APPROVED CHAPTER
JUNE 15, 2021 209
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE
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H.P. 269 - L.D. 385
An Act To Resolve Conflicts in and Make Other Changes to the Laws
Governing the Efficiency Maine Trust
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §10104, sub-§4, ¶F, as amended by PL 2019, c. 313, §5 and
c. 476, §4, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
F. It is an objective of the triennial plan to design, coordinate and integrate sustained
energy efficiency and weatherization programs that are available to all energy
consumers in the State and to users of all fuel types. The plan must set forth the costs
and benefits of the trust's programs that advance the following goals and funding
necessary to meet those goals:
(1) Reducing energy costs, including residential heating costs;
(2) For the period beginning January 1, 2020 and ending January 1, 2030,
weatherizing 35,000 homes and businesses, with at least 10,000 of such
weatherization projects completed in low-income households through the
combined efforts of the trust and the Maine State Housing Authority;
(3) Reducing peak-load demand for electricity by the maximum achievable cost-
effective amount;
(4) Achieving the maximum achievable cost-effective electricity and natural gas
program savings, as defined in and determined pursuant to the performance metrics
approved by the commission under section 10120;
(5) Creating stable private sector jobs providing alternative energy and energy
efficiency products and services in the State;
(6) Contributing to the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the State by
amounts consistent with the greenhouse gas emission levels established in Title 38,
section 576-A and in a manner consistent with the State's climate action plan
adopted and updated under Title 38, section 577;
(7) Promoting the purchase of high-efficiency heat pump systems to achieve by
2030 the goal of at least 115,000 households in the State wholly heated by heat
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 pumps and an additional 130,000 households in the State partially heated by heat
pumps; and
(8) Promoting the purchase of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles
to achieve by 2030 the goal of at least 120,000 such vehicles registered in the State.
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §10104, sub-§4, ¶G, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 298, §21 and
c. 313, §5, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
G. In developing the triennial plan, or an annual update plan under subsection 6, the
trust may include, as part of its budget for electric efficiency and conservation
programs under section 10110, the costs of providing nonwires alternatives in
accordance with section 3132‑D.
Sec. 3. 35-A MRSA §10104, sub-§4, ¶H is enacted to read:
H. After the triennial plan is approved, the trust or any party to the triennial plan may
petition for, or the commission may initiate on its own, consideration of revising the
calculations of avoided energy costs used in the determination of maximum achievable
cost-effective energy efficiency resources pursuant to section 10110, subsection 4‑A
or section 10111, subsection 2 upon a showing that, subsequent to the publication of
the avoided energy cost study relied upon, changes in price forecasts would result in
more than a 25% change in the value of avoided energy cost affecting a significant
portion of the program activity in the triennial plan.
Sec. 4. 35-A MRSA §10110, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 2019, c. 306, §4 and
c. 365, §2, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
C. "Conservation programs" means programs developed by the trust pursuant to this
section designed to reduce inefficient electricity use or to increase the efficiency with
which electricity is used.
Sec. 5. 35-A MRSA §10110, sub-§4-A, ¶A, as amended by PL 2019, c. 306, §5
and c. 313, §8, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
A. Consider electric energy efficiency resources that are reasonably foreseeable to be
acquired by the trust using the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Trust Fund under
section 10109, federal or state grants or settlement funds designated by the board for
programs implemented under this section, except that forward capacity market
payments deposited in the Heating Fuels Efficiency and Weatherization Fund
established in section 10119 may not be considered;
Sec. 6. 35-A MRSA §10113, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 372, Pt. B, §3, is amended
to read:
§10113. Training for installers of solar energy equipment
1. Installation training. To the extent that funds and resources allow, the trust shall
may establish training programs for installers of solar energy equipment that most
effectively meet the needs of the public. The trust:
A. May develop separate programs for different solar energy technologies or
applications services when the trust determines that the skills or training for the
installation of those technologies or applications services merit the distinction;
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 A-1. May offer training programs to code enforcement officers, inspectors or other
professionals involved in designing, marketing, regulating or educating about energy
equipment;
A-2. May offer training programs to contractors or other professionals involved in
designing, installing or constructing energy efficiency, weatherization or other building
performance measures for homes and businesses;
B. Shall confer with the Plumbers' Examining Board and the Electricians' Examining
Board relevant professional licensing boards and the Technical Building Codes and
Standards Board under Title 10, section 9722 when it develops the course content and
requirements;
C. Shall determine the content of the training, the hours required for course completion
and the manner in which applicants must demonstrate proficiency in solar energy
equipment installation;
D. Shall May issue a certificate of completion to individuals who meet the
requirements the trust has established;
E. May establish reasonable course fees. All fees must be paid to the Treasurer of State
trust to be used by the trust for the purposes of this section;
F. Shall determine terms for the expiration and renewal of an applicant's certificate of
completion; and
G. Shall determine an appropriate means of maintaining recognition of the training
received by persons holding certificates issued pursuant to former section 10002 or
former Title 32, chapter 87.
2. Qualifications for installing solar energy equipment. A certificate of completion
issued by the trust pursuant to subsection 1 does not exempt the holder from any applicable
licensing requirements for activities involved in installing solar energy equipment,
including but not limited to licensing requirements established in Title 32, chapter 17 or
49.
3. Effective date. This section takes effect July 1, 2010.
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Statutes affected:
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 209: 35-A.10104, 35-A.10110, 35-A.10113