Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Sourcing Renewables  -  July 11, 2023

Maryland Aspires to Net-Zero Economy by 2045

The State of Maryland aspires to reduce GHG emissions by 60% by 2031 and achieve net zero emissions by 2045. Maryland will use an all-of-society approach where it initiates reductions across all sectors of the economy, as featured in Maryland’s Climate Pathway Report.

Maryland created a roadmap to achieve the economy-wide 60% goal, which provides recommended actions across all sectors with additional reductions, including 3.6 MMTCO2e from transportation, 2.3 MMTCO2e from electricity generation, and 1.6 MMTCO2e from buildings.

The State is taking the first step of implementing policies already in place. As of 2020, Maryland achieved half of the necessary reductions, reaching 36.7 MMTCO2e of the 73.3 MMTCO2e to meet the 2031 target. With full implementation of existing policies, it can achieve another 26.0 MMTCO2e by 2031, leaving one-fifth of the reductions left.

To achieve its goals, Maryland endeavors to make a rapid, clean, affordable, and just energy and economic transition. Specifically, it will invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other clean technologies. The State plans to deploy renewables, particularly solar photovoltaics, to accelerate rapidly in the near term. Maryland is also prioritizing building electrification and efficiency measures. It will transition to higher-efficiency electrical appliances and use a cleaner electricity grid to reduce emissions.

As Maryland seeks to decarbonize, removing the GHG Reduction Act’s exemption for the manufacturing sector will be a key step in facilitating emissions reductions within the sector. It will facilitate research and funding to deploy and optimize solutions such as electrification through heat pumps and resistive heating, zero-carbon fuels like hydrogen, and alternative sources of high heat such as solar thermal.