David Comis | 2026 Clean Energy Champion

Senior Program Manager, Maryland Energy Administration

“David Comis’s creative leadership has accelerated Maryland’s clean energy transition and made MEA programs a model for other states, pairing deep policy expertise with a proven record of delivering innovative, successful programs.”

David Comis is a Senior Energy Program Manager at the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA). In his 10 years at MEA, Comis has developed and co-developed an impressive number of successful initiatives, including a low-and-moderate-income community solar program, a resiliency hubs program, and a net-zero energy schools program. His colleagues at MEA and his peers at CESA recognize him as a knowledgeable expert, innovative program developer, and engaged collaborator. He generously shares his expertise with state energy colleagues across the country and advances group discussions by asking probing questions.

One example of Comis’s leadership has been his work developing Maryland’s community solar market. He understood that supporting an emerging market requires flexibility, so he developed a series of community solar grant programs with a variety of purchasing models. In every stage of the process, he made sure that low-and-moderate communities had meaningful avenues to participate and benefit, such as through a unique “little notice/little penalty” opt-out clause for low-income program participants. The resulting award-winning community solar program will provide below-market-rate electricity to an estimated 7,000 low-and-moderate income households.

According to the CESA Board of Directors: “David Comis’s creative leadership has accelerated Maryland’s clean energy transition and made MEA programs a model for other states, pairing deep policy expertise with a proven record of delivering innovative, successful programs.”

In their nomination materials for David Comis, his colleagues at MEA recognized his foresight and thought leadership on clean energy, writing: “David Comis looks at the big picture and is not captured by a single technology. He often recognizes the need for solutions before most others even recognize the problem.”

Prior to his role at MEA, David led the search for international science and technology of naval interest; ran the largest department at the Office of Naval Research; commanded a nuclear submarine at sea; managed the design and construction of a new naval ship; served as the contractor lead for the development of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) first Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan and led the contractor team that performed DOE’s first greenhouse gas inventory. In addition, he has extensive real-world experience in the operation, management, and supervision of naval nuclear power plants. He has an M.S. in Energy Policy and Climate from John Hopkins University and an M.S. in Management from National Louis University. David’s work at MEA was recognized in 2018 with a Governor’s Citation.