August 19, 2026 VECAN E-News
Summer is winding down, the primary season is now in the rearview, and Vermonters are beginning to look ahead to fall…and before too long, another Vermont winter. With fossil fuel prices still sky high and household energy costs putting extreme pressure on family budgets, now’s the time to talk with your community about weatherizing, electrifying, and making upgrades to their homes.
With a packed lineup of energy fairs, regional gatherings, conferences, and webinars ahead, there are lots of opportunities to connect, learn, and get more involved this fall. See below for more information and timely updates, and please message if you would like to see your event promoted in this newsletter!
IN THE NEWS
The end of federal clean energy tax credits doesn’t mean that adopting clean energy no longer makes financial sense, far from it. A new analysis from RMI found that solar, EVs, and other residential clean energy technologies can still deliver meaningful household cost savings while driving emission reductions. Of interest, the researchers cite Vermont’s strong net metering policy for the significant savings it has delivered to participants.
Additionally, despite the loss of federal incentives, home battery installations are soaring across the country. Homeowners installed a record 673 megawatts of residential battery storage in the first quarter of 2026. High and rising utility bills, paired with supportive state policies, are helping drive demand for batteries, which can be paired with solar to reduce reliance on the grid.
Gas prices remain high, and that can make the financial case for going electric even stronger. Analysis shows that EV drivers who switch from a gas-powered vehicle to an EV could save an average of $1,805 per year on fuel and maintenance, with savings exceeding $3,000 annually for higher-mileage drivers. Hop on Coltura’s EV Savings Calculator to see how much you could save based on your own driving habits.
We’ve been hearing for decades that solar development poses a threat to farmland, but recent research tells a different story. Solar covers just about 0.07% of US farmland, and farming is increasingly happening alongside solar installations (i.e. agrivoltaics).
That means installing solar can be a proven boost for farmers. A recent Cornell study found that the overwhelming majority of farmers receiving solar lease payments used that income to continue or even expand farming, rather than leave agriculture: farmers who signed large-scale solar leases were three times more likely to say they would use that income to invest in their farms than to reduce their operations, while nearly half said they planned to make no changes to their agricultural practices.
The U.S has tapped less than 1% of its geothermal resources, but that’s changing fast. Next-generation geothermal could provide hundreds of gigawatts of clean, around-the-clock electricity, but developers face significant economic and permitting challenges. Fortunately, states across the political aisle are beginning to step in with direct investment and permitting reforms to help get promising projects off the ground.
Gov. Phil Scott recently announced the members of Vermont’s new AI Economic Task Force, which will explore how the rapidly developing technology could affect Vermont’s economy and communities. As AI increasingly dominates the digital sphere – and people’s lives, livelihoods and ways of living – digging deeply into what this new era means, what’s at stake, and what we can do to adjust will be important. To slow the meteoric rise of AI and to understand its impacts, Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling on major tech companies to pause AI development amid concerns about its pace and potential impacts.
RESOURCES & INFO
What’s the Deal with Plug-In Solar?
We’ve heard from quite a few energy leaders who are really excited about plug-in solar and curious to learn more. We’re excited too! We put together a quick summary on what it is, how it works, and the barriers that still exist before we can bring this new technology to Vermont homes. There’s an important caveat worth reiterating here: at this time, there are no fully compliant plug-in solar kits available for purchase that meet all of Vermont’s safety requirements.
More to come. Stay tuned for details on an upcoming plug-in solar webinar! And, in the meantime, please continue directing any questions about plug-in solar to info@vecan.org or to Ford at fyoung@vnrc.org.
Updates to EAN’s Vermont Energy Dashboard
The EAN Vermont Energy Dashboard has just been updated with 2025 data. The Dashboard tracks progress toward key clean energy technologies identified in Vermont’s 2021 Climate Action Plan, including electric vehicles, cold-climate heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and home weatherization.
The interactive tool lets you explore adoption over time and see how your town, county, or Regional Planning Commission compares. Explore the Dashboard to see how much progress your community has made!
Healthy, Affordable Homes for All
The Building Electrification Institute (BEI) has released a new framework, Healthy Affordable Homes for All, exploring how housing and climate solutions can work together to make homes healthier, more affordable, resilient, and fossil-fuel free. The framework looks at ways communities can advance building electrification while also addressing housing affordability, energy burden, public health, and economic opportunity. It’s available as a slide-based or full report on their website.
