In an effort to influence the state’s revised Comprehensive Energy Plan, the Vermont Public Interest Research Group presented state officials with 7,500 comment cards calling for 80 percent renewable electricity and heating fuel by 2030.
The VPIRG activists collected the comment cards in a door-to-door campaign across the state. The activists delivered the cards to Elizabeth Miller, the commissioner of the Department of Public Service, in a publicized meeting at her office.
Gov. Peter Shumlin has made the expansion of access to renewable energy a major priority of his administration. To that end, Miller has been charged with creating an energy plan likely to include a combination of wind, solar, hydro or biomass projects in the state of Vermont.
The primary purpose of the plan, as per the Vermont Energy Plan website, is to examine the state’s energy challenges and current energy sources.
VPIRG’s 7,500 fill-in-the-blank postcards were delivered a day before the July 15 public comment deadline. Miller said the Department of Public Service had received many comments prior to the deadline, and that most had “focused on in-state energy solutions, long-term energy security, along with the need to have an affordable [energy] portfolio.”
The cards all bore the same statements – written by VPIRG – with different signatures from residents throughout the state. Miller commended VPIRG, saying they do a “fantastic job of outreach and grassroots communication,” and said the comments would be considered as the administration drafts its energy plan.
Miller said an 80 percent renewable electricity portfolio appears to be attainable. She said 48 percent of electricity used in Vermont comes from renewable resources; 63 percent of that total comes from Hydro-Quebec, the rest comes from the state’s small solar and wind efforts, as well as biomass.
“We’re on a really good path that we just have to keep vigilant and keep moving on,” said Miller. Meeting ambitious renewable targets for transportation and heating energy will be more of a challenge, Miller said. Vermont has a long way to go to meet VPIRG’s goal of 80 percent by 2030.
“When you look at total energy usage statewide, heating is only about 5 percent renewable right now,” Miller said.
Though Shumlin has said he wants to increase the amount of renewable power in the state, his administration will not officially set a target until a draft of his comprehensive energy plan is released to the public in mid-August. The deadline for the final plan is Oct. 1. The Douglas administration prepared a draft “Comprehensive Energy Plan” in 2009, but it was never formally adopted. Shumlin says he is “revitalizing” the Douglas plan.
James Moore, clean energy program director for VPIRG, said the state needs to improve its energy standards to meet growing demand for renewable energy.
Dylan Zwicky, a VPIRG team leader, spent the early summer talking with Vermonters about future sources for electricity and fuels for transportation and heat. “Generally, all across the state, people want to see more renewable energy,” Zwicky said.
Many people have been turning to alternatives modes of travel such as public transit, carpools and bicycling, Zwicky said. Most of the Vermonters he interviewed, however, were less concerned about vehicular transportation.
Miller stressed that transportation will be an important part of the state’s energy plan. She said transportation costs are about 30 percent of Vermonters’ energy expenditures. Public transit, carpooling, more efficient vehicles, and even electric cars can be a part of the solution, she said.
“When you look at bringing transportation costs down, you have to look at several ways to do it,” Miller said.
