Use this page to find actions that your household has completed or plans to complete. Browse the categories on the left to find actions for the Power Saver, Green Leader, or Renewable Star Challenge.
Once you have signed in, you can click Add to My Challenge to add an action to your To Do List, Already Completed to mark an action as complete, or Not Applicable if the action does not apply to you.
Once signed in, you can rate each of the actions you have completed.
The highest rated action appear under the Most Popular Actions category.
ACTIONS
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
15
Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Install a geothermal heating and cooling systemA geothermal Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system uses the temperature of the earth to heat and cool your home. In Maryland the ground temperature stays at a constant 55°F year round. A geothermal system uses one of the principles of thermal dynamics (heat travels to cold) to transfer the earth’s naturally occurring temperature to a working fluid (glycol). To perform this heat transfer, geothermal systems use piping buried in your yard or installed vertically in wells. During the summer months the heat taken out of the air in your house is transferred to the ground. The process works in reverse during the winter months, transferring the heat of the ground to the house.
A geothermal system is a major investment. In a typical home of 2,500 square feet, a geothermal system may cost $20,000 - $25,000 to install. While this is roughly double the cost of a conventional HVAC and hot water system, geothermal systems can reduce utility bills by 40% to 60%. Maryland grants and the federal tax credit will typically cover 40% of the total cost of the system; in addition, loan and financing plans are available.
Take Action:
- Request a home assessment from a geothermal installer. Read Contractor Selection Tips and Resources.
- Install a geothermal system.
- Apply for the Maryland Residential Clean Energy Grant and the Federal Renewable Energy Tax Credit.
Links to more information:
- Renewable Star Handbook: Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems
- Contractor Selection Tips and Resources
- Maryland Residential Clean Energy Grant
- Federal Renewable Energy Tax Credit
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
20
Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Install a small wind turbine on your propertySmall wind turbines produce electricity from wind; they are mechanically simple, with only two or three moving parts: blades of 2-15 feet in length, a generator located at the hub, and a tail. Small wind turbines can generate clean energy for homes on properties or farms greater than one acre in size with sufficient wind resources. Only about half of Frederick County has sufficient wind to support wind turbines. The western and eastern sections of the county have annual average wind speeds around 4 meters per second and greater at a 30-m height, which is considered to be a suitable wind resource for small wind projects. Good exposure to prevailing winds is also critical. For large community or agricultural wind turbine installations with an expected capacity greater than 5 KW, Maryland’s State Anemometer Loan Program can provide wind measuring devices to property owners.
While most small wind turbines look like miniaturized utility-scale, three-bladed turbines, there are hundreds of models of varying appearance. Like solar PV systems, small wind turbines can be tied to the electric grid allowing the owner to use electricity from the local utility when the wind does not blow, and send surplus electricity to the grid when winds are strong and usage is low.
Small wind turbines (3 to 10 kilowatts) can cost from $15,000 to $50,000 to install. The federal tax credit, the Maryland WindSwept Grant Program, and utility bill savings can offset the initial outlay considerably.
Take Action:
- Request a property assessment from a wind turbine installer. Read Contractor Selection Tips and Resources.
- Install a small wind turbine.
- Apply for the Maryland Windswept Grant and the Federal Renewable Energy Tax Credit.
Links to more information:
- Renewable Star Handbook: Small Wind Turbines
- Contractor Selection Tips and Resources
- Wind Map of Maryland
- Maryland Anemometer Loan Program
- Frederick County Wind Zoning Ordinance
- Maryland WindSwept Grant Program
- Maryland Clean Energy Production Tax Credit
- Federal Renewable Energy Tax Credit
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