Build Your Organization’s Capacity with Capacity for Conservation
The Conservation Capacity Project is now offering free, expert support for U.S.-based conservation nonprofits and Tribes. Get one-on-one coaching in areas like fundraising, financial management, HR, cybersecurity, leadership, and organizational strategy, plus free webinars, tipsheets, and other resources.
Community Resources from Efficiency Vermont
Efficiency Vermont (EVT) launched an updated webpage of community resources designed for municipalities, volunteers, and local organizations working to advance energy efficiency. The new resources include outreach materials, planning tools, educational resources, and other materials to help support local energy efforts. You can sign up for their community partner newsletters and dive into the new resources on EVT’s website!
Create Climate Factsheets Tailored to Your Community
Climate change conversations can look very different depending on where people live. The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication’s Factsheets tool helps communities move beyond national averages by providing local information about climate beliefs, risk perceptions, and policy preferences.
The customizable tool allows users to create factsheets for all 50 states, congressional districts, and counties across the country. This resource can help local energy committees, municipalities, and community organizations better understand how their neighbors view climate change and support more informed conversations about local climate action.
Whether you are preparing a presentation, planning an outreach event, or looking for new ways to engage your community, these factsheets provide a useful snapshot of local perspectives.
EVENTS
South Burlington’s Green Community Festival
Join the South Burlington community for food trucks, live music, fun activities, raffle prizes, and more at the South Burlington Green Community Festival on Saturday, September 19th from 11am to 3pm at South Burlington City Hall. (rain date is Sunday, September 20) You can learn about energy efficiency, sustainability, and the environment from local nonprofits and businesses. There will be experts on hand to answer your questions about bike commuting, solar, heat pumps, energy upgrades, gardening, and more. There will be E-bike and other demos, plus lots of kids activities including, bounce house, Champ, and face painting! Free parking is available, including valet parking for bicycles. See you there!
Registration is Open for Energy Action Network’s 2026 Annual Summit
Save the date for September 23, 2026 in Essex, Vermont. Join EAN members and partners from across Vermont to learn about the latest data and analysis on energy affordability and Vermont’s energy and climate commitments, hear from energy leaders from Vermont and beyond sharing new ideas, and connect with other energy leaders from around the state.
The day will feature the latest research and insights on Vermont’s energy landscape, conversations with leaders working on innovative solutions, and opportunities to connect, collaborate, and share ideas with others working toward a cleaner, more affordable, and more resilient energy future.
More details about speakers and the agenda will be available later on. Registration is now open, with early bird pricing available through August 24. Learn more and register.
Registration is Open for Efficiency Vermont’s 2026 Best Practices Exchange
Efficiency Vermont is pleased to announce that the 2026 Best Practices Exchange (BPX) will once again be held in-person on September 23rd & 24th at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel in Killington, Vermont. You can register for the event here.
At BPX, C&I facility managers, decision makers, experienced mechanical contractors, and relevant product manufacturers join Efficiency Vermont’s Account Management and Energy Consultant teams to share industry best practices, connect with peers, and explore new approaches to improving energy performance.
The 2026 event will feature keynote speaker Jed Davis, Vice President of Strategic Engagement & Sustainability at Agri-Mark/Cabot Creamery, along with sessions focused on energy leadership in manufacturing, campus-wide energy improvements, refrigeration strategies, cost management, and emerging technologies.
For more information and registration details, visit Efficiency Vermont’s BPX webpage.
Registration is Open for VCRD’s 2026 Community Leadership Summit
On October 6th, join hundreds of community builders from across the state for the Vermont Council on Rural Development’s annual Leadership Summit -- a full day of connection, learning, and inspiration for anyone working to strengthen their town.
Whether you're a longtime local leader or someone just beginning to get involved, you'll find space to learn, share, and gather ideas you can bring home to your community. All people who care about their community and the future of our state are encouraged to attend! Registration is open, and you can find it here. Registration starts at $75, with $50 and $25 tiered options to keep the event accessible to all. If cost is a barrier, reach out to Margaret at info@vtrural.org to request a scholarship.
