Updated: 2/28/2012

Program status: We are now accepting Incentive Reservation Applications for the 2012 Incentive Program. For forms, please click here.

Program Policies*:

• Projects involving properties 50 years and older and/or projects involving any ground disturbance (pole/ground mount; fottings, trenching, etc.) must receive review and approval from the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. Please contact the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation or refer to Section G of the Incentive Reservation Applications for more information.

• Eligibility for the Efficiency adder is based on receiving: Residential - 1. An audit* completed by a BPI certified or Home Performance with Energy Star** participating contractor, State Weatherization service provider or Vermont Gas auditor (existing homes) -OR- 2. Participation and completion of the Vermont Energy Star Homes or Energy Code Plus programs (new construction). Non-residential -1. An audit completed by a participating Building Performance contractor or Vermont Gas auditor -OR- 2. Multifamily building audit by a State Weatherization service provider, participation in Efficiency Vermont Multifamily New Construction or VT Fuel Efficiency Partnership programs -OR- 3. ASHRAE Level 1 audit -OR- 4. Custom incentive agreement from Efficiency Vermont. Documentation of the above must be submitted with the Final Incentive Request. Group net –metered projects must provide proof that at least one home/business in the group has had an audit. Audits performed prior to the reservation application can be used to show compliance as long as the audit was performed in the past two years. The added incentive for those that have at least had an energy audit communicates the importance of energy efficiency and sets the expectation that energy efficiency activities should be an integral part of any state supported energy related project. Efficiency adder caps are set per customer.
  
  • * Minimum requirements for an audit include: blower-door testing; full CAZ testing; a walk through assessment areas that need to be insulated, and the existing effective R-value of those areas; and a written report of the audit from the contractor to be submitted with final project documentation.
    **Please be aware that in order for a customer to access certain energy efficiency incentives though Efficiency Vermont and/or PACE financing they will be required to use a HPwES participating contractor.  Group net-metering projects must include one building receiving one of the above measures

• The Public Service Board has recently rolled out their new expedited Certificate of Public Good process for Solar Electric Systems less than 5kW. For further information please click here. When submitting Final Project Documentation, include a copy of the Registration Form, stamped with the date it was submitted to the PSB.

• Customers/Grantees may not apply for both an Incentive and a grant/loan from the Clean Energy Development Fund for the same project. without prior approval from the CEDF.

• Customers/Grantees may apply for both an Incentive and the Vermont Business Solar Tax Credit. – please refer to a tax professional for more information.

• To qualify for an incentive in the Special Category, projects must be for low-income housing non-profits, municipalities, or public schools. Repeated incentives to the same entity for different buildings will be considered for approval dependent on program and market conditions.

• If a customer/grantee (individual, business, low-income multi-family, school, farm, local-state government) receives an incentive but then removes the installation for which the incentive was approved, the customer will not be granted any further incentives for that specific project type (i.e., solar thermal ), except for in exceptional circumstances as determined by the Renewable Energy Resource Center and the Vermont Department of Public Service.

• If a customer/grantee receives an incentive, but then removes the installation for which the incentive was approved, the customer must notify the Dept. of Public Service.  The customer has a fiscal obligation to the DPS equal to the incentive amount received from the State of Vermont through the small scale renewable energy incentive program. 

• The Clean Energy Development Fund/ Department of Public Service (DPS) reserves the right to modify or withdraw this program. Program procedures, requirements, terms and conditions, and incentive levels are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

*For full Incentive Program policies and procedures, please see Section E (and F if applicable) of the Incentive Reservation forms found here.

State and Federal Permit Requirements for Micro-Hydro Projects

Link to “ Vermont Micro-hydro Permitting Process” PDF