Vermont legislature passes 100% renewable energy bill

On May 7, the Vermont Senate passed H.289, which would update Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard to require 100% renewables by 2035.

H.289 passed both the House and Senate with veto-proof majorities, so if Governor Scott vetoes the bill as expected, Renewable Energy Vermont believes it will become law when the Legislature reconvenes for its veto override session in June.

“The Vermont Legislature made history today with the Senate passing legislation crafted in the House to dramatically expand clean renewable energy deployment in our state. This ambitious plan, achieved through a strong and years-long collaboration between developers and utilities, puts Vermont on track to become only the second state in the nation to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2035,” said Chad Farrell, founder and co-CEO of Encore Renewable Energy, in a press statement. “This is a monumental step forward for Vermont’s environment and our future, one that we will be handing over to our children and additional generations to come. By embracing renewable energy, we can combat climate change, create energy security, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and create new jobs in a growing clean energy sector. This legislation reestablishes Vermont’s position as a national leader in clean energy and paves the way for a more sustainable future for all.”

This bill would make Vermont just the second state in the nation to mandate 100% renewables and is a major step forward for Vermont in meeting the legally mandating greenhouse gas reduction goals of the Global Warming Solutions Act.

News item from Renewable Energy Vermont