MAINE PUBLIC • May 19, 2022
About 28,000 heat pumps were installed in Maine during the last fiscal year, with most using a rebate program from Efficiency Maine. State officials believe that's a sign that Maine is well on its way to meeting a goal in Gov. Janet Mills' four-year climate action plan: Install at least 100,000 new heat pumps in Maine households by 2025. The state rebates are nice but they may not be enough to convince some skeptics. In rural Maine communities like those in Piscataquis County, heat pumps can be a tough sell, especially for low-income households who must meet a variety of eligibility requirements to quality for one. And it may be more difficult to meet a separate goal in the governor's "Maine Won't Wait" climate plan of installing at least 15,000 new heat pumps in income-eligible households by 2025.