Maryland's agricultural community is uniquely positioned as both a significant consumer of energy, greatly impacted by rising costs, and a potential producer of energy, including solar photovoltaics, wind (small and large), biofuels, and more.

Explore a Farm Energy topic:

  • Gas tanks on rural farm

    Understand Farm Energy

    Overview of farm energy use and production in Maryland.

  • Figure 1. Example of sunlight energy being converted to chemical energy within biomass by photosynthesis, then heat and light energy through combustion in a wood stove

    Heat or Electrical Energy

    Energy comes in many forms, including heat, light, ... 

  • chicken icon

    Poultry Energy Savings

    Saving energy in poultry operations (pdf slides)

  • fruit in basket icon

    Postharvest Cooling

    Saving energy in postharvest coolers

  • audit paperwork icon

    Energy Audit

    Energy efficiency for a better bottom line (pdf slides)

  • spade and potted plant icon

    Nursery & Landscape Energy

    Saving energy in nursery and landscaping operations

Additional tools and resources:

Educational Programs

  • Farm Energy
    eXtension
    Provides agricultural energy information.

Farm Energy Tools

  • DIY Agricultural Energy Audit
    Colorado State University 
    This tool will help you find areas of energy waste on your farm or ranch. It will provide you with specific suggestions to reduce the energy waste you identify as well as a score and general statement about your agricultural operation's energy use.
  • Energy Consumption Awareness Tools
    NRCS
    Energy tools designed to increase energy awareness in agriculture and to help farmers and ranchers identify where they can reduce their energy costs. Tools include animal housing, irrigation, nitrogen, and tillage.

Fund & Finance

  • EmPOWER Maryland: Utility Sponsored Programs
    Promotes energy efficiency savings associated with commercial lighting and appliance rebates and energy efficiency services for industrial facilities. Programs are managed by your utility provider.
  • Maryland Energy Administration: Commercial, Industrial & Agricultural (CI&A) Grant Program
    Supports energy efficiency improvements and energy cost reductions in Maryland’s commercial, industrial, and agricultural sectors.
  • MARBIDCO: Rural Business Energy Efficiency Improvement Loan Fund
    Offers a low-interest, “micro” loan to enable farmers and rural-based industry business owners to implement recommendations of a third-party energy auditor.
  • MARBIDCO: Maryland Urban Agriculture Commercial Lending Incentive Grant
    Provides grant funds to incentivize the urban farmer to obtain commercial/bank financing with the support of Farm Credit.
  • NCSU: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) 
    Serves as a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.
  • PACE Financial Servicing: Maryland Commercial PACE
    Provides turn-key, low cost, standardized C-PACE program services to property owners, capital providers, contractors, and local governments in the state of Maryland.
  • USDA: Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) On-Farm Energy Initiative
    Provides financial assistance to inventory and analyze farm systems that use energy and identify opportunities to improve efficiency through the development of an Agricultural Energy Management Plan (AgEMP), or energy audit.
  • USDA: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
    Includes Energy Audits & Renewable Energy Development Grants and Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Loans & Grants which provide grant funding and guaranteed loan financing to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase or install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements.