Vermont

In 1999, Vermont enacted legislation authorizing Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) to collect a volumetric charge on all electric utility customers’ bills to support energy efficiency programs through an energy efficiency utility, Efficiency Vermont.

The goal of Efficiency Vermont is to administer energy efficiency services in the territories of all of the state’s utilities, except for the Burlington Electric Department, which administers its own energy efficiency programs.

Vermont's Sustainably Priced Energy Enterprise Development (SPEED) Program was created by legislation in 2005 to promote renewable energy development. The SPEED program itself is not a renewable portfolio goal or standard. However, if the Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) determines that the established minimum obligations of the SPEED program (described below) are not met, then the state's utilities would be required to meet a binding renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS), as established by law (30 V.S.A. § 8004).

The intent of the SPEED program is to promote renewable energy development by encouraging long-term contracts for electricity from renewable sources. Legislation enacted in March 2008, S.B. 209, established a goal that 20% of total statewide electric retail sales before July 1, 2017, be generated by SPEED projects.

Relevance to Public Power: Participation in the SPEED program and Efficiency Vermont is required of all the state’s utilities. Burlington Electric Department is exempt from participating in Efficiency Vermont.

In February 2006, Vermont established appliance efficiency legislation through bill H.0253, An Act Relating to Establishing Energy Efficiency Standards For Certain Appliances. This Act creates minimum efficiency standards for certain products sold or installed in Vermont.
Below are listed products regulated by the standard that have not been pre-empted by federal standards.

• Residential furnace fans

As of March 2010, climate change legislation has not been signed into law at the state-level.

• In 2001, the state signed onto the Climate Change Action Plan developed by the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers.
• Member of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative since December 20, 2005.

Learn more about the Climate Protection Agreement!

APPA Public Power Partners

• Northeast Public Power Association

• Burlington Electric Department

• Burlington Electric Department
• Readsboro Electric Department
• Vermont Public Power Supply Authority
• Village of Johnson