Energy Transformation Incentives
As part of our Energy Transformation program, VEC offers a wide range of bill credits for members who purchase devices that reduce fossil fuel usage. The incentives are designed to help members choose technologies for heating and cooling their homes, transportation, even cutting the lawn, that are cleaner and less expensive over the long term. The incentives are listed below. For more information please contact VEC Member Services at 1-800-832-2667 or support@vermontelectric.coop. (Read VEC's 2022 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 reduce carbon emissions, and the technology continues to improve with 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 and submit this form.
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 Chargers
VEC is offering a $250 bill credit for the purchase of a home Level II electric vehicle charger. This incentive is designed to help members purchase and install a Level II charger and avoid charging at times when electricity costs are highest.
Participants who accept this incentive must do one of the following:
- If their charger is on the list below, members may be able to enroll in a communications platform so that VEC can request that your charger not operate during peak events (5-6 events per month for 3-4 hours each). A VEC representative will contact you to complete this process, and you will receive an additional $50 incentive for enrolling.
- If the charger is not on the list below or the member chooses not to enroll their charger in the control platform, the member should set their car charger or car schedule to not charge from 5-9 p.m. Mon-Fri and send in a screenshot of that schedule.
Participants also will be enrolled in VEC’s Beat the Peak Program, where members receive alerts about 3-4 events during the summer when VEC expects high demand for electricity. During these events, VEC requests that members take steps to decrease their electric use, such as shutting lights off, turning up the thermostat, and delaying use of major appliances.
Participants with models listed below may be able to choose Option #1 above and enroll in a VEC communications platform:
- ChargePoint Home Flex
- FLO Home
To receive a bill credit, submit this form along with a proof of purchase and screenshot of a car of charging schedule.
To learn more, read our Frequently Asked Questions.
Public Charging Stations
VEC is offering bill credit incentives for the installation of Level 2 and Level 3 public charging stations. Eligible applicants are businesses and public entities (schools, towns, etc.) with stations that were operational after July 1, 2017, provided the charging station is available to the public. VEC offers a $500 bill credit 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 and submit this form.
As of January 1, 2021, VEC is partnering 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. However, if it is determined that the unit had already received the point-of-purchase incentive, VEC reserves the right to rescind the bill credit at a later date.
Ductless, mini split heat pumps can be a cost-effective means to heat, and also 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.
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 and submit this form.
For systems purchase/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.
As of January 1, 2022, VEC is partnering with Efficiency Vermont to offer a single point-of-purchase incentive for heat pump water heaters. No incentive is available directly from VEC. Click here for information about the incentive through Efficiency Vermont.
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. The incentives differ depending upon when the heat pump water 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 hot water heaters.
To get the bill credit for units purchased prior to January 1, 2022, complete and submit this form.
Heating with wood pellets can be an effective way to reduce the amount of oil or propane you use for heating. 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.
VEC is offering a $1,000 bill credit starting in 2019 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 and submit this form.
Note: VEC owns an electric powered forklift we use in our Newport facility. It's contained so it gets in between shelving easily, it's got good lifting capacity, and it reduces emissions in the building. 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 and submit this form.
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 and submit this form.
Starting September 1, 2022, VEC is offering a $100 incentive for installed induction cooktops. 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. 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.
VEC offers a $500 bill credit to members who purchase a Zero Energy Modular (ZEM) home. 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. The bill credit applies to ZEM homes purchased on or before January 1, 2019. For more information, visit Efficiency Vermont's website.
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.