H.863 imposes a $0.30 fee on retail deliveries (like online orders shipped to Vermont) that are subject to sales tax, collected by vendors and listed separately on receipts. It permits municipalities to levy a local tax on gasoline and diesel fuel sales and allocates funds to transportation programs including electric vehicle incentives, public transit coordination, and creating pollinator habitats along roads. The bill also requires public EV charging stations to accept credit cards and provide real-time availability, and mandates a study on electric bicycle safety. These provisions aim to fund infrastructure improvements, support clean energy transitions, and enhance transportation equity.
This bill changes Vermont's Renewable Energy Standard to a Clean Energy Standard by including zero-emission energy sources, such as nuclear power, in the calculation of compliance. It updates reporting requirements under Section 202b of Vermont law to require the Commissioner of Public Service to assess how nuclear energy contributes to clean energy goals. The change directly affects Vermont electricity providers, who must now report nuclear energy as part of their clean energy compliance. The bill also requires annual reports to track progress toward clean energy targets, including cost-benefit analyses and equity considerations for different communities.
This bill directs Vermont's Public Utility Commission to study how to speed up renewable energy projects by identifying municipal or regional sites near existing power infrastructure. The study will examine whether developing projects closer to current transmission lines could reduce construction timelines and increase renewable energy facility development. The Commission must report findings to legislative committees by January 15, 2027. This study does not create new regulations or funding but aims to identify potential efficiency improvements for future renewable energy projects. The bill directly affects the Public Utility Commission's responsibilities and indirectly impacts renewable energy developers and communities.
This Vermont bill (S 170) freezes the current adjusted net metering rate for renewable energy customers until 2028. It directly affects residential and commercial solar energy users who receive credits for excess electricity sent to the grid. The key provision prohibits the Public Utility Commission from implementing new renewable energy credit adjustors or siting adjustors before the 2028 Biennial Update. This maintains existing billing calculations for solar customers without new rate changes through 2028. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.
H 710 clarifies when multiple electricity-generating facilities (like wind turbines or solar arrays) count as a single "plant" for regulatory purposes in Vermont. It states that facilities using the same technology (e.g., wind or solar) on the same or adjacent land parcels will be treated as one plant, unless specific exceptions apply. These exceptions cover individual net-metering systems (not on the same parcel), multi-owner projects on shared community land, or colocation of certain renewable energy programs with separate grid connections. The bill directly affects utility companies, renewable energy developers, and property owners managing multiple generating facilities, streamlining how the Public Utility Commission reviews projects. It takes effect July 1, 2026.
H.394 requires renewable energy developers to align projects with Vermont Conservation Design and state energy goals during planning. It limits the Public Utility Commission's review of grid upgrades to stability, reliability, and public health/safety, while creating a Public Energy Advocate to support applicants. The bill also sets a minimum annual target of 20 MW for net metering systems and increases the threshold for stricter review from 15 kW to 25 kW for larger installations. These changes directly affect solar/wind developers, local planning bodies, and the PUC, streamlining approvals for smaller projects (12 months for ≤5 MW) while maintaining environmental and safety safeguards.
Vermont's H.155 reauthorizes the state's Standard Offer Program, which provides long-term contracts for new renewable energy projects. It sets a 227.5 MW cumulative capacity limit for new projects (primarily solar and wind), with annual capacity increases phased from 5 MW to 20 MW starting in 2013. The program reserves specific portions of annual capacity for utility-owned projects (10-20%) and independent developers, while also allowing exceptions for agricultural methane projects and grid-benefiting installations. This directly affects renewable energy developers and Vermont utilities by creating a structured pathway for new clean energy generation.
Vermont's S.57 reauthorizes the Standard Offer Program to fund new small-scale renewable energy projects (up to 2.2 MW capacity) in the state. The bill sets a cumulative capacity cap of 227.5 MW, with annual increases (starting at 5 MW) distributed between utility providers (10-20% of annual capacity) and independent developers. It allows certain projects - like those using agricultural methane or offering grid benefits - to bypass the cap and requires utilities to share transmission constraint data with developers. Contracts for eligible projects will last 10-25 years, with pricing determined by the Public Service Commission to ensure cost-effective development.
H 125 requires Vermont's Secretary of Natural Resources to publish a detailed report by December 15, 2025, tracking how the state's energy shift affects residents and businesses. The report must compile five years of data on electric rates, solar installations by county, heating fuel sales, weatherization services (by income), renewable energy jobs, fuel sales, EV charging infrastructure, and regional energy consumption patterns. It also mandates analysis of equity impacts and recommendations for future reporting to better understand regional benefits and burdens from Vermont's energy transition. This procedural bill focuses on data collection, not policy changes, to inform future energy planning.
This bill requires Vermont's electric utilities and VELCO to submit a detailed report and map by 2026, identifying optimal locations for energy storage facilities and flexible energy management solutions. The report must analyze where these investments would best improve grid reliability, affordability, community resilience, and sustainability, using utility data and community health indicators. The Department of Public Service will use this plan to guide grant awards through the Clean Energy Development Board for energy storage projects. The plan must be updated every two years and will inform future climate and energy planning efforts.
