Speakers:

• Rob Sargent, Policy Director for Coltura, has three decades of experience on campaigns to expedite the deployment of local solar, energy storage, and the electrification of transportation and buildings. Coltura recently released a report on this topic titled: Cracking the Gasoline Code: Using new gasoline consumption data to lift the most gasoline-burdened Americans and cut gasoline use faster and more efficiently. Coltura also produced a Vermont specific overview of the topic.
• Darren Springer, General Manager of Burlington Electric Department since 2018, has led the development and implementation of Burlington’s Net Zero Energy Roadmap. In March 2024, BED became the first utility in the nation to add an additional incentive for Superusers who want to transition to an EV.
• Moderator: Karen Glitman, Senior Director of Distributed Energy Resources for the Center for Sustainable Energy, leads CSE’s efforts to uncover new opportunities to support entities around the nation in meeting a shared goal of decarbonization.

Join us for this in-person event to learn more about this topic, and to meet with other Network members and public sector partners for informal conversation. There will be light food available and plenty of time for networking. Please register in advance for this in-person event!

Cara, Jared, and Lena

P.S. Please also mark your calendars for the 2024 EAN Summit – September 18, 2024 at Bolton Valley Resort.

Just 57 companies linked to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions since 2016

Analysis reveals many big producers increased output of fossil fuels and related emissions in seven years after Paris climate deal

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A rarely used technique to upgrade old power lines could play a big role in fixing one of the largest obstacles facing clean energy, two reports found.

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Appliance efficiency standards save lives

Appliance standards prevented between 1,900 and 4,400 pollution-related deaths in 2017, according to research from nonprofit CLASP.

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Data Download

Gasoline “Superusers” in Vermont

Coltura recently released a report entitled “Cracking the Gasoline Code: Using new gasoline consumption data to lift the most gasoline-burdened Americans and cut gasoline use faster and more efficiently.” In this report they define the top 10% of U.S. gasoline users as “Gasoline Superusers” and argue that helping these drivers switch to electric vehicles will make an outsized impact on reducing greenhouse gasses and increasing financial savings.  

Coltura’s Vermont-specific analysis shows that Vermont has a much higher percentage of gasoline Superusers than the U.S. as a whole. In Vermont, 14% of drivers are gasoline Superusers, and these drivers use 41% of gasoline in the state. Vermont’s gasoline superusers burn 4.2x more gasoline than other Vermont drivers, and they also spend a significant portion of their household income on gasoline (13% on average).

Come to the EAN Leveraging Change speaker event on Tuesday April 16 to hear more about this topic! Learn more and register here.

Member Profile:

Burlington Electric Department

Burlington Electric Department (BED) has recently introduced new transportation-focused incentives to help the city make progress towards its Net Zero Energy goal. Among these new incentives, BED has launched the first utility incentive in the U.S. specifically designed to help high-mileage drivers transition to electric vehicles. The BED superuser incentive adds up to $500 in additional rebates for qualified high-mileage drivers, on top of their normal rebates. The incentive has also been designed to support gig drivers who provide ride hailing or food delivery services, so that they can also consider transitioning to an EV.  

Recognizing the challenge faced by renters and others without off-street parking who want to transition to an electric vehicle, BED has also started an “EV Charging for All” pilot. This pilot will allow BED to install five pole-mounted drop-down EV chargers to serve on-street parking spaces.

You can see more information about these programs and other electrification incentives in Burlington on the BED website.

Events and Opportunities

EAN 2024 Summit | Save The Date

EAN’s 2024 Summit will be September 18th at Bolton Valley Resort. More information coming soon!

Leveraging Change Speaker Series | The Benefits of Helping High Mileage Drivers Go Electric

Join fellow EAN members and public sector partners for a conversation about Gasoline Superusers and how new policies and programs could help these drivers move to EVs.

April 16 at 5 p.m. | Hugo’s Bar and Grill, Montpelier

Learn more and register

SolaVida Event | A Celebration of Showing Up

Every day lots of Vermonters get up and go to work in organizations that are helping and healing people: teachers, doctors, nurses, therapists, caregivers, teachers, social workers, reporters, advocates, town council members, legislators, and many more. They spend their time working to make our lives better. Come join us for an evening of stories told by Vermont storytellers, celebrating the work of the “communities of compassion” that are all around us. Storytellers will include staff from Energy Action Network and VPIRG. 

Saturday April 13th 7:30 p.m. | Zenbarn, Waterbury VT

Learn more and buy tickets

VECAN Spring Summit

VECAN brings together energy committees members who are working to advance clean energy and climate action in their communities around Vermont, and re-center their collective focus in a moment when these issues are center stage for federal and state legislative progress and funding opportunities. Please join them on June 1st to reconnect, collaborate and share conversation as we work to advance just and bold climate action!

June 1, 2024 at Vermont Law and Graduate School

Register

VEEP Adult Programming

Registration is open for Vermont Energy Education Program’s Summer Institute for teachers: Beyond the Standards – Solutions for Climate Change! 

June 24-28, 2024 in Albany, NH

Learn more

EAN Network Action Teams

EAN Network Action Teams meet regularly. If you are interested in joining meetings of the Weatherization at Scale Coalition, the Climate Workforce Coalition, or other teams, or if you want to learn more about their work, contact Cara: cara@eanvt.org.

Learn more

Vermont Climate Council Meetings

All Vermont Climate Council meetings and subcommittee meetings are open to the public, with all details on the Climate Council website.

How to make polluters pay: A new Vermont bill would create a “climate superfund.”

What if governments could simply charge companies for the costs of climate change? Four states are considering versions of bills to create “Climate Superfunds”, and VT may soon be the first state to pass one.

New York Times

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Months after devastating floods, VT renews climate-friendly rebuild efforts

A program that saw mixed success encouraging heat pumps and other upgrades in damaged homes in the wake of the disaster is now revisiting residents to work on long-term improvements.

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Emission Impossible:

Here’s what happened when two climate reporters tried to ditch natural gas

Two Vermont climate reporters chronicle their journey to decarbonize their home. It was more complicated than they had expected.

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