VEC Offering New Incentives
Johnson, VT – Vermont Electric Co-op (VEC) has recently added two new incentives to make it more affordable for members to move to electric powered devices for their energy needs in their homes and businesses.
A new program for no-cost Level II electric vehicle chargers was launched January 1, and last year the co-op added induction cooktops to the list of incentives that qualify for a bill credit.
VEC’s incentive program, known as the Energy Transformation Program, is designed to benefit the entire co-op membership over time - not just those who take advantage of the program – because VEC calibrates the incentives to pay for themselves through additional electric sales for the co-op.
The free Level II charger must be installed by the participant and enrolled in VEC’s communications platform so that VEC can request that it not charge when the co-op is anticipating peak electric demand. That helps shift usage to times when electricity is cleaner and less expensive.
The induction cooktop incentive is a $100 bill credit. (Portable induction cooktops do not qualify.)
More than 3,900 VEC members have taken advantage of incentives since the co-op began offering them in 2017.
In each of the past five years, VEC has exceeded its goals for the Energy Transformation Program and helped eliminate the consumption of over 10.5 million gallons of fossil fuel. That’s the equivalent of taking over 18,000 cars off the road for a year.
In addition to the EV charger and cooktop incentives, VEC offers credits on members’ electric bills for the purchase of:
- Electric vehicles: For plug-in electric vehicles, $250 for purchases (new or used) and $50/year for leases; for all-electric vehicles, $500 for purchases (new or used) and $100/year for leases.
- Public/workplace/multi-family charging stations: $500 per connection.
- Heat pumps: For ductless, ducted, air-to-water, and ground source heat pumps as well as heat pump water heaters, a joint incentive is available through Efficiency Vermont; a $150 per unit thermal efficiency credit is available if the system was installed in a building that meets thermal efficiency criteria.
- Pellet stoves: $150, plus another $150 if the unit is installed in a building that meets thermal efficiency criteria.
- Other machinery: Residential lawn mowers, $50; commercial-scale mowers and electric forklifts, $1,000.
- Heat pump pool heaters: $600 for units that meet efficiency criteria
VEC also offers custom incentive opportunities for members who want to replace fossil fuel equipment and reduce carbon emissions, through electric service upgrades or line-extensions. These projects often serve commercial facilities like sawmills or sugaring operations, for instance.
Some of the VEC’s incentives are in addition to other incentives and rebates, including state of Vermont incentives, the new Replace Your Ride program, and the MilageSmart program, as well as potential tax incentives.
Learn more about these opportunities on VEC's Energy Transformation incentives page or by calling 1-800-832-2667.