Burlington Electric Issues RFI for New Projects and Programs to Help Reduce or Eliminate Fossil Fuel Consumption

Burlington, VT – The Burlington Electric Department (BED) today issued a Request for Information (RFI) through which BED is requesting ideas for new projects and programs that will help reduce or eliminate fossil fuel consumption as part of the City of Burlington’s effort to become a “Net Zero Energy City” across electric, thermal, and ground transportation sectors and BED’s effort to meet its 2018 “Tier 3” program goals under Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES). BED, the first utility in Vermont to open up participation in its “Tier 3” electrification program in this manner, has invited customers, businesses, non-profits, and the greater Burlington community to use its newly-launched web tool that provides instant feedback on the potential BED incentive that would support new project and program ideas.
 
“While our team at Burlington Electric continues to take innovative steps toward realizing Burlington’s vision of becoming a Net Zero Energy City, we will move even more quickly toward our net zero goal by tapping into cutting edge ideas created by members of our community, our businesses, and non-profits,” stated Mayor Miro Weinberger. “I applaud BED for launching this bold initiative that will create new partnerships while seeking the best, most cost-effective ideas on how to meet our ambitious climate and energy goals.”
 
This unique RFI, which is posted on the BED website and open for 60 days, seeks to help BED find the most cost-effective and innovative project and program ideas from the broader community and, after careful evaluation, implement one or more of them. The accompanying web tool provides RFI participants who input project information, including lifetime of the proposed project, type and amount of fossil fuel saved, and total project cost, with instant feedback on how much potential incentive BED would provide to support the project if selected by BED. RFI participants may contact BED technical experts at innovation@burlingtonelectric.com with questions as they create their responses.
 
“Vermont has made exciting and important energy transformation commitments, from the Paris Climate Agreement to our Comprehensive Energy Plan, which calls for 90 percent of our energy needs to be met with renewable sources by 2050, to our Renewable Energy Standard,” said Jared Duval, Executive Director of the Energy Action Network. “BED’s new web tool provides an incredible opportunity to draw on the expertise and creativity held across Vermont in service of generating more ideas to help us move beyond fossil fuels.” 
 
“Businesses know that Vermont’s clean energy future is good for the environment and good for the economy,” said Jane Campbell, Executive Director of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. “Lofty goals are important, but action also is required. Innovative programs such as this one offered by Burlington Electric will empower businesses and individuals to help move Vermont toward becoming a net zero energy state.”
 
“As part of our work to move toward our net zero goal, BED has prioritized partnerships to advance new technologies, including our partnership with local bike shops on our electric bike rebate and with Green Mountain Transit on deploying electric buses,” added Darren Springer, BED Chief Operating Officer and Manager of Strategy and Innovation. “We know there are more opportunities to partner on new transformational projects and programs. By inviting creative proposals from the broader community, this RFI ensures that BED will stay on the leading edge of innovation.”
 
BED already has been a leader in offering innovative initiatives under Vermont’s RES “Tier 3” program, including electric vehicle rebates and financing programs, electric bike (E-bike) and conversion kit rebates, E-bike test ride lending library, cold-climate heat pump incentives for oil and propane customers, and support for procurement of up to four electric buses by Green Mountain Transit.