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Number of Maine homes using heat pumps gains ground

By Renee Cordes

Heating oil usage in Maine has plunged to its lowest level in decades as more households turn to energy-efficient heat pumps.

Citing federal data, Gov. Janet Mills noted that about half of Maine households used heating oil in 2024, down from 62% in 2018 and from more than 70% in 2010.

"This progress is making a real difference for Maine people and businesses, improving their energy efficiency and cutting energy costs,” she said.

Targeted cuts 

Maine set statutory goals in 2011 to cut oil consumption by 30% from 2007 levels by 2030 and at least 50% by 2050, though the state imports more than $4.5 billion on imported petroleum annually and remains one of the nation's most heating oil-reliant states.

As far as reducing its heating oil consumption, the state has already surpassed its 2030 target and is on track to meet the 2050 goals, according to the Mills administration.

File photo
Michael Stoddard, Efficiency Maine

"The progress we're seeing with heat pumps as the primary heating system for so many Maine homes is a testament to how well the technology now performs in cold weather and how hard Maine's contractors have worked to market and install these systems," said Michael Stoddard, executive director of Efficiency Maine, a quasi-state agency that plans and implement energy efficiency programs in Maine.

"I think Maine boasts many of the best heat pump installers in the country. These crews can completely convert a home to heat pumps in four or five hours," he added.

Looking ahead 

Even with federal tax credits on heat pumps due to expire at the end of 2025, Stoddard told Mainebiz he is optimistic that the uptick in heat pump usage will continue in the coming years. 

He also noted that rebates offered by Efficiency Maine will be available for at least the next three years.

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