Report traces 20 years of impact from nation’s first energy efficiency utility

Winooski, VT

As the books begin to close on 2021, Efficiency Vermont is taking a look back at its two decades of history in helping Vermonters save money, increase comfort, and lower greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency.

Today Efficiency Vermont released its web-based report, “Little State, Big Impact,” which provides a chronology of game-changing milestones in the evolution of Efficiency Vermont’s programs and services, and how that evolution has become a statewide framework for supporting clean energy policies including weatherization, heating and transportation electrification, flexible load management, and workforce development.

Created by the legislature in 1999 as the first energy efficiency utility in the nation, Efficiency Vermont began serving customers in 2000. The report explores the early days of Efficiency Vermont, and how its programs, services, and performance measurement and verification provided the foundation and best practices for energy efficiency programs around the country.

Initially focused exclusively on helping Vermonters reduce their use of electricity, Efficiency Vermont’s scope expanded to include heating efficiency in the late 2000s, and more recently to support awareness and adoption of electric vehicles.

“I want to congratulate Efficiency Vermont on their 20th anniversary and all the work they’ve done over the years,” said Governor Phil Scott. “As we continue our work to combat climate change, their work will continue to be important as we make our homes more efficient and electrify our transportation sector.”

As Efficiency Vermont’s scope of services expanded, so too did its impact. By the end of 2020 – the most recent year for which savings data is currently available – Vermonters’ participation in Efficiency Vermont programs had resulted in:

• More than 12.5 million metric tons of CO2 emissions over lifetime of Vermonters’ energy efficiency investments – the equivalent of removing all of Vermont’s cars from the road for nearly five years.
• More than $2.8 billion saved by Vermonters over the lifetime of their investments
• 97 million megawatt hours saved – enough to power 146,000 homes for 20 years
• 7 million British thermal units saved – enough fuel to heat 18,000 homes for 20 years

“Vermont’s energy efficiency story is one of partnership and shared success. Efficiency doesn’t just happen; it starts with a Vermonter’s desire and willingness to invest in energy efficiency improvements, is supported by visionary energy policies that help guide those investments, and is brought to life by supply chain partners from contractors, to distributors, to manufacturers,” said Carol Weston, Director of Efficiency Vermont. “Our pride in what we have accomplished in the last 20 years with all of our partners is exceeded only by our optimism for what we will accomplish together as we tackle the energy challenges of the next 20 years.”

View the report: https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/20-year-impact-report

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]

VEIC
Communications Div.

[email protected]