In 2009, a total of 4,778 kilowatt hours of renewable net-metered electricity were generated from solar and wind sources Vermont. In examining the Renewable Energy Production Map, size of community does not always relate to generation of renewable energy. The three top renewable generating communities were South Burlington, Hinesburg, and Montpelier. The data behind the map came from the Vermont Public Service Board. The idea behind creating this map was to encourage competition among towns as to who can generate the most renewable energy within their border. Other possible variations on this map would be to look at the per capita generation or the percent of consumption within the community that comes from renewables. How does Vermont stack up against the rest of the country? Will the 2010 show a major boost in renewable net-metered power?
According to the Public Service Board, “Any electrical utility customer in Vermont can net meter once they have obtained a Certificate of Public Good (CPG). Vermont’s net metering law caps the size of net metering generators at 15 kilowatts of generation for the following renewable forms of energy generation: photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, and fuel cells (when fueled by renewable sources). Farmers who generate electricity from farm produced methane can generate up to 150 kilowatts. This 150 kilowatt limit offers an opportunity to farms to economically generate their own power and reduce demand from utilities.” (http://publicservice.vermont.gov/energy/ee_netmetering.html)
Map prepared by David Healy, Stone Environmental Inc., Montpelier,VT 05602, 802.229.1879, dhealy@stone-env.com
