State of Vermont Taps Center for Sustainable Energy to Administer Clean Transportation Incentive Programs
Vermont Business Magazine The State of Vermont Agency of Transportation has selected the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) to develop and administer a suite of clean transportation incentive programs for state residents to help curb greenhouse gas emissions.
The transportation sector accounts for about 40% of Vermont’s carbon emissions. The programs, authorized by the 2021 Vermont Transportation Bill (Act 55), provide:
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$3 million to support incentives for the lease or purchase of new plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs).
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$1.5 million to create the Replace Your Ride Program, providing $3,000 for Vermonters to scrap older, high-polluting vehicles for cleaner transportation options.
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$50,000 to establish an electric bike incentive, the first authorized statewide e-bike program in the nation.
"We look forward to working with CSE to expand our program offerings and ensure options are available for all Vermonters," said Michele Boomhower, Agency of Transportation, Policy, Planning, & Intermodal Development Division Director.
“Our mission is to help government agencies at all levels to achieve their goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and provide a healthier environment for their constituents,” said Mark Bielecki, CSE senior director of transportation programs. “We are eager to make it easier for Vermonters to switch to electric vehicles and other modes of clean transportation.”
CSE’s role encompasses program design, incentive management, customer support, dealer education, creating online platforms and data dashboards and ongoing recordkeeping and reporting. CSE will administer:
Incentive Program for New PEVs – Launched in late 2019, it offers $1,500 to $4,000 for purchasing or leasing eligible plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicles. The higher amounts require low-income eligibility.
Replace Your Ride – An income-qualified program will be developed to scrap vehicles more than 10 years old and replace them with cleaner transportation, including new and used PEVs, electric bikes and shared mobility options such as bike sharing, carsharing and public transit. Incentives may be combined with the Incentive Program for New PEVs, MileageSmart (Vermont’s used vehicle incentive program) or the Electric Bicycle Incentive Program.
Electric Bicycle Incentives – A point-of-sale and consumer-direct incentive program will be developed for e-bike purchases made by residents at Vermont retailers or online.
The Replace Your Ride and Electric Bicycle Incentives are anticipated to launch later this summer. Incentive levels will vary based on the type of vehicle and individual tax filing status. Total program funding and incentive amounts are subject to change by pending legislation.
Vermont is the seventh state to select CSE as clean transportation incentive program managers, joining California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Oregon. Since 2010, CSE has managed more than $1 billion in electric vehicle incentive programs and interacted with 500,000 EV buyers.
For more information on current Vermont clean transportation incentives, visit Drive Electric Vermont.
About Center for Sustainable Energy
Center for Sustainable Energy® (CSE) is a national nonprofit that is transforming markets for clean transportation and distributed energy through software-enabled program design and administration. CSE has administered over $2 billion in cutting-edge programs for governments, utilities and the private sector across the U.S. CSE’s independence and data-driven approach have made it a trusted resource and partner for over 25 years. Visit: EnergyCenter.org.
Source: VTrans. 5.3.2022.