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CarShare Vermont – Meet Mona and Stephen

Meet Mona & Stephen from CarShare Vermont on Vimeo.

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Vermont Council on Rural Development releases Climate Catalysts Innovation Fund Report

The Vermont Council on Rural Development released a report with the results of the first round of the Climate Catalysts Innovation Fund. VLITE provided seed funding of $15,000, through VCRD, with the idea of providing opportunities to town energy committees and other local groups to test out ideas around energy and environment, help neighbors, and make change in their communities. The initial seed money from VLITE grew to $40,000 with help from VSECU and the Vermont Community Foundation. Eighteen communities undertook projects ranging from window insert building to nutrient recycling.

This year VLITE provided another round of $15,000 for the Innovation Fund as part of VCRD’s Climate Economy Program, and once again the grant pool grew – this time to $83,000 – helping dozens of local projects around the state to happen.

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VLITE Seeks Applications for VELCO Director

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Agenda Board of Directors Meeting December 17, 2019

VLITE Board of Directors Meeting

December 17, 2019

(1:00 PM – 4:00 PM)

VT State Colleges Offices at 575 Stone Cutters way, Montpelier. 

(Lunch is provided)

  • Welcome 1:00 PM
  • Minutes from September 10, 2019 Board meeting 1:10 PM
  • Treasurers report 1:15 PM
  • Grant presentations: 1:20 PM
    • Vermont Housing & Conservation Board – Grant change of scope
    • BGS grant discussion
  • Ongoing Grant Funding Update
  • Meeting Closure 3:00 PM
  • Board Discussion with DRM Gabrielle Malina and Patti Komline

concerning VLITE future direction. 4:00 PM

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Helping Communities Build Climate-Positive Economies

In Middlebury, residents of one neighborhood went door to door to promote free visits by home energy experts. In Randolph, volunteers have banded together to strengthen the downtown business district. In Swanton, Efficiency Vermont is working closely with the town to deliver services directly to homes and businesses — and in Marshfield and Plainfield, locals are promoting walking, biking, and other options for energy-efficient transportation.

These initiatives are among the first outcomes of the Climate Economy Model Communities Program. Coordinated by the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD), the program launched in early 2017 after securing a substantial, three-year funding commitment from VLITE. The project has global goals with a local focus: help make it possible for selected Vermont communities to strengthen their economies in ways that also reduce energy use and carbon emissions.

“Vermont can take the lead in modeling economic solutions to climate change,” VCRD declares on its website. “The Vermont Climate Economy Initiative is designed to make the state a destination for entrepreneurs who want to be at the center of the climate change movement.” The VLITE funding was critical to the program’s startup: it provided stable long-term support, and helped the Council on Rural Development secure financial commitments from several foundations. 

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Agenda 9/10/2019 Meeting

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Asbestos in the Attic: VLITE Helps to Safeguard Low-Income Homes

Since its creation over 40 years ago, the state’s Low-Income Weatherization Program has helped some 60,000 Vermont families keep their homes warm at lower heating cost. But several years ago, the work hit a roadblock.

About one in ten homes owned by families that qualifed for the Weatherization Program had a layer of vermiculite insulation that was installed years ago in the attic, kneewalls and sometimes the exterior walls. Vermiculite itself, a mineral extracted by mining, is not dangerous — but a high percentage of this material found in homes around the U.S. is contaminated with asbestos, a known cause of cancer.

When this came to light in 2011, “we issued a statewide policy that required a home containing vermiculite to be deferred ,” said Geoff Wilcox, who coordinates the Weatherization Program at the Vermont Office of Economic Opportunity. The state simply didn’t have the funds — nor were its funds allowed to be used to pay for vermiculite removal, which could add $10,000 or more to the weatherization cost for each home.

“A lot of people were calling our office, saying ‘If I can’t get weatherization I’m going to have to sell my house! I won’t be able to afford to live here,’” Wilcox said. “Vermiculite actually provides less insulation value per inch than most other insulation types, and was installed only two to three inches deep— so these tended to be really drafty homes, very poorly insulated, and typically used a lot of fuel. Clients would call and say, ‘What am I going to do?’ They were really upset their home couldn’t be served by our program.’”

Then in 2013, a nonprofit called VLITE stepped in.

Originally named the Vermont Low-Income Trust for Electricity, VLITE works to help low-income Vermonters reduce energy costs and increase energy efficiency.

The nonprofit has made a series of grants, totaling approximately $500,000, to OEO for vermiculite removal. The money has helped the program solve this problem in nearly 100 homes owned by low-income families.

Weatherization services are free to Vermont families whose income level qualifies them for the program. A typical weatherization saves a homeowner on average 25 percent, or about $600, in annual energy costs. The weatherization work is provided by four community action agencies and an additional nonprofit, with guidance and funding from OEO, which receives state and federal weatherization funds.

