Total Energy News | April 2026 | |
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The Iran war is driving a clean energy wake-up call
China, Spain, and other countries increasingly rely on renewables, helping them avoid oil and gas price volatility as conflict in the Middle East continues.
Canary Media
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Offshore wind energy more reliable, affordable for New England ratepayers
A report released by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that offshore wind energy could have significantly lowered the risk of a blackout in the New England winter season.
Concord Monitor
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Used EVs are a bargain right now — and buyers are noticing
New EV sales may be falling, but used models are more plentiful and cheaper than they’ve ever been. That’s a big opportunity as gas prices surge.
Canary Media
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Profile | Energy Coaching
Network Action Team
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After the 2025 Annual EAN Network Summit, a new Energy Coaching Network Action Team was established. The goal of this team is to increase capacity to be able to provide households with resources and support to help them navigate a transition to clean and more durably affordable energy options, and to complete projects that help them move away from fossil fuels.
During the winter, the co-chairs of this team interviewed a variety of different stakeholders to gather a more complete understanding of what coaching services are already provided in Vermont, what gaps exist, and how key partners view the idea of a statewide energy-coaching network.
On April 7th the co-chairs shared their findings in a webinar / meeting with a short presentation, followed by conversations with attendees. They invite Network members and partners to watch the video and fill in a survey to share your thoughts before June 2026.
You can find the video, slides and survey on the EAN website.
| | | Data Download | Assessing the Impact of Recent Fossil Fuel Price Increases on Vermonters | | |
Total gasoline costs in Vermont were over $15 million higher in March than they would have been if gasoline prices had stayed at their end of February level. Specifically, if gasoline prices had held steady at their pre-war price of $3.00/gallon, projected gasoline expenditures in Vermont for March would have been just over $73 million (assuming average daily gasoline consumption from 2025). Instead, over $88 million is projected to have been spent, with statewide monthly average prices of $3.62/gallon.
This finding is part of EAN’s new analysis of the impact to Vermonters from the March 2026 price spikes in gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil. Other findings include:
- Fossil fuel price increases added $32.4 million in estimated costs for Vermont drivers and fuel oil customers in the month of March (from about $141 million to $174 million for gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil).
- The cost of gasoline for the average Vermont driver increased by more than $50 a month, to about $210, as of the end of March.
- Fuel oil costs increased by over $1.50 in March. For every additional dollar per gallon, fuel oil costs increase by about $700 per year for an average Vermont home during an average Vermont winter. At $2 a gallon higher, average annual fuel oil costs increase by over $1,400.
See the full analysis on the blog post Assessing the Impact of Recent Fossil Fuel Price Increases on Vermonters.
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2026 EAN Annual Network Summit
Save the date to join other Network members and partners to gather, network, and learn together. Registration will open in May.
September 23, 2026 – Essex, Vermont
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Stretch Code, HERS Raters, and Municipalities: Learning from Massachusetts | Online meeting
This meeting will provide the opportunity to learn about how Massachusetts approaches residential energy code enforcement. We will hear from Ian Finlayson, the Deputy Director of Building Codes and Policy at the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, about how HERS raters coordinate and interface with municipalities to support energy code compliance in Massachusetts.
May 11, 2026 – at noon on Zoom
Learn more and register
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LEAP Energy Fair
The LEAP Energy Fair is the largest in Vermont, and it’s completely free. Tour 60 exhibits and talk to experts about heat pumps, weatherization, solar power, energy audits, electric vehicles, electric lawn tools, financing, subsidies, and much more. Attend breakout sessions on topics of special interest.
Saturday, April 11 – Duxbury, VT
Learn more
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Better Buildings By Design
Efficiency Vermont’s annual conference has a 2026 theme of “Tight Margins, Bold Moves: Building for Affordability, Efficiency, and Electrification”. If you attend, consider joining one of the EAN connected sessions on Thursday May 7th on Energy Affordability in Heating and Cooling (with Jared Duval and Kelly Lucci) and/or on Funding Weatherization (with members of the Weatherization at Scale Coalition).
May 6-7, 2026 – South Burlington, VT
Learn more and register
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2026 Vermont Walk/Bike Summit
Bennington County Regional Commission in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Transportation will host this year’s statewide Vermont Walk/Bike Summit.
May 8, 2026 – Bennington, VT
Learn more and register
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Southern Vermont Economy Summit
The ninth annual Southern Vermont Economy Summit will include a panel on “System Shifts for a Climate-Ready Business Future”.
May 12, 2026 – Dover, VT
Learn more and register
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Vermont Building Energy Workforce Development Program RFP
The Vermont Department of Public Service seeks proposals from qualified entities to develop and implement workforce development programs that expand and strengthen Vermont’s energy efficiency, weatherization, electrification, and clean energy workforce.
Proposals due June 15
Learn more
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EAN Network Action Teams
EAN Network Action Teams meet regularly. If you are interested in joining meetings of any EAN Network Action Teams or Coalitions, contact Cara cara@eanvt.org.
Learn more
| | The Vermont Total Energy Ticker | |
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Assessing the impact of recent fossil fuel price increases on Vermonters
How are the fossil fuel price spikes that began with the onset of war in Iran affecting Vermont, both at a consumer level and statewide? EAN analyzed impacts for the month of March, looking at gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil costs.
EAN
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Vermont defends its landmark climate superfund law against Trump administration lawsuit
Vermont’s effort to make fossil fuel companies pay for damage caused by climate change was tested in a federal courtroom, where the state argued that two lawsuits challenging its groundbreaking 2024 law should be thrown out.
Vermont Public
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Gas utility and housing trust to build Vermont’s first ever geothermal-heated neighborhood
Vermont’s natural gas utility is teaming up with two local affordable housing developers to experiment with using geothermal energy to heat a new neighborhood in Hinesburg without fossil fuels.
Vermont Public
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