Rebates available for Vermont maple sugar makers to save energy
Burlington, VT
At the end of each sugaring season Vermont maple sugar makers often invest in equipment upgrades to improve their production and reduce their costs for the following year. Efficiency Vermont offers a number of rebates to help maple sugarers increase the energy efficiency of their operations.
Sugaring is an energy intensive process. It takes approximately 43 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup, which requires a lot of fuel. The majority of Vermont maple sugarers use oil or cord wood-fired evaporators to concentrate their sap, and even with an efficient evaporator, this process still requires a lot of energy.
Sugaring equipment has evolved to adopt more advanced technologies to increase the efficiency of sugaring operations. One major advancement is the introduction of Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems into operations, which began in the 1970s. ROs can remove more than 75% of the water from sap prior to boiling, leading to as much as a 75% reduction in energy used by the evaporator to fully transform the sap into syrup. ROs are now commonplace for the largest maple sugar makers in Vermont.
Recognizing the energy saving opportunities that still exist for Vermont’s smaller maple sugar makers, Efficiency Vermont launched a rebate program in 2015 to enable smaller operations in the state to realize the benefits of an RO. Last year 54 existing Vermont sugar makers were able to take advantage of the rebate to purchase of an RO system for the first time. The estimated total fuel savings associated with this effort for the 2016 sugaring season is over 17,500 gallons of fuel oil plus more than 350 cords of wood.
"The application process was very simple and straight forward,” reports Robert Capobianco, from Washington, VT. "The incentive allowed me to obtain an RO which has reduced my wood consumption significantly. The folks at Efficiency Vermont were exceptional in terms of their knowledge and support. I would highly recommend this program."
2016 rebates on qualifying RO installations are now available through Efficiency Vermont. Maple sugar makers who produced a minimum of 100 gallons of syrup in either 2015 or 2016 may be eligible for a rebate this year.
“We’re excited to roll out this offering for a second year in a row to support a fundamental part of Vermont’s economy, culture, and heritage,” said JJ Vandette, Agriculture Program Manager at Efficiency Vermont. “These rebates will help to expand the use of this efficient technology and reduce the energy intensity of maple operations in Vermont.”
Those interested in taking advantage of this offer should contact Efficiency Vermont’s customer support team at (888) 921-5990 to learn more and get pre-qualified for a rebate. More information and a prequalification form are also available online. Rebate funds are limited and pre-approval is required. Rebates can also be combined with discounts at the Vermont Maple Festival Open House in St. Albans, VT on April 22nd and 23rd.
About Efficiency Vermont
As the nation’s first Energy Efficiency Utility, Efficiency Vermont has helped Vermont avoid over 13.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence award for the last eight consecutive years. Efficiency Vermont works with partners to help our state transition to more affordable, low carbon energy use through education, incentives, and support for our clean energy workforce. Learn more at www.efficiencyvermont.com.
Efficiency Vermont Press Contact
Matthew Smith
Phone: (802) 540-7662
[email protected]