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State energy pathway · Maryland

Start with the energy systems shaping Maryland.

Maryland's electricity is powered equally by nuclear and natural gas — 38 percent each. At the same time, state law requires a shift to 50 percent renewable power by 2030, but that renewable capacity hasn't been built yet — creating a tension between today's grid reality and tomorrow's requirement. That lets Maryland students see energy as both a research problem and a real infrastructure buildout.

Energy data is from the EIA State Energy Data System, EIA State Electricity Profiles, NCSL State Energy Legislation Database, and state economic development offices.

See why energy matters hereJump to the matched course

Why Energy Matters in Maryland

Research and Systems

One in five dollars of Maryland's economy comes from government and service work — government agencies, universities, health systems. These large institutions all use significant electricity, and at 15.04 cents per kilowatt-hour Maryland ranks 13th in the country for electricity rates while importing most of its power from elsewhere. Students who understand this learn that Maryland's energy challenges are research and systems questions, not just engineering ones.

Grid Transition Deadline

Maryland law requires 50 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and at least 1,200 megawatts of offshore wind. But none of that wind capacity has been built yet. 1,200 megawatts mandated, zero built — that is the gap Maryland faces by 2030.

In Maryland, the grid's old and new — nuclear and gas running today, renewables mandated for tomorrow — have to exist at the same time. Latimer Energy Academy helps students in Maryland face that real problem: design a microgrid that keeps the lights on while the grid transitions.

Energy data is from the EIA State Energy Data System, EIA State Electricity Profiles, NCSL State Energy Legislation Database, and state economic development offices.

Start here for Maryland

The Microgrid: Optimization & Resilience

Maryland's grid is powered equally by nuclear and natural gas today, while the state's last coal plant operates past its scheduled retirement and a 2030 renewable mandate remains unbuilt. The microgrid project directly mirrors this tension: students must balance existing generation with new requirements, which is the same decision-making challenge Maryland's grid planners face.

Mission spotlight

Simulation Meets Reality

In the Simulation Meets Reality lesson, students run their simulated microgrid against actual hardware and document where the model diverges from real-world behavior. This mirrors a real tension in Maryland: the Brandon Shores coal plant was previously scheduled to retire in 2025 but is now operating under a Reliability Must Run agreement until mid-2029 — a real-world example of how power systems sometimes delay shutdowns when the region still needs the electricity.

Included in LEA curriculum

Pilot proof

Students enjoy the work because it feels real.

In January 2026, 39 fourth-grade students in Indianapolis completed every lesson from start to finish — coding real pocket computers (microcontrollers), collecting live energy readings, and presenting findings to an audience.

4.6/5

Student enjoyment

72% of students gave it a 5-star rating

100%

Reported learning something new

Every student who took the survey said they learned something new

39

Students completed the entire course

Every student finished all five lessons, coded a pocket computer (microcontroller), and presented findings

Available to book today

Book the support that fits Maryland.

Whether you want to get LEA into the hands of students this semester, plan for a pilot next year, or just learn more about the state-specific approach, you can book a session with our team to get the support you need.

School or district consultation

Review the state-specific entry point, pilot scope, and what implementation would look like for your classrooms.

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Founder-led instruction session

Bring Dr. Naeem Turner-Bandele in to teach a project and show what high-quality facilitation looks like with students.

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Family or community guidance

Get help choosing the right starting point for home learning, after-school use, or a community organization rollout.

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Utility or business partnership call

Discuss local workforce relevance, territory fit, and how we can collaborate to support energy education in your community.

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Find your path

Choose your next step based on how you want to use LEA in Maryland.

Select your path below to see the approach designed for how you will use LEA in Maryland — whether you run a classroom, lead a school, or support a student at home.

Find the right starting point

Schools

Curriculum and professional development for your district

Teachers

Lesson plans and resources for your classroom

Parents

Learn alongside your child with guided family activities

Community

Hands-on energy programs for clubs and community groups

Utilities

STEM outreach and workforce pipeline programs

Businesses

Partner with Latimer Energy Academy to build the energy and technology workforce