The VLITE funds have been instrumental, Wilcox said, in helping the Weatherization Program identify new ways to address vermiculite in homes. In some cases, rather than removing the material, asbestos abatement crews encapsulate it — they create an air seal beneath it, then insulate on top of it, guided by weatherization crews with special training.  This is less expensive and can allow the funds to go further and help more people.

Two years ago, with the VLITE funding in hand, OEO was able to secure additional money — about $4,100 per home — from the Zonolite Trust. That’s a fund set up with settlement money from the original U.S. producer of vermiculite insulation, which was branded as Zonolite.

“This is a great example of a program using our funding to leverage additional support — and to help make it possible for a lot of Vermonters stay in their homes,” said Paul Craven, executive director of VLITE.

Contact: Geoff Wilcox

802-279-7964

[email protected]

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Grant Making Criteria 2019

Vermont Low Income Trust for Electricity (VLITE).

The mission of VLITE is to help meet the needs of low-income Vermonters by reducing energy costs and increasing energy efficiency. Since we began issuing grants in 2013, VLITE’s strategy has also been to support projects that can be transformational — that can serve as models and open new pathways for renewable technologies, efficiency measures, and education and outreach programs. Vermont is transitioning to a largely renewable-energy economy, with all the economic, environmental and health benefits that improve all Vermonters lives.

Through its Comprehensive Energy Plan, the state has set an ambitious goal — that by 2050, 90% of all Vermont’s energy needs, in transportation, buildings and electric power, will be met by renewable sources, with our overall energy consumption reduced by more than one third.

VLITE has also issued over $6 million in grants supporting projects that, in part, are reduced energy costs and improved the long-term energy efficiency of low income Vermonters homes; helped to promote electric vehicles and install more charging stations; and helped utilities to protect power supplies and better deploy the energy that’s being generated by the growing number of solar and biomass resources around the state.

At our December 2018 meeting, the VLITE Board updated its strategic plan. The Board determined that it needed to further increase its commitment to low income Vermonters. In prior years, VLITE as an annual average, issued 55% to 60% of its grants to improving energy efficiency for low income Vermonters. In FY 2019 the percentage will be increased to 75%. The remaining 25% will still continue to support Comprehensive Energy Plan projects that can be transformational — that can serve as models and open new pathways for renewable technologies, efficiency measures, education and job development. These percentages can be revised at the discretion of the VLITE Board.

Change in Grant Proposal process Review: (criteria enclosed)

VLITE is revising its grant process in FY 2019.

The VLITE’s grant submittal process will occur twice yearly. VLITE will conduct grant reviews two times each year.  We anticipate this will make the grant process much simpler and yield a better product.  It will also allow greater competition amongst the grant requestors.

May VLITE Board Meeting – (5/21/19) Comprehensive Energy Plan grants – grants which support projects that can be transformational — that can serve as models and open new pathways for renewable technologies, efficiency measures, support energy job training, and new energy sector business programs.

May 6, 2019 VLITE is accepting grant proposals for grants, which support projects that can be transformational

September Meeting – (9/10/19)

September will be low income efficiency and renewables

 

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Vermont Institute of Applied Meteorology

VLITE support has produced a strong working partnership for Lyndon State College to work with the Vermont Electric Power Company and IBM’s Deep Thunder project. This support has allowed Lyndon’s Atmospheric Sciences Department to conduct applied research to better understand how adverse weather affects Vermont’s electric infrastructure. These activities will engage our students in real-world experiential learning, and position the Vermont Institute of Applied Meteorology at Lyndon State College to become a regional leader in applied cutting-edge weather forecasting research.
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Electric Vehicle Incentives

dev_140515_56_600pxTransportation is the single largest energy use sector in Vermont, accounting for 34% of the state’s energy consumption and creating 46% of our greenhouse gas emissions. The Vermont Comprehensive Energy plan calls for shifting to 90% renewable energy across all sectors by 2050, with transportation playing a critical role. Electric vehicles (EVs) are a cost-effective strategy to achieve the State’s renewable energy goals for transportation, and Vermont is a leader in promoting EV adoption. VLITE has supported the Drive Electric Vermont program in marketing and promoting plug-in vehicles, including funding for a pilot incentive program. Vermonters receive the incentive by visiting one of 11 participating dealers across the state to receive $500 off the purchase or lease of a new EV, with the dealerships also receive a $200 upstream incentive for each EV sold to support their work transforming the new vehicle marketplace. Further consumer savings will accrue with lower costs of ownership for plug-in vehicles. This program has motivated consumers and auto dealerships to consider plug-in vehicle options in the car buying process. The expanded use of EVs supports economic vitality, energy efficiency, and air quality improvements which benefit all Vermonters.