Did you know that Maryland has a proven, time-tested program that can help you pay for home energy efficiency upgrades and electrification? If you didn’t—now you do! Interested in an efficient water heater? A Smart Thermostat? An electric lawnmower? A home energy audit or support with insulation and weatherization? EmPOWER can help with that!
This is Maryland’s flagship energy efficiency program which provides opportunities to lower energy bills, reduce exposure to harmful emissions from gas appliances and give rebates for energy efficient electric appliances, and move towards our climate goals. It was named as one of the leading efficiency programs in the nation by ACEEE & ICF.
The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) provides EmPOWER programs for limited-income residential customers free of charge. For more information on low income EmPOWER programs, visit the Office of People’s Counsel website.
What is the history of EmPOWER?
The EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act of 2008 created the EmPOWER program to incentivize energy efficiency and conservation efforts. EmPOWER has improved energy efficiency, which has saved ratepayers money, reduced pollution, and helped protect the environment. It has been updated several times since then to improve the program, better align it with our climate goals, and increase access to low-income families.
Since 2008, EmPOWER has been an efficient use of funds:
- Created lifetime savings of over $14 billion from an investment of $3.5 billion in energy efficiency.
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of at least 9.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, equal to taking 2 million cars off the road for a year.
- Provided Maryland residents with free or discounted energy audits, weatherization, insulation, and efficient appliance rebates, and provided local businesses with discounts and incentives for energy efficient upgrades.
What are the utility-run EmPOWER programs?
The EmPOWER program has brought energy savings to Maryland by reducing energy consumption throughout various utility regions through reduced costs, HVAC tuneups, Energy Star appliance rebates, Home Performance and New Homes with Energy Star, combined heat and power programs, and other retrofitting energy efficiency services. EmPOWER can help you install an electric heat pump in your home, check the efficiency of your existing home heating equipment, weatherize your home, buy a more efficient refrigerator, and much more.
EmPOWER programs are run by each of Maryland’s five investor-owned utilities, one rural electric cooperative, and the Department of Housing and Community Development administers the low-income specific programs.
Offerings are different in each territory and include:
- Residential and commercial programs
- Discounts and rebates for home and commercial building energy audits,
- Rebates on energy-efficient appliances such as ENERGY STAR dehumidifiers, electric lawn equipment, energy efficient heat pump heating and HVAC systems, and electric water heaters
- Smart thermostats
- Free home energy audits
- Rebates for air sealing, insulation, and weatherization
- Incentives for recycling old appliances
To find out more about the specific offerings in your area, visit and compare the EmPOWER programs in each utility region:
- BGE Smart Energy Savers Program including a list of authorized contractors for audits.
- Delmarva Power’s Energy Saving Programs
- Pepco’s Energy Saving Programs
- Potomac Edison’s Energy Saving Programs
- SMECO’s EmPOWER Maryland programs
- Washington Gas’ Energy Saving Program
- The EmPOWER Maryland Low Income Energy Efficiency Program (LIEEP) helps residents of low-income households install energy conservation materials in their homes at no charge.