications now through November 21 at 3 p.m. ET. Full details on eligibility, program guidelines, and the application process are available at energy.maryland.gov.
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