GMP Partnering with Communities to Work Together and Take Action to Reduce Carbon During the Global Climate Strike and Climate Week

GMP Also Awarding One Town 40 Trees and Free Planting to Further Reduce Carbon Emissions

COLCHESTER, Vt. – Green Mountain Power (GMP) is partnering with customers and communities across Vermont to help them with projects to reduce carbon emissions during the Global Climate Strike on September 20, and will continue community initiatives through September 27. GMP will work with the communities where its 15 district offices are located, to develop projects that support their local carbon cutting actions.

GMP is also increasing incentives for that week for customers to drive carbon out of their homes and businesses, by increasing rebates for electric vehicles, heat pumps and electric bikes. Customers will be able to qualify for up to $3,000 for EVs (up from $2,500) if they’re low/moderate income and up to $2,000 (up from $1,500) for other GMP customers, $650 for heat pumps (up from $400) and $250 for e-bikes (up from $200). GMP is also launching a new $50 rebate for electric mowers that will continue after Climate Week ends.

These programs, encouraged by the state’s leaders and legislation, and reviewed by regulators, help increase affordability and predictability for Vermonters while helping meet state decarbonization goals. When customers choose to go electric it helps cut carbon emissions because GMP’s power supply is 60% renewable and 90% carbon free. The switch also directly helps to cut costs for all GMP customers.

GMP’s Business Innovation Programs over the last two years alone have helped GMP partner with Vermont companies on projects that not only reduce their costs, but will offset more than 200 million pounds of carbon. “Without the help from GMP my business wouldn’t be growing the way it is now,” said Ben Hills, Owner of Flying Crow Coffee in Springfield. “The switch to electric roasting is huge for me, and knowing the power is 90% carbon free is great,” Hills said.

There are other benefits to going electric. According to Drive Electric Vermont, driving an electric vehicle is cheaper than fueling up with gas and maintenance costs are also less over the lifetime of the vehicle, making it a better option for many Vermonters. As part of the week, GMP employees will be offering rides in their electric vehicles, which represent a range of makes and models, so people can try it out and learn the benefits.

“You’re welcome to drive it – but don’t drive it if you are not ready to trade, because you are gonna want one,” said 91-year-old GMP customer Harold Eastman. The Colchester resident just purchased his second EV, and lets anyone test drive his car because he loves it so much.

“It is so exciting to see the progress we are making in Vermont in partnership with customers. All working together we can make a difference in the fight against climate change, while also offering programs that drive down costs for all customers. GMP is proud to partner with communities to assist them with projects to reduce emissions,” said Mary Powell, GMP President and CEO. “The students who have led the Global Climate Strike this past year are so inspiring and we’re proud to do our part to support their message and give back here in Vermont, while maintaining great service for all of our customers.”

GMP is also asking communities to apply to win 40 trees that GMP employees will plant, free of charge. GMP’s donations, including the free trees, will be paid through a charitable fund, and not by customers.

Communities can apply to win the free trees – by writing a short essay outlining:

Why the community wants the trees.
What winning will mean for the community.
How the community plans to care for the trees, to ensure they continue to reduce carbon for decades.

The essay should be emailed to Kristin Kelly by noon on Monday, September 16. GMP will announce the winning community and plant the trees there on Friday, September 20 during the Climate Week kick off. For people wanting to sign up for the EV taxi-like rides with GMP, please contact Graham Turk.

About Green Mountain Power

Green Mountain Power (GMP) serves approximately 265,000 residential and business customers in Vermont and is partnering with them to improve lives and transform communities. GMP is focused on a new way of doing business to meet the needs of customers with integrated energy services that help people use less energy and save money, while continuing to generate clean, cost-effective and reliable power in Vermont. GMP earned a spot on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in the World list three years in a row (2017, 2018, 2019). GMP is the first utility in the world to get a B Corp certification, meeting rigorous social, environmental, accountability and transparency standards and committing to use business as a force for good. J.D. Power’s 2018 rankings put GMP among top utilities for customer satisfaction. In 2019, GMP was named “One of the Best Places To Work in Vermont” by Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, and was the winner of the Deane C. Davis Outstanding Vermont Business of the Year Award.

Kristin Kelly, Green Mountain Power
(802) 318-0872
[email protected]