Vermonters’ 2018 investment in energy efficiency to save $220 million
Burlington, VT
By partnering with Efficiency Vermont, Vermonters who invested in energy efficient homes, businesses, factories, schools, churches, hospitals and public buildings in 2018 will save $220 million over the lifetime of those improvements. At the same time, Efficiency Vermont reduced the cost of delivering energy efficiency programs, spending $2.3 million less than its approved 2018 budget.
Energy efficiency investments are also helping the state meet its clean energy goals by reducing carbon emissions, as well as reducing demand on the electric grid to allow for new uses such as electric vehicles and cold climate heat pumps.
The 2018 performance results are part of Efficiency Vermont’s annual Savings Claim Summary report, filed this week with the Vermont Public Utility Commission.
“With a lot of help from our partners, including contractors, retailers, manufacturers, distribution utilities, and weatherization agencies, we’ve been able to pool resources and services that make energy efficiency an easy and affordable investment in Vermont,” said Efficiency Vermont Director Rebecca Foster. “Vermonters pay a surcharge on their electric bills to fund Efficiency Vermont and they deserve a transparent accounting of how their money is being spent, and the results that are being delivered. The Savings Claim Summary strives to provide that accountability.”
“Capstone Community Action has partnered closely with Efficiency Vermont for nearly two decades, to help provide comprehensive services to our clients – working to make their homes more affordable, comfortable, and healthy places to live. Our goal is to ultimately help the Vermonters we serve move out of poverty and gain economic independence. Reducing their energy costs is a critical strategy for making that happen,” said Paul Zabriskie, Weatherization Program Director for Capstone Community Action. “We appreciate that Efficiency Vermont shares our commitment, and is focused on finding practical, tangible solutions to help make progress.”
Nearly 110,000 Vermonters invested in energy efficiency last year by taking advantage of Efficiency Vermont programs and services, creating multiple benefits including:
- Energy system benefits
- 135,632 megawatt hours of electricity saved; the amount it takes to power 14,147 homes for a year
- 175,659 MMBtu of fossil fuel saved; the amount it takes to heat 2,064 homes for a year
- Environmental benefit
- 779,315 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions avoided over the lifetime of the energy efficiency improvements made in 2018 – the equivalent of removing 165,460 cars from the road for one year
- Economic benefits
- Vermonters supported green jobs by working with Efficiency Vermont partners in multiple sectors of the green economy:
- 810 equipment suppliers
- 909 contractors
- 331 retailers
- 139 building design firms
For more information about Efficiency Vermont’s results and to view a library of reports, including the 2018 Savings Claim Summary, visit https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/about/results
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]