2014 Legislative Priorities: Clean Energy

Updating a Successful Solar Program

Have you or your neighbor gone solar yet? If so, you’re not alone. Thanks to Vermont’s forward-thinking policies that encourage homeowners and businesses to go solar, our state now ranks 9th in the country for solar installations per capita and we just tripled the amount of residential renewables in two years.

In order to ensure the state’s “net metering” law—which lets Vermonters go renewable, compensates you for the renewable power you produce and lets you keep “rollover” credit for generating extra energy to apply towards future bills—can keep up with Vermonters’ interest in going solar, we’re working to update the law this year.

Saving Money, Cutting Pollution

Homes and businesses that hemorrhage heat are a lose-lose for your pocket book and for the planet.  The prices of the fracked gas, oil and propane that most Vermonters rely on fluctuate wildly over time, and there’s no doubt the price of these expensive, imported fuels will go up over time. Fortunately, by funding programs to help Vermonters weatherize, Vermont could help you cut your fuel bills and our state’s heating pollution at the same time.

That’s why VPIRG and our coalition partners are pressing lawmakers to make it easier for Vermonters to save money by heating more efficiently, and weatherize 80,000 homes by 2020.

Defending our Clean Energy Future

As U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders pointed out last year, if Vermont turns its back on clean energy, well-funded coal, oil and gas companies will waste no time telling the entire country that even in a forward-thinking, environmentally progressive state like Vermont, there is not a serious commitment to combating climate change. Like most Vermonters, VPIRG supports replacing Vermont’s dependence on the expensive, polluting fossil fuels driving climate change by building a clean energy future that would supply 90% of our energy with renewable resources by 2050.

Unfortunately, not all Vermont lawmakers agree. Wind and solar have both come under attack in 2013, but with the facts and majority of Vermonters on our side, VPIRG will work to defend Vermont’s clean energy future from those who deny climate change and seek to delay clean energy.

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