Total Energy News November 2022
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Your Update on Vermont and National Energy News
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Thanks to everyone who voted on the pitches that were presented to the Network at our 2022 Summit. As a result of the two rounds of voting, we are delighted to report back that EAN will be supporting three additional Network Action Teams in the coming year. All three are just getting started, but you can see the basics at their webpages below. If you are interested in getting more involved with any of these, please let Cara know (cara@eanvt.org). The new Network Action Teams are:
In other Network Action Team news, the Clean Transportation Equity Action Team is offering a lunch-and-learn webinar on November 16 to share the highlights and key takeaways from their work. Read more in the profile below, or register here.
Finally, the EAN Climate Workforce Network Action Team is asking employers in energy and climate to fill in a survey to help us learn more about how we can support building our workforce to meet Vermont’s Climate Action Plan requirements. Climate workforce employers who take this survey can choose to be in the drawing for a $150 prize. Please spread the word and the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ClimateWorkforce2022.
Gratefully,
Cara and Jared
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Climate pledges falling short – chaotic future looks more likely
With an annual summit next month, the United Nations assessed progress on countries’ past emissions commitments. Severe disruption would be hard to avoid on the current trajectory.
NY Times
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The Inflation Reduction Act podcasts
Volts shares a series of podcasts analyzing the inflation reduction act including history, context, and “wonky deep-dives” through interviews with Jesse Jenkins, Leah Stokes, and Adam McKay.
Volts
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New England states poised to capitalize on federal IRA funds
Every New England state except New Hampshire has adopted climate laws requiring greenhouse gas emission reductions. The work already done around those plans should help the states secure IRA funds.
Energy News Network
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Network Action Team Profile:
Clean Transportation Equity
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The EAN Clean Transportation Equity Network Action Team is finishing its work after a year of working to hear from a broad group of Vermonters about their clean transportation needs and desires.
The team will be offering a webinar highlighting their work on Wed. November 16 at noon, co-sponsored by EAN, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, and Capstone Community Action. The webinar will share the results of the team’s collaborative process to identify Vermonters’ challenges in the transportation and transit equity spaces and their experiences navigating existing clean transportation programs. The team partnered with organizations who could host focus group conversations throughout the summer of 2022 with communities that experience unmet transportation needs, and that are less represented in statewide conversations around clean transportation. Through these focus groups, they heard from Vermonters who experience high transportation cost burden and/or low transportation access, disproportionate transportation pollution, Vermonters with low income, youth, rural residents, those experiencing linguistic isolation, or those experiencing oppression or racism.
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Data Download: Home heating differences between renters and homeowners
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Low-income households don’t have the same access to improved heating options as their higher-income neighbors, placing already burdened Vermonters at the mercy of some of the highest cost and least efficient ways to heat their homes. Lower-income households are disproportionately dependent on two of the highest-cost heating sources: fuel oil and inefficient resistance electric systems.
In Vermont, 73% of households own their home, while 27% rent — and there are big differences in how owned versus rented homes are heated. In rental units there is often a “split incentive”, where the landlord is responsible for installation of heating equipment and weatherization, but the tenant pays the utility bill. This disincentivizes improvements that could lead to financial savings and a healthier home for many renters.
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EAN Lunch and Learn: Clean Transportation Equity
Learn about the highlights and key takeaways from the work of this Network Action Team.
Wednesday, November 16, noon-1pm
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EAN Network Action Teams
EAN Network Action Teams meet regularly. If you are interested in joining meetings of the Weatherization at Scale Coalition, the Climate Workforce Coalition, or other teams, or if you want to learn more about their work, contact Cara: cara@eanvt.org.
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DeltaClimeVT
DeltaClimeVT is seeking innovative, early-stage, start-ups addressing the decarbonization of buildings, transportation, heating and industrial processes through electrification, biofuels or other renewables with a particular focus on load management controls integrated with storage, heat pumps and building systems, particularly those that address under-represented and low to moderate income populations. Entrepreneurs will be working directly with Vermont utilities to contribute to Vermont’s 90/50 and Burlington’s Net Zero by 2030 goals. Featuring the world-class @ecosVC™ curriculum, a $25,000 non-equity prize for the top venture; paid pilot opportunities; extensive peer feedback; work directly with potential customers, partners, mentors and investors.
Application period ends February 5, 2023
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Vermont Climate Council Meetings
All Vermont Climate Council meetings and subcommittee meetings are open to the public, with all details on the Climate Council website.
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The Vermont Total Energy Ticker
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After a windfall year, funding for heating assistance recedes as oil prices rise
Last year VT received $49 million in federal funds to help Vermonters pay heating bills, this year the need will be greater, but only $27 million in federal funds will be available.
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Officials Announce new online tool for weatherization and efficiency resources
The Button Up Vermont campaign offers a new online resource which lists programs and tools available to those who want to learn more about weatherization and home improvement incentives.
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BED delploys The Orb wind turbine at BTV in pursuit of Net Zero Energy
Burlington Electric Department is piloting a new eight-foot, commercial scale wind technology that can work on rooftops on the garage roof at the Burlington Airport.
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Have an upcoming event or news story to share? Let us know.
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