[R]ICHMOND — A new program called Zero Energy Now will connect homeowners and businesses with incentives available for energy efficiency upgrades, including payments of up to $5,000 each for 50 Green Mountain Power customers.
The program was created by the Building Performance Professionals Association of Vermont, a trade group representing energy efficiency contractors. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and others spoke about the program Tuesday at a news conference in Richmond.
Customers eligible for the $5,000 payments live in the former Central Vermont Public Service Corp. territory.
Many customers may also meet requirements for an additional $2,500 in incentives offered through Efficiency Vermont, speakers at the news conference said.
The $5,000 incentive remains available until the end of the year. The money comes through the regulatory process that allowed Green Mountain Power to purchase Central Vermont Public Service, said Welch.
Tax credits also are often available for further savings on energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades, said Richard Feasy, a board member of the contractors group.
Zero Energy Now is promoting these savings and incentives along with other grants, tax breaks, financing and similar programs that could help residents reduce or eliminate their reliance on external power sources, Feasy said.
Weatherization, solar panels and heat pumps can free some Vermonters from electricity bills, Feasy said.
Zero Energy Now representatives put Vermonters in touch with energy contractors who can analyze a home’s energy needs and determine which technologies will best fit it and at what scale, said contractor Chuck Reiss, another board member. Energy contractors will also assess how to reduce a home’s energy requirements, Reiss said.
The Zero Energy Now referral services are free.
The organization guarantees its energy savings estimates and the quality of member contractors’ work. Zero Energy Now will pay the difference if actual energy use exceeds estimates and will fix unsatisfactory work, according to the organization’s website.
