For more than 50 years, VGS has proudly served Franklin, Chittenden, and Addison counties with safe, reliable, and affordable natural gas.
We have a record of keeping energy bills low to help support a robust local economy. We help Vermonters transition from oil and propane to a cleaner and more affordable fuel source. Our teams work tirelessly to ensure that our customers are safe and warm.
The new year is upon us and we are focused on the future. We have set an ambitious and comprehensive strategy to transform this company and eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. We’ll do this with a three-part plan that begins right away:
First, we propose investing $20 million up-front to double energy efficiency savings by 2025. This means we will triple home weatherizations and greatly expand efficiency improvements for commercial and industrial customers. With this plan, we will weatherize more than 3,300 homes by 2025, saving those families an average of $200 per year.
Second, we propose to dramatically expand the use of renewable natural gas (RNG) so that, by 2030, 20% of the total gas supply for homes and businesses will come from renewable sources. By capturing methane from places like farms, landfills, or wastewater plants, we can develop local sources of RNG that have positive environmental and economic impacts.
Finally, we are creating and advancing partnerships to speed the launch of pro-climate projects, such as district energy in both Burlington and Middlebury, a Net Zero Home Pilot with Burlington Electric Department, and an initiative to move RNG beyond the pipeline with NG Advantage. By working with partners, we can move smarter and faster to build affordable, zero-carbon solutions that fit our customers’ energy needs.
VGS has always been in the energy transformation business. From the company’s beginning in the 1960’s, we have brought families and businesses in northwestern Vermont cleaner, more affordable, more reliable and more convenient energy services. Our climate plan is the next phase of our ongoing transformation, as we work with our customers, communities and stakeholders to deliver on our climate goals. The impact of our work will be significant: By 2030, we expect an annual reduction of over 187,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions as compared to our emissions today. Translated into everyday terms, it’s equivalent to taking about 40,000 cars off the road — over 15% of all passenger vehicles registered in Vermont.
And, we are just getting started. In the wings, are other exciting opportunities that are being vetted and considered. Like we have seen across many sectors, as technology improves and costs come down, we can expect to make an even bigger impact. We embrace this future, and we stand with our partners, old and new, in the fight against global climate change. Together, we believe, our future is bright.
Happy New Year!
Don