By Ryan Delaney
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-992143.mp3
Randolph, VT – Vermont is setting the goal of having 90 percent of all its energy coming from renewable sources by mid-century. The state is well on its way in some areas, but has a ways to go in others.
This is Vermont's first overhaul of its energy plan since the late 90's. But even without the plan, the state has been expanding its renewable energy sources.
Solar fields have recently popped up in Vergennes and South Burlington. Last week a wind farm went online in Sheffield. But the push to cleaner power sources hasn't been without controversy - even in a state known for being progressive. A battle is being waged against a wind project under construction in Lowell.
But environmentalists say the goals in the Comprehensive Energy Plan are achievable, but exactly how to get there is debated.
Small scale projects - especially solar - are much better for the environment and the customer, according to chair of Lyndon State College's sustainability studies program, Benjamin Luce.
"We're much better off with the smaller projects," Luce said. "The bigger projects are much more destructive to the environment. There's much less of that resources because it's very highly concentrated. One has to build a lot of transmission lines for those large projects. And it's not very democratic; people don't really own or control their power system."
The new solar and wind projects have helped Vermont already get about half of its electricity from renewable sources. But that number drops off when transportation and heating sources are factored in. Considering all three, Vermont is only at about 25 percent renewable. Vermonters often must drive further distances since the state is so rural, and that will pose challenges. The plan also calls for an expansion in natural gas usage for home heating, which Luce said he's concerned about.
The Vermont Public Interest Research Group, or VPIRG, would like the state to try and meet the goals of the plan even faster.
"It lays out a lot of good recommendations, but what we really need right now is to move very quickly towards renewable electricity. It lays out some things to make that happen, but it doesn't have the state moving quite fast enough," said Ben Walsh, VPIRG's clean energy advocate.
Speaking this past weekend at the Environmental Action Conference in Randolph, Gov. Peter Shumlin touted the economic benefit meeting these goals could have.
"It seems that as long as we talk about climate change, we're not getting the attention of everybody that we need to get. It doesn't mean we should stop," said Shumlin. "But I do think that we should also talk by leading by example and showing the huge economic opportunity as we move from an oil driven economy to one that finds different ways to power Vermont."
The Public Service Board, which authored the plan, and other environmentalists say along with finding renewable energy sources, Vermonters will also need to reduce their overall energy consumption over the next several decades.
The public comment period on the plan ends Friday with a final report expected in December. You can read and comment on the plan on the Vermont Public Service Board's website.