New law re-opens the opportunity for self-generation to all Vermonters
East Montpelier, VT – Governor Peter Shumlin signed H. 702 into law Tuesday morning at the McKnight Farm in East Montpelier, with the enthusiastic support of renewable energy businesses and others supporting a clean, sustainable energy future.
Net-metering, the state program that allows Vermonters to produce their own electricity, through small hydro, wind and solar energy, will be re-opened for business after reaching an arbitrary cap that limited some utilities’ ability to continue to allow rate payers to connect their self-produced electricity to the grid. H. 702 passed 136-8 through the Vermont House and unanimously in the Senate.
“Renewable Energy Vermont is pleased to see the overwhelming tri-partisan support for net-metering in Vermont,” said Renewable Energy Vermont (REV) Chair, Tom Hughes of Sunward Systems. “With the passage of this bill, renewable energy businesses can get back to work offering solar to all Vermonters and we can keep our #1 ranking in solar jobs per capita.”
“Net metering is a winning proposition for Vermont. We’ve seen millions of dollars of energy savings as a result of solar energy. Our transmission company has been able to defer large transmission projects as a result of more Vermonters generating clean energy, close to where it is needed in coordination with increased efficiency. This is smart energy, job, financial and climate policy,” stated Gabrielle Stebbins, Executive Director of REV.
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