FY2025 Proposed Operating and Capital Budgets

FY2025 Proposed Budget Organizational Budgets

Division of Energy & Environment

DFRS for an electric fire truck. A companion plan, the Frederick County Community-wide Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan (EVRP), was completed in partnership with MWCOG in December 2023 to address the 48% of all greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector in the County at large. This plan establishes a strategic, coordinated action plan for EV charging infrastruc ture to support EV drivers and the County’s GHG emission reduction goals. This plan includes an assessment of charging infrastructure, a policy overview and recommendations, funding options, implementation strategies, review of charging needs in the South Frederick Corridor, equity considerations, and recommendations of a Stakeholder Advisory Group. $575K is requested in the FY’25 CIP for t his program to implement EV infrastructure projects on County-owned facilities. The Building Energy Performance program focuses on reducing the energy consumption of County-owned and community- wide buildings. In FY’24, DEE worked with DPW Facilities Maintenance on regulatory compliance with Maryland’s nascent Building Energy Performance Standards for buildings over 35,000 sf, Tier II building audits, installation of Building Automation Systems to track and manage energy performance, building energy baseline tracking

in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Portfolio Manager database, automation of Utility Bill Management (UBM), implementation of energy efficiency projects, and cost share of $143,554 in utility rebates and $177,610 in Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) grants. In the community, the Business Energy Saving Tune-ups (BEST) program provided cost share to over 100 businesses who participated in Potomac Edison’s utility rebate programs, providing an average supporting grant amount of $3,157. Over 110 Low and moderate income (ALICE) households received energy saving Power Saver Retrofits; this innovative program received a grant for $571,948 from the MEA and was recognized with an MWCOG Climate and Energy Leadership Award for Equity for its work with community leaders and non-profit partners to increase participation and diversify audience engagement. Clean Energy Procurement Program

Figure 2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Produced by County Operations by Percent

This program ensures that the County’s electricity portfolio meets CEAP goals for procurement and production of 100% renewable energy that could generate 62% of projected FCG emission reductions in 2030. This will take careful planning to determine a policy and implementation strategy. Implementation will require additional funding, which could be either operating or capital expenses or both. In addition, there are upcoming impacts from state law. The County, through the Frederick Area Cooperative Team (FACT), has been grandfathered in through its existing contract with Enel-X and has not had to meet the full state Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). This will change in FY 26 when the contract with Enel-X is up for renewal and the full RPS will have to be met. The County should begin preparing now. Related to that, the County contract with TESLA that allows the purchase of SRECs for $22 will end in 2025 and that will have to be

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