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 support@vermontelectric.coop. (Read VEC's 2023 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 $250 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.
VEC partners with Efficiency Vermont to offer a single, point-of-purchase incentive for heat pumps installed by contractors participating in the Efficiency Vermont network. Other than a possible $150 thermal efficiency adder, no additional incentive is available through VEC for these units.
For units that were not installed through a participating contractor, VEC will provide a $250 bill credit. (VEC reserves the right to rescind the bill credit at a later date if it's determined the unit already received the point-of-purchase incentive.)
The incentives differ depending upon when the heat pump was purchased or installed. The dates and credits (per qualifying outdoor unit) are as follows:
| Date purchased/installed | 1/1/17 - 12/31/18 | 1/1/19 - 5/31/20 | 6/1/20 - 12/31/20 | 1/1/21 - present |
| VEC direct incentive | $150 | $300 | $600 | $0 |
| Thermal Efficiency bonus | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 |
For systems that qualify for a thermal efficiency bonus, complete this online form or this printable PDF.
For systems purchased/installed after January 1, 2021 that did not receive an Efficiency Vermont point-of-purchase incentive, complete and submit this form.
For larger heat pump systems such as centrally ducted, ground source heat pumps, and air-to-water heat pumps, VEC is also partnering 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. The heater must be an ENERGY STAR model to qualify.
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.)
The incentives differ depending upon when the heater was installed. The dates and credits are as follows:
- On or after January 1, 2022: single incentive through Efficiency Vermont
- June 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021: $250
- January 1, 2018 – May 31, 2020: $150
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. VEC offers a $150 bill credit for pellet stoves purchased on or after October 1, 2017.
Read more about pellet stoves.
To get the bill credit, complete and submit this form.
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 fillable PDF.
Commercial Electric Lawnmowers
VEC offers a bill credit of $1,000 for qualifying commercial electric lawnmowers purchased on or after May 11, 2019 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). The models listed below automatically qualify for this incentive (other models will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must receive pre-approval from VEC).
- Mean Green WBX-33
- Mean Green DWBX-48/52
- Mean Green SK-48
- Mean Green NXR48-52
- Mean Green CXR-52/60
To get the bill credit, complete this online form or this fillable 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 and submit this form.
Zero Energy Modular Homes (ZEM Homes) run entirely on electric power and are highly energy-efficient. ZEM homes are more expensive to purchase than standard modular homes, but the operating costs are extremely low compared to traditional homes.
VEC offers a $500 bill credit to members who purchase a ZEM home. The bill credit applies to ZEM homes purchased on or before January 1, 2019. For more information, please visit the Vermont Housing Conservation Board or Efficiency Vermont.
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 support@vermontelectric.coop.