Vermont Business Magazine
Summary
Mayor Miro Weinberger, the Burlington Electric Department, and other city team and community leaders today jointly announced that Burlington is off to a great start toward meeting its ambitious Net Zero Energy city by 2030 goal(link is external) and that continuing to stay on track will require strong action during the rest of 2021 and beyond.
The update to the 2019 Net Zero Energy Roadmap(link is external), the first since the 2018 baseline numbers were presented by Synapse Energy Economics and Resource Systems Group, concludes that the city is on the right path to reach its 2030 goal with reduced fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions in both 2019 and 2020.
The mayor set forth key 2021 steps for reaching Net Zero Energy, including: implementing energy policy changes; creating a district energy system; building a bike lane network; and continuing BED’s Green Stimulus programs, while planning for a revenue bond plan to support future electrification incentives and Net Zero Energy infrastructure.
“Burlington’s Net Zero Energy roadmap is both one of the most ambitious local climate plans anywhere in our country and a feasible, optimistic vision for bringing the climate emergency to an end,” stated Mayor Weinberger. “It’s exciting to learn that Burlington is on track to meet our goal. Through very tangible actions by our Burlington community, we have been able to achieve great progress, and I thank our engaged citizens for their focus and efforts. We must continue to take such bold steps to help us lock in additional emissions reductions and continue our progress toward Net Zero Energy.”
Next Steps Include:
Creating a Burlington District Energy System (DES)
- In 2021, Phase III of the district energy work currently underway with the City of Burlington, BED, VGS, University of Vermont Medical Center, and City partner Ever-Green Energy will be completed. While the City has explored a DES for more than 30 years, no prior effort has ever reached this stage.
- The goal of the current work is to reach a “Go/No-Go” decision and, if a “Go” decision is made, to make every effort to advance this project to permitting and construction.
- DES has the potential to reduce Burlington commercial sector natural gas related greenhouse gas emissions by more than 11.5 percent.
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