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Corrupt Government Title: Maryland spends $2.3m on renewable energy for $637,000 in savings Maryland spent $2.3 million last fiscal year on a renewable energy grant program that brought in only $637,000 in savings, according to a report by the Maryland Energy Administration. That means that Maryland residents recovered roughly $3 in energy savings for every $10 the state spent on the grant program, which helps homeowners pay for the purchase and installation of solar energy systems, geothermal heat pumps and small wind turbines. The state distributed the $2.3 million among 795 Maryland residents in fiscal 2011. Ongoing savings from the grants will add up to roughly $3.2 million over the course of five years, according to the state energy agency. The grant program is part of Maryland's aggressive push to expand the state's renewable energy industry, after lawmakers passed a measure requiring utilities to buy 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2022. The program has grown rapidly over the last three years. Maryland distributed just 303 grants totaling $1.4 million in fiscal 2009, for a savings of $213,000. The following year, the state ramped up its investment in the grant program by roughly 67 percent to $2 million, and energy savings grew by 55 percent to $387,000, according to the state energy agency. "Maryland is leading the nation's efforts in clean energy and sustainability, and our state's growing green jobs sector is vital to our ability to create jobs and compete globally in the new economy," Gov. Martin O'Malley said. But some residents say the government should stay out of the private energy sector. "There is just no savings in renewable energy," said Dee Hodges, president of the Maryland Taxpayers Association. "From solar fields to windmills in the ocean, one more subsidy program just means that Marylanders are going to end up paying a lot more money for their energy, and for the government to be investing so heavily in this, it's unfair to the consumer. It's not the government's job to determine private-sector investment demand." Montgomery County residents benefited most from the grant program, data shows. Over the last three fiscal years, Montgomery residents received one of every five grants the state distributed for a total of $1.3 million. By comparison, Prince George's County residents received roughly 5 percent, or $265,200, of the grant money. Howard County residents came in second for most state spending on the program, winning a total of $771,192 in grant money, while Anne Arundel County won the second-highest number of grants. Residents must apply for the grants, which are open to all Maryland homeowners and small business owners. The grants are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Overall, the state has invested roughly $150 million in clean energy initiatives between fiscal 2009 and fiscal 2011, the Maryland energy agency reports. Roughly 43 percent of that money helped low-income residents pay their power bills, and another 24 percent of the funds provided rate relief to Maryland consumers of all income levels, according to the Maryland Energy Administration. Ten million dollars helped state agencies repay loans for energy-related improvements and $3.5 million helped low-income residents retrofit their homes to conserve power costs. The rest largely paid for state tax incentives and grants. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Happy Quanzaa (#0)
Don't worry, they'll make it up in volume... ROTFLMAO!!!
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