The State of Vermont has announced an incentive to encourage a switch to biomass pellets for heating purposes.
Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin ordered that the incentives become part of the state’s comprehensive energy plan due out this fall. “This makes sense for Vermont’s economy; it makes sense for Vermont’s environment; and it makes sense for Vermonters’ pocketbooks,” he said. “This would be a great use of wood and pellets, and a strong integration of our energy goals with our economic interests.”
The state has not mandated a timeline for implementing the new incentives, but Efficiency Vermont hopes to launch it this summer, according to George Twigg, the group’s deputy policy director. The state already provides direct financial incentives to consumers for fossil fuels, he said, and this program will be similar, although the specific amount has yet to be determined. The incentives will essentially be a rebate for purchasing wood pellet-burning equipment and will apply to residential, as well as commercial applications.
