1. Leveraging Policies and Programs to Support Lower Income Vermonters
Middlebury College
ENVS401 Spring 2017
Alec Auwaerter, Nina Buzby, Caroline Corbally, Evelin Tóth, & Hannah Yindra
1 in 5 people suffer from fuel poverty in VT
Understand that in the next several years significant changes will have to occur throughout the state
Working with EAN in tandem with our Senior Seminar to develop case studies of sample “good practice” program in VT as well as out of state
In order to compare and identify some of the more effective strategies that these programs providing lower-income VTers with more energy transformation opportunities

2. Outline Barriers to reaching lower income Vermonters
Overview of Vermont program case studies
Strengths of Vermont programs
Limitations of Vermont programs
Overview of out of state programs
Key lessons from out of state programs
Final takeaways

3. Barriers to Reaching Lower Income Vermonters
Structural Barriers
Lack of Capital
Older Housing Stock
Renter Households: Split Incentive Problem
Multi-Family Households
Rural and Underserved Communities
Program Barriers
Transaction Costs and Mobility Issues
Insufficient Outreach and Lack of Awareness
Inadequate Sources of Funding and Capacity
Efficiency VT

4. Vermont Program Case Studies
eVolve Panton
Vital Communities
NeighborWorks of Western VT
Heat Saver Loan
eVolve Panton: A community-wide, rapid energy transformation pilot project aiming to bring significant energy improvements to over 80% of homes in Panton, VT and gather data to assess program replication.
Vital Communities: A community-based nonprofit in the Upper Connecticut River Valley, involved in two energy programs: i) Solarize: a campaign, which aimed to double the amount of residential solar in the target region. ii)Weatherize: a campaign targeted at weatherizing homes in 14 Vermont towns.
NeighborWorks of Western Vermont (NWWV): A nonprofit organization dedicated to providing three major counties in southwestern Vermont with energy efficiency services.
Heat Saver Loan: A state program providing loans at affordable terms to help Vermonters install renewable energy technologies and make energy efficiency upgrades in their homes.
eVolve
Community-wide rapid energy transformation pilot focused in the community of Panton, VT and supported by Green Mountain Power & Efficiency Vermont
Residential heating, electricity, renewable energy, transportation energy sectors
Vital communities
Uses partnerships with local contractors to provide a weatherization service to low-income residents in the Upper Valley, facilitated by local volunteer teams
Aims to double the amount of residential solar in the Upper Valley through community outreach and partnerships
Residential heating, renewable energy, electricity energy sectors
HSL
Provides loans at affordable terms to help Vermonters install renewable energy technologies and make energy efficiency upgrades in their homes.
Residential heating energy sector
NWWV
A nonprofit conglomerate of services for middle to lower incomes customers. Covers energy audits, repairs and loans. Educates on energy equity and home safety.
Coverage Areas of VT Case Study Programs

5. Key Strengths and Key Limitations
eVolve as an example:
Doesn’t explicitly focus on targeting lower income residents, renters, or multi-family homes (targeting homeowners in the town of Panton)
Example of a yellow squiggle: eVolve panton

6. Trending Strengths of VT Energy Equity Programs
NeighborWorks of Western Vermont Applicable Services
Trending Strengths of VT
Energy Equity Programs
Simple Application Process
Leveraging Partnerships
Integrated Energy Efficiency Education Programs
Successful Community-Based Strategies
Coordinating Program Delivery with Other Services
Collaborators of eVolve Panton
Alec Fill Out and refer to specific programs that meet these, give some brief concrete examples

7. Trending Limitations of VT Energy Equity Programs
The Unique Market of Renter Households
Including Multi-Family Households
Transportation
Health and Safety Issues
Securing Permanent Sources of Funding
Insufficient Data Collection
Lack of Awareness and Limited Outreach Programs

8. eVolve as an example:
Doesn’t explicitly focus on targeting lower income residents, renters, or multi-family homes

9. Out of State Programs
Federal Weatherization Assistance Program in Kansas City
iCanConserve
Healthy Homes
Massachusetts Save Low-Income Multifamily Retrofit Program
California Low Income Weatherization
Clean Vehicle Rebate Project
Location of out of state programs (Massachusetts, WIsconsin, Missouri, Oregon, California

10. Key Lessons from Out of State Programs
Limitations addressed by programs:
Renters
Multi-family
Transportation
Holistic Approach
Education
Funding
Important parts of all energy programs:
Community involvement
Local context
Simplicity
Key solutions we have found from 6 out of state programs:
Importance of commnity involvement adn local context
Transportation program
Landlord incentives
Multifamily incentives
Funding through cap and trade program

11. Renters Multifamily Weatherization Assistance Program, Kansas City
Short videos of participating landlords
Offering discounts
MASS Low Income Multifamily Program
Program dedicated to multi-family units
Residents apply, and grants are given to property owners
California Low-Income Weatherization
Provides incentives for owners for 80% of energy efficiency upgrades and 100% of solar installations
The tenant actually brought the program to me, told me about the program, and it’s been very positive for both us ... very, very beneficial to me and again it makes the home energy efficient, which means it helps out on the cost for the tenant.
-Quote from landlord video (Reames)

12. Transportation Holistic Approach
Clean Vehicle Rebate Project
Abundance of charging stations
Stable, secure funding
Government-support
Education and outreach
Weatherization Assistance Program, Kansas City
Pre-weatherization
Healthy Homes
Health and safety
California Low Income Weatherization
Lowering GHG emissions

13. Education Funding California Programs iCanConserve: Cap and Trade
Work with local schools to educate students and family members

14. Final Takeaways
Shared/trending strength & limitations to Vermont energy equity programs
Out of state programs offer solutions & strategies
Might not be perfectly transferable to a Vermont context
Broader Implications
Case for a just transition
2050 goal for 90% renewables - everyone needs to be involved & should reap the benefits
energy inequity in Vermont reflects the global theme of the role of low-income, marginalized communities in addressing the emerging threat of climate change. As such, energy equity initiatives in Vermont are not only important to address local fuel poverty, but they also represent the need to ensure that our global efforts to combat climate change are based on just and fully inclusive processes.

15. Acknowledgements Linda McGinnis, EAN
Kathy Morse and Diane Munroe, Middlebury College Environmental Studies Program
Our ENVS401 Spring 2017 Classmates
Brian Otley, Green Mountain Power
Paul Markowitz, Efficiency Vermont
Ed Delhagen, Heat Saver Loan
Melanie Paskevich, NeighborWorks of Western VT
Sarah Brock, Weatherize & Solarize Upper Valley
We would like to thank a series of people for helping us get to our final product - our community partner, our professors, our classmates and the individuals who took the time ot talk to us regarding the Vermont programs