Vermont – and the world’s – reliance on fossil fuels is coming at a significant cost to already-strained budgets, public health and the planet. This dependence on dirty energy is misguided because of the readily available clean energy solutions that are affordable, efficient, and often easier to deploy. Vermont has an economic opportunity – and legal and ethical responsibility – to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and help all people access less costly transportation, heating and power needs. 

The high costs of the fossil-fueled status quo are disproportionately borne by lower-income earners. Currently, many economically disadvantaged Vermonters spend a disproportionate amount of their income on heating, transportation, and electricity. Fossil fuels, like oil, gas, and propane are expensive and part of a volatile global market. In contrast, clean energy can be produced locally, and is an affordable and healthier solution for our communities. 

We have the opportunity to help all Vermonters — particularly those with low to moderate incomes — transition to cheaper, cleaner energy solutions. By transitioning away from fossil fuels so that we can reduce costs, build our energy independence, improve public health, and create valuable local jobs that will benefit Vermonters and our environment. Outside of the electric sector – where we have made significant progress and have more good work to do – we currently have limited tools in our toolbox to help Vermonters reduce energy bills and climate pollution in our two most polluting sectors – transportation and heating. For this reason, it is imperative that we focus on policy, regulatory, and programmatic solutions that reduce Vermont’s reliance on high-cost, price-volatile fossil fuels for transportation and heating. Check out the 2025 Vermont Climate Action Plan for the recommended strategies to make needed progress.

Clean Transportation 

Many Vermonters who live rurally must rely on a vehicle to get to work, school, the grocery store, and other daily necessities. Helping Vermonters – low income Vermonters in particular – get into cleaner, more efficient and less costly electric vehicles is a critical climate and economic issue. Right now, there are no federal or state incentives for EVs, and this makes accessing and affording a cleaner, less costly car even harder. To accelerate EV adoption, reinstating state incentives for electric vehicles and electric bikes for low- and moderate-income Vermonters is crucial  These incentives hinge on identifying or establishing a sustainable funding source that can support such programs – like a cap-and-invest policy. A sustainable funding source is also a fundamental tool for supporting needed investments in public transit and active transportation solutions like biking and walking. Find out more about the importance of reducing transportation related pollution – as well as the policies and strategies to help cut costs and carbon – in the 2025 Climate Action Plan.

Clean Heat

The largest share of energy use in Vermont is for thermal purposes, primarily for space and water heating. How we heat and cool our buildings also has a significant climate impact – equating to about 30 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions we collectively emit. To stay warm, Vermonters rely heavily on imported, price-volatile fossil fuels, which creates a significant strain on family budgets. More efficient heating technologies are at our fingertips, but the upfront capital costs often make them out of reach for many families, leaving people tethered to fossil fuels and skyrocketing energy bills. Weatherization, beneficial electrification and efficiency are key solutions to reducing Vermonters energy cost burdens as well as curbing planet-warming pollution. Unfortunately, while Vermont has successful programs such as low income weatherization, we lack sufficient and stable funding to make those solutions available to more Vermonters. We also lack the policy and regulatory frameworks to raise consistent revenues and reduce pollution as obligated by law. Vermont must identify and advance the necessary policy and regulatory tools to reduce pollution and raise revenues needed to help more people save money, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and enjoy healthier, more comfortable homes. Check out the 2025 Vermont Climate Action Plan for an overview of the solutions needed to help more Vermonters enjoy cleaner, less costly ways to stay warm. 

Clean Power The modernization of Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard represents the largest single move towards renewable electricity and away from fossil-fueled power that Vermont has ever taken. The law puts Vermont on track to achieve 100% renewable electricity across all the state’s utilities by 2035. Vermont’s clean, renewable energy portfolio is also essential to reduce fossil fuel reliance and consumption in the transportation and heating sectors. Leaning into a clean power grid will accelerate pollution reduction and cost-saving opportunities by helping more Vermonters benefit from cleaner, more efficient, electric transportation and heating solutions.