Sustainable Energy Resource Group 2007 Annual Report

TOWN ENERGY COMMITTEES & VERMONT ENERGY & CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK (VECAN) ˆ This year, SERG networked and consulted on numerous initiatives with more than 40 local energy committees throughout Vermont and New Hampshire, more than twice last year's number of committees. Working with our VECAN partners , we organized a statewide gathering where more than 60 committee representatives shared experiences and created a website for town energy committees. The website will list resources and initiatives and enable committees to list their accomplishments and connect with other committees working on similar issues.

WEATHERIZATION WORKSHOP ˆ SERG worked with Efficiency Vermont, energy committees and professional Home Performance contractors to organize 3 weatherization workshops in Putney, Montpelier and Thetford. The workshops taught more than 120 homeowners how to identify and seal the most common areas of heat loss and the importance of ventilation, health and safety related to tight buildings. Numerous towns have expressed interest in additional workshops next year. We thank Mascoma Savings Bank, New England Grassroots Environment Fund and The Byrne Foundation for their support for these workshops.

LIBRARY RESOURCE KITS ˆ SERG distributed educational resources kits with books, DVDs and a wattmeter teaching about the impacts of climate change and how to save energy in your homes to 27 town libraries throughout Vermont and the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire. Energy committees in those towns are helping to promote and encourage the use of the library kit materials.

STREET LIGHTING CAMPAIGN ˆ For more than two years, SERG consulted with the Town of Thetford in its case before the Vermont Public Service Board to secure ownership of streetlights from Central Vermont Public Service, which resisted this request. Ownership should save towns money and broaden their choice of efficient lights, fixtures and controls. While we applaud CVPS's decision this year to allow for town ownership, the terms and conditions established by CVPS for ownership are not favorable to towns. We hope to address these issues in CVPS's next general rate case.

COMPACT FLUORESCENT BULB SALES ˆ SERG sold 625 CFL's this year. Over their lifetimes, these bulbs will: reduce electric use by 290,000 kilo-Watt hours, save $34,000 in energy expenditures and cut CO2 emissions by over 220 tons.

HOME ASSESSMENTS ˆ Over the past year SERG conducted more than a dozen home energy audits and provided reports to homeowners on reducing energy use. We hope to expand this program in the coming year.

LEBANON LANDFILL METHANE ˆ SERG met with representatives from Pike Industries and Carroll Concrete to discuss their interest in using methane from the Lebanon Landfill. Both companies are interested in using this renewable energy for heat and electricity, which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and odors from the landfill and provide a revenue stream for Lebanon.

SERG 2006 Annual Report

TOWN ENERGY COMMITTEES & VERMONT ENERGY & CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK (VECAN) - SERG helped form new energy committees and implement energy-saving programs in Hanover (street lighting), Putney (CFL sales), Sharon (biodiesel in town equipment) and Strafford (just forming) this year. We also worked with our VECAN partners to replicate SERG's model of town energy committees, and

Created an Energy and Climate Action Guide to help form new energy committees.

Led a workshop on forming new town energy committees at a state-wide environmental conference.

Networked with 20 local energy committees throughout Vermont and New Hampshire and facilitated a Vermont state-wide gathering for all committees to share experiences.

STREET LIGHTING CAMPAIGN - SERG consulted with the Town of Thetford in its case before the Vermont Public Service Board to secure ownership of streetlights from Central Vermont Public Service, which is resisting this request. Town ownership would save Thetford money and enable it to install more efficient lights, fixtures and controls. A positive decision by the VPSB would set a precedent to benefit other Vermont towns.

LEBANON LANDFILL METHANE - SERG recruited a Dartmouth graduate student to conduct a study and produce a report on the economic and technical feasibility of collecting and using methane from the Lebanon Landfill. The study findings look promising for using this renewable energy for heat and electricity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and odors from the landfill and providing a revenue stream for the City.

COMPACT FLUORESCENT BULB SALES - SERG sold 227 CFL's this year. Over their lifetimes, these bulbs will: reduce electric use by 136,350 kilo-Watt hours, save $16,362 in energy expenditures and cut CO2 emissions by over 100 tons.

HOME ASSESSMENTS - Last heating season SERG analyzed and reported on the home heating efficiency of 165 residential energy surveys. We also conducted 9 home energy audits and provided reports to homeowners on reducing energy use.

EDUCATION & OUTREACH

Organized a biodiesel workshop attended by representatives from 20 towns, institutions and businesses using large quantities of diesel.

Provided periodic information to our database of almost 1300 people about energy-saving tips, and issues concerning the Vermont Yankee and wind developments.

Organized community showings of the films "End of Suburbia" and "Kilowatt Ours" and a public forum featuring Paul Scheckel, author of "The Home Energy Diet" at the Norwich Library. About 40 community members attended each of these presentations.

Helped lead a Weatherization Workshop in Hartford organized by COVER and attended by 35 community residents.

2003-2004 Annual Report

Sustainable Energy Resource Group (SERG) had