Windswept Grant Program
The Clean Energy Grant Program for wind, entitled Windswept, offers Maryland residents, businesses and non-profits the opportunity to install and manage their own wind energy systems. The program is designed to help satisfy Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), requiring 20 percent of Maryland’s Electricity be generated from renewable energy sources by 2022.
Windswept grants are available to homeowners through the Residential Clean Energy Grant Program and to businesses, non-profits, and government entities through the Commercial Clean Energy Grant Program.
Quick Links
- Residential Clean Energy Grant Program
- Commercial Clean Energy Grant Program
- Guidelines for Calculation
- Sample Grant Calculations
- Program Notes
- Additional Information
Guidelines for Calculations
Windswept grants are calculated based upon expected turbine performance at 11 meters per second (approximately 25 miles per hour), and are scheduled as follows:
- $2,800 per kilowatt of normalized capacity for the first 5 kilowatts (normalized system capacity rated at wind speeds of 11 m/s)
- $750 per kilowatt of normalized capacity for the next 15 kilowatts
- $1,700 per kilowatt of normalized capacity over 20 kilowatts
- Total grant allocation not to exceed $75,000
Sample Grant Calculations
Grant calculations for some common small wind turbines that have already been installed in Maryland are listed below:
| Turbine Manufacturer/ Name | Normalized capacity at 11m/s | Grant Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Abundant Renewable Energy ARE 110 | 2.5 kW | $7,000 |
| Abundant Renewable Energy ARE 110 | 10 kW | $17,750 |
| Aerostar 6-Meter | 7.8 kW | $16,100 |
| Bergey Windpower Excel 10 | 8.9 kW | $16,925 |
| Endurance Windpower S-250 | 4.3 kW | $12,040 |
| Endurance Windpower S-343 | 5.3 kW | $14,225 |
| Entegrity EW 50 | 49 kW | $74,300 |
| Potomac Wind Energy American Classic 6kW | 5.1 kW | $14,750 |
| ReDriven 5kW Wind Turbine | 5.2 kW | $14,150 |
| ReDriven 10kW Wind Turbine | 10.2 kW | $17,900 |
| ReDriven 20kW Wind Turbine | 20.2 kW | $25,340 |
| Southwest Windpower Skystream 3.7 | 2.2 kW | $6,160 |
| Wind Turbine Industries Jacobs Model 31-20 | 17.5 kW | $23,375 |
Program Notes
- Wind turbine systems up to 100 kW are eligible for a Windswept grant.
- Eligible systems must be listed in either the California Energy Commission List of Eligible Small Wind Turbines or New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Qualified Small Wind Generators listing. Additionally, any turbines officially certified by the Small Wind Certification Council will be approved.
- Windswept grants are available up to a maximum of 50 percent of the net cost of installation. Net cost is calculated as the installation cost less any federal, county or local grants or tax credits.
- Grants are allocated on a per-property basis. Multiple grants will not be issued for multiple turbines on the same property.