GMP & Customers Exceed 2017 Carbon Reduction Coals
29 January 2018
Colchester, Vt– Green Mountain Power (GMP) has set an ambitious goal for carbon reduction in 2018 and beyond. The goal is to partner with customers to drive down costs and eliminate more than 8,000 metric tons of carbon emissions per year using clean energy for the next two decades. This will result in eliminating more than 160,000 metric tons of carbon emissions and combined with past reductions is the equivalent of removing nearly 3,000 cars from our roads each year for the next 20 years.
“This kind of meaningful change is possible because there are ways to deliver lower cost and lower carbon energy solutions and GMP residential and business customers are actively engaged and committed to action,” says Mary Powell, president and CEO of GMP. “We know our customers value our efforts to reduce the state’s carbon footprint because they’ve proven it in the past. In 2017, for example, our target for carbon reduction was 3,000 metric tons and we actually eliminated 4,500 metric tons, the equivalent of removing about 1,000 cars from the road for the next 20 years. We thank our customers for their efforts to do that.”
GMP and other energy companies in the state are hard at work identifying and bringing to market renewable, clean alternatives to fossil fuel. At the same time, GMP is partnering with customers to help them reduce their energy use by offering rebates, low-cost loans and other incentives. GMP’s programs include:
- Residential programs that provide heat pumps, heat pump hot water heaters, battery storage and smart thermostats to Vermont homeowners at low cost or with favorable financing,
- Transportation programs that provide customers with in-home fast electric vehicle chargers and discounts on electric vehicles themselves,
- Customized projects that help commercial and industrial customers reduce their use of fossil fuels.
Powell related that many residential customers have taken advantage of GMP programs to bring leading-edge clean energy solutions to homes.
“More and more Vermonters are adopting solar energy solutions, battery storage, heat pumps and smart home devices each year,” she noted. “At GMP, our focus is to put these tools within the reach of more people. Through these innovations we can transform our energy use and drive down costs.”
She remarks that businesses, because of their scale and larger energy needs, can make an even bigger difference to the carbon bottom line.
“Energy innovation happens when you have the type of engaged energy community we have here, and we are thrilled that our Inspire Space has also attracted new energy entrepreneurs to Vermont who are working to transform options for customers. On the economics, we are finding solutions that can transform business practices and result in reduced energy use and cleaner methods,” Powell explained. “This change often results in savings for business customers, but that’s not the only reason they partner with us—or even the main one. Organizations in Vermont are committed to our environment and very proud of our state’s reputation as a leader in energy innovation.”
Just one organization that benefitted from GMP’s customer innovations was the Farm & Wilderness collection of summer camps.
“We operate a number of buildings in different locations year-round at Farm & Wilderness,” says Jay Kullman, sustainable resources director at Farm & Wilderness. “With the help of GMP, we installed Sensibo devices that allow us to monitor buildings when not in use, enabling us to reduce energy consumption even further with the heat pumps by keeping the temperature lower. When we plan on using one of our buildings, we simply use our smartphones to warm it in advance, and we no longer have to drive to the buildings to check on them during the winter,” he adds.
GMP customers who are interested in learning more about how a home or business could reduce its carbon footprint should reach out to Green Mountain Power at 888-835-4672 or contact Jeff Monder at 802-770-3392 or [email protected]
About GREEN MOUNTAIN POWER
Green Mountain Power (GMP) serves approximately 265,000 residential and business customers in Vermont and is partnering with Vermonters 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 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. In 2014, Vote Solar named GMP a Solar Champion. More information at: www.greenmountainpower.com. Connect with GMP on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @GreenMtnPower.
Kristin Carlson, Green Mountain Power
802-229-8200
[email protected]