Energy Transformation Incentives
VEC offers bill credits to members who purchase qualifying devices that displace the use of fossil fuels. The incentives are designed to help members choose technologies for heating and cooling their homes, transportation, and other tasks, that are cleaner and less expensive over the long term. For more information please contact VEC Member Services at 1-800-832-2667 or [email protected]. (Read VEC's 2024 Energy Transformation Plan here.)
Click on the headings below to view details about a particular incentive.
Electric Vehicles
Both All Electric Vehicles (AEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) offer opportunities to cut fuel costs and reduce carbon emissions. In addition, technology continues to improve with ever-better range and cold-weather performance. VEC offers the following bill credits for the purchase or lease of new or used AEVs or PHEVs:
Purchase |
Lease |
|
AEV |
$500 |
$100/year |
PHEV |
$250 |
$50/year |
- Is an electric vehicle right for you? Click here to learn more from Drive Electric Vermont.
- To get the bill credit, complete this online form or this printable PDF.
Note: The State of Vermont is also offering an incentive for the purchase of new AEVs and PHEVs to income-qualified Vermonters. If you qualify for the higher state incentive, you will receive an additional $500 VEC incentive. Details are here.
Level II EV Chargers
VEC offers level II EV chargers to members at no charge.
To take advantage of this offer members must:
- Enroll their charger in a communications platform so that VEC can request that the charger not operate during peak events (five to six times per month for three to four hours each). You can opt out of individual events if needed. You will receive an $8/month incentive if you do not opt out of events.
- Enroll in VEC’s Beat the Peak Program to receive alerts during the summer (approximately three to four events) when VEC expects high demand for electricity. During these events, VEC requests that members voluntarily take steps to decrease their electric use, such as shutting lights off, turning up the thermostat, and delaying use of major appliances.
To request a charger, please fill out this form. To read the Member Participation Agreement, click here.
If you purchase your own level II charger, you can receive a $250 incentive if you either 1) set a schedule to not charger from 5-9pm Monday through Friday, or 2) if it is a Flo or ChargePoint, enroll it in VEC's communications platform to receive another $50 upfront incentive and $8/month as long as you do not opt out of events. To receive the $250 incentive, complete this online form or this printable PDF.
Public Charging Stations
VEC offers a bill credit for the installation of Level II and Level III public charging stations. Eligible applicants are businesses and public entities (schools, municipalities, etc) provided the charging station is available to the public and was operational after July 1, 2017. The bill credit is $500 per connection ($500 for a 1-head charger, $1,000 for a 2-head charger).
- Read more about the different types of public charging stations.
- To get the bill credit, complete this online form or this printable PDF.
Ductless, mini split heat pumps can be a cost-effective means to heat and cool your home or business. They also provide an opportunity to reduce the amount of oil or propane you use. Read more about heat pumps generally, and see if a heat pump is right for you.
Incentives are available through Efficiency Vermont, and you may also qualify for a federal tax credit. Other than a possible $150 thermal efficiency adder, no incentive is available through VEC. For systems that qualify for a thermal efficiency bonus, please complete this online form or this printable PDF.
For larger heat pump systems such as centrally ducted, ground source heat pumps, and air-to-water heat pumps, VEC partners with Efficiency Vermont to offer a single credit. Please apply directly through Efficiency Vermont to take advantage of this credit.
Heat pump water heaters are an efficient way to heat water with electricity, using heat pump technology. They can cost considerably less to operate than electric resistance water heaters.
VEC partners with Efficiency Vermont to offer a single point-of-purchase incentive for heat pump water heaters. (No incentive is available directly from VEC.)
Read more about heat pump water heaters.
Heating with wood pellets can be an effective way to reduce the amount of oil or propane you use. Pellet stoves burn more efficiently than wood stoves and allow for more flexible placement in your home because a chimney is not always required. As of January 1, 2024, VEC is partnering with Efficiency Vermont to offer a single point of purchase incentive through participating vendors. However, qualifying pellet stoves that did not receive this incentive can apply directly to VEC for a $200 bill credit.
For qualifying stoves purchased before January 1, 2024 and those that did not receive the point of purchase incentive, please complete this form or printable PDF.
Read more about pellet stoves.
Electric powered forklifts/hand trucks reduce emissions inside buildings and are quieter to operate.
VEC offers a $1,000 bill credit for the purchase of electric forklifts. The credit applies to the purchase of new or used forklifts for new applications or whenever a purchased electric forklift directly replaces a fossil fuel-powered forklift. To get the bill credit, complete this online form or this fillable PDF.
Note: VEC owns an electric powered hand truck we use in our Newport facility. Above, VEC's Chris Lawson demonstrates the safety features of the equipment.
Residential Electric Lawnmowers
VEC offers a bill credit of $50 for new, corded or cordless residential electric lawnmowers purchased on or after 5/11/19. To get the credit, complete this online form or this printable PDF.
Commercial Electric Lawnmowers
VEC offers a bill credit of $1,000 for qualifying commercial electric lawnmowers for use by a lawn care business, state agency, or institution with a campus such as a hospital or a university (other end-users will be considered on a case-by-case basis). Click here to view models that qualify (others will be considered on a case by case basis).
To apply for the bill credit, complete this online form.
Heat pump pool heaters provide an efficient way to heat your pool. Members who choose a heat pump pool heater can receive a $600 bill credit as long as the unit has a coefficient of performance of 4 or higher. To receive this credit, complete this online form or printable PDF.
Induction cooktops are an efficient electric alternative to gas cooktops. They quickly and safely cook food or boil liquids without the indoor air emissions that come with gas.
VEC offers a $100 incentive for installed induction cooktops purchased on or after September 1, 2022. This new incentive is intended to make induction cooktops more affordable for members looking to replace their current range. This incentive is not available for portable induction cooktops.
To apply for the credit, complete this online form or this printable PDF.
VEC’s Clean Air Program (CAP) offers customized opportunities to members with off-grid or underserved homes or businesses to replace fossil fuel usage with electricity. These opportunities may include service upgrades or line extensions, the costs of which will be shared between the utility and the member through customized agreements. For example, someone in VEC's service territory who has a maple sugaring operation currently powered by a diesel or propane generator may be eligible to participate in the Clean Air Program and receive an incentive from VEC for the cost of a line extension to retire the generator. If you have a project that you think might be eligible for the Clear Air Program, contact VEC at 1-800-832-2667 or [email protected].