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State Planning and Incentive Structures | Energy Efficiency Actions | Energy Supply Actions

State Planning and Incentive Structures

Lead By Example—Energy Efficiency in Public Facilities

Status: Completed

Details: The Vermont State Agency Energy Plan for State Government (July 2005) calls for state buildings to be designed to be "highly efficient" and to exceed state efficiency codes for existing buildings by 30%. Existing buildings must meet 10 criteria for energy efficiency, including ENERGY STAR requirements.

Lead By Example—Energy Efficient Appliance and Equipment Purchase Requirements for Public Facilities

Status: Completed

Details: Executive Order 14-03 (September 16, 2003) requires state agencies to purchase only ENERGY STAR or comparable products and to use them in a manner that maximizes their energy efficiency potential.

Lead By Example—Clean Energy Goals for Public Facilities

Status: In Progress

Details: Executive Order 14-03 (September 16, 2003) directs the Department of Buildings and General Services to investigate cost-effective opportunities to purchase renewable energy for state facilities.

Lead By Example—Energy Efficiency and Alternative Fuel Goals for Public Fleets

Status: Completed

Details: On March 19, 2008, Governor Jim Douglas signed Bill Senate Bill 209, also known as the “Energy Efficiency and Affordability Act,” which promotes promotes the use of biodiesel in state vehicle fleets.
The Vermont State Agency Energy Plan for State Government (adopted in July 2005, see Vermont Statute Title 3, Chapter 45, Section 2291) calls for all state fleet vehicles to be "right-sized" and among the most fuel-efficient and lowest emission vehicle models in each class, including advanced-technology vehicles such as hybrids. The Secretary of Administration must encourage the use of video and online conferencing, as well as carpooling, to reduce vehicle trips and vehicle miles traveled. Executive Order 14-03 (2003) directs state fleet users to purchase vehicles that have the highest available fuel efficiency in each respective vehicle class (e.g., passenger cars, light-duty trucks, etc.), pursuant to performance specifications approved by the Climate Neutral Working Group. In setting these performance specifications, the Working Group shall consider vehicles that not only meet high fuel economy standards but that also provide lower total overall emissions of greenhouse gases, criteria pollutants, and hazardous air contaminants. Vermont Statute Title 26, Chapter 49, Section 903 directs the commissioner of buildings and general services to consider AFVs when purchasing vehicles for state use, providing the alternative fuel is suitable for the vehicle's operation, is available in the region where the vehicle will be used, and is competitively priced with conventional fuels.

State and Regional Energy Planning

Status: Completed

Details: On May 27, 2008, the Vermont Department of Public Service released a public draft of the Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan for 2009, updating the state’s 25-year plan from 2005. The plan focuses on strategies to maintain the state’s relatively low energy costs and pursues renewable and low-carbon energy providers. The plan presents 70 recommendations, over 150 recommended actions, and six key policy directions. It will be discussed at a series of public meetings and is expected to be finalized by January 2009.
On March 6, 2008, Governor Jim Douglas released an advisory report showing that Vermont can meet the goal of generating 25% of its total energy from renewable sources, principally from farms and forests, by 2025. The report is a compilation of the work of Vermont’s 25 x ‘25 steering committee.
VT released an updated state energy plan in 1998. The 1998 plan includes a variety of strategies, including: promoting renewable resources and new technologies with a RPS, promote use of solar energy, increase solar lighting and heating applications, support appropriate uses of hydroelectric power and methane sources, reduce use of petroleum energy and establish emissions standards, encourage efficient production and distribution technologies/infrastructure, encourage cogeneration, and encourage distributed utility services.
The VT Department of Public Service was required to produce a state energy plan by Vermont Statute title 30, chapter 5, subsection 202b by 1994.

Determining the Air Quality Benefits of Clean Energy—Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Set Asides (NOX Budget Trading Program)

Status: No Activity Identified

Determining the Air Quality Benefits of Clean Energy—Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Set Asides (CAIR Budget Trading Program)

Status: No Activity Identified

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Energy Efficiency Actions

Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards

Status: Completed

Details: Since 2000, an independent efficiency utility, Efficiency Vermont, delivers efficiency programs for the state. EV is required to achieve energy and demand goals, and by the end of 2006 had met over 5% of Vermont’s electricity requirements. In 2007-2008, EV projects additional electricity savings of 3.5% of 2006 sales. VT EEPS is incorporated into statewide contracts for energy efficiency.

Public Benefit Funds for Energy Efficiency

Status: Completed

Details: In June 1999, Vermont enacted legislation authorizing the Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) to establish a volumetric charge on all electric customers' bills to support energy-efficiency programs. As a result, in 2000 the PSB established Efficiency Vermont and a funding mechanism to support it. The funding mechanism, which varies by utility, is based on factors unique to each utility's service territory and is reviewed periodically and adjusted as necessary by the PSB. VT also has $550,000 not related to a PBF for solar and wind incentives.

Building Codes for Energy Efficiency—Commercial Programs

Status: Goes Beyond ECPA

Details: Passed in December 2006, the 2005 Vermont Guidelines for Energy Efficient Commercial Construction became effective on January 1, 2007. The Guidelines are based on the 2004 Supplement to the IECC with ASHRAE 90.1-200 and Vermont-specific provisions. These standards will go into effect for all new commercial construction. Subchapter 9 of H.859 (signed May 16, 2006) requires that on or about January 1, 2009, and at least every three years thereafter, the commissioner of public service shall amend and update the CBES by means of administrative rules adopted in accordance with 3 V.S.A. Chapter 25.

Building Codes for Energy Efficiency—Residential Programs

Status: Meets ECPA

Details: The Vermont Residential Building Energy Standard (RBES), based on the 2000 IECC with state specific amendments, went into effect January 1, 2005. It is mandatory statewide; can use REScheck to show compliance.

State Appliance Efficiency Standards

Status: Completed

Details: H00253 (signed by the governor on May 16, 2006) requires energy efficiency standards for the retail sale of new furnaces, boilers, medium voltage dry-type distribution transformers, metal halide lamp fixtures, external AC/DC power converters, incandescent reflector lamps, and other products. Initial standards will be detailed in the bill, usually by reference to a standard that has been established already by New England states and/or NJ, but it gives the commissioner the authority to add other appliances to the list and to increase the standards for appliances currently covered.

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Energy Supply Actions

Renewable Portfolio Standards

Status: Completed (with caveat)

Details: On March 19, 2008, Governor Jim Douglas signed Bill Senate Bill 209, also known as the “Energy Efficiency and Affordability Act,” which outlines the goal of producing 25% of the electricity in Vermont with renewable resources by 2025.
SB52, enacted June 14, 2005, encourages each retail electricity provider to supply an amount of new renewable energy equal to its total incremental energy growth between January 1, 2005, and January 1, 2012. However, the amount of renewable energy that each utility is encouraged to supply is capped at 10% of its 2005 total retail electric sales. If this goal is not achieved by 2012, then the policy will become a mandatory renewable portfolio standard (RPS) in 2013.

Public Benefit Funds for Clean Energy Supply

Status: Completed

Details: The Energy Efficiency and Affordability Act of 2008 (signed by Governor Douglas on March 19, 2008) requires payments from utilities (in lieu of purchasing RECs to comply with the state's RPS) to be paid to the Clean Energy Development Fund (CEDF). This fund was established in 2005 to promote the development and deployment of cost-effective and environmentally sustainable electric-power resources -- primarily renewable energy and combined heat and power (CHP).

Output-Based Environmental Regulations

Status: No Activity Identified

Interconnection Standards—Clean Distributed Generation

Status: Completed

Details: On November 1, 2007, the Vermont Public Service Board's (PSB's) Rule 5.100, which modified net metering, became effective. The modifications are in response to legislative changes (30 VSA, Section 219a). As part of the new rule, interconnection specifications have been standardized, eliminating the need for individual interconnection agreements between the host utility and customer. In 2006, the PSB adopted interconnection standards for distributed generation systems that are not net metered and not subject to Independent System Operator of New England (ISO-NE) interconnection rules or successor rules approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Under this rule, utilities are required to designate an employee or office from which customers may obtain information regarding the application process. There is a standard application form and a nonrefundable application fee of $300. The PSB's DG interconnection rule does not specify a maximum system capacity. In June 2005, Vermont enacted S. 52, which required the PSB to establish interconnection standards by September 1, 2006, for generators with a capacity less than 50 MW, with simplified rules for systems under 15kW.

Interconnection Standards—Net Metering

Status: Completed

Details: On March 19, 2008, Governor Jim Douglas signed Bill Senate Bill 209, also known as the “Energy Efficiency and Affordability Act,” which expands the state's net metering rules allowing residents with distributed generation resources to contribute excess energy into the utility grid system. Eligible systems cannot exceed a capacity of 150 kilowatts.
On October 2, 2007, the Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) approved rules to expand net metering to allow collections of residents to build net metering projects together, called "group net metering," in response to bill H.520 (2007). On September 10, 2006, PSB adopted new net metering rules. Under the new rules, electric utilities must allow net metered systems up to 1% of peak demand. The new rules also have safety provisions for wind, fuel cell, and biomass systems. H.859, enacted in May 2006, expanded net metering to small hydro projects and farmers. In 1998, Vermont passed H.605, its first net metering bill. Net metering applies to renewable generation sources of up to 15 kW or farm methane generation sources of up to 150 kW.

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