Rebates, tax credits, and other incentives may help lower your costs for making energy saving improvements to your home or business. You generally want to be sure to learn about incentives and the related rules before beginning any energy efficiency upgrades. For example, you will often need to be able to show the extent and impact of your investment in order to qualify for some offers. A qualified energy contractor can help you figure out which current incentives may benefit you as you make energy improvements in your home or business.
Specific offerings vary and are usually offered for a limited time. Generally, they fall into three different types: rebates, incentives and tax credits.
- Rebates pay you money back after you purchase and install new energy or fuel saving appliances, such as wood pellet boilers or heat pumps.
- Incentives pay you money back after you show you have met certain performance standards, such as reducing air flow through your building or bringing your attic insulation up to current standards.
- Tax credits can be offered at either the state or federal level and are claimed in your tax filing once installation is completed. (Examples of this include installation of new solar panels or windows.) To learn more about incentives that may impact your taxes (including tax credits and tax rebates), contact your accountant or tax professional and refer to your local, state and federal tax guidelines.
Some organizations that offer rebates and/or incentives include:
- Clean Energy Development Fund: The Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund (CEDF) offers incentives for qualified advanced wood heating equipment (e.g., wood pellet furnaces & boilers). These incentives are available through the Small Scale Renewable Energy Investment Program, managed by the Renewable Energy Resource Center (RERC). Information is also available at this website for solar hot water systems, wood pellet or chip fired sap evaporators, and other clean energy technologies.
RERC Toll Free Hotline: 1 (877) 888-7372 Email: info@rerc-vt.org
Additional information on the Vermont Sales Tax Exemption, plus other incentive programs for advanced wood heating systems in Windham and Rutland Counties and Washington Electric Co-op (WEC), may be found at the CEDF Funding Opportunities web page.
The Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) maintans a comprehensive list of incentives and rebates for advanced wood heating systems. Download the handout at the bottom of the FPR webpage.
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Federal Government: Energy.gov keeps track of the latest energy-related tax and rebate offers from the states and federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development offers grants and financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects for single and multifamily homes, commercial properties and other businesses.
- Delivered Fuel Providers, Co-Ops and Fuel Group Organizations: Delivered fuel providers, co-ops and fuel group organizations around the state may offer programs and/or discounts to their customers/members. For specifics about programs your delivered fuel provider, co-op or fuel group may currently offer, contact them directly. Some fuel group organizations that offer heating fuel at discounted rates negotiated with commercial fuel dealers include the Energy Coop of Vermont, the Ruth Clark Fuel Group, and the VHEAT Fuel Buying Program offered through Vermont State Employees Credit Union.
- Electric Distribution Utilities Fossil Fuel Reduction Activities (Tier III): Vermont’s electric distribution utilities have introduced programs to help their customers reduce fossil fuel use, as required by Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard. For specifics about programs your electric distribution utility may currently be offering, contact them directly:
- Barton Village Electric Department (802) 525-4748
- Burlington Electric Department (802) 865-7300
- Enosburg Falls Inc. Water & Light Department (802) 933-4443
- Green Mountain Power (888) 835-4672
- Hardwick Electric Department (802) 472-5201
- Village of Hyde Park (802) 888-2310
- Village of Jacksonville Electric Department (802) 368-7010
- Village of Johnson Electric Department (802) 635-2611
- Ludlow Electric Light Department (802) 228-7766
- Lyndonville Electric Department (802) 626-3366
- Village of Morrisville Water & Light Department (802) 888-3348
- Village of Northfield Electric Department (802) 485-5411
- Village of Orleans (802) 754-8584
- Stowe Electric Department (802) 253-7215
- Swanton Village Electric Department (802) 868-3397
- Washington Electric Cooperative (802) 223-5245
- Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) (802) 635-2331
- Energy Efficiency Utilities: Vermont’s electric and natural gas energy efficiency utilities (also known as EEUs) have programs and incentives to help their residential and business customers reduce their energy use. These EEUs deliver electric, natural gas and heating-and-process-fuel energy efficiency services to residential and business consumers throughout Vermont. They have programs and service offerings that can help identify the most cost-effective ways to reduce energy use and increase efficiency in your home or business. The Vermont Public Utility Commission has appointed the entities below as energy efficiency utilities. For specifics about what programs, incentives and/or financing your energy efficiency utility is currently offering, contact them directly for more information.
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Efficiency Vermont (also known as EVT and operated by Vermont Energy Investment Corporation) is the electric energy efficiency utility for most of the state: (888) 921-5990
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Burlington Electric Department (BED) is the electric energy efficiency utility in its territory: (802) 865-7300
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Vermont Gas (VGS) is the natural gas energy efficiency utility in its territory: (802) 863-4511
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Learn More:
Visit the pages below to learn more about Programs & Incentives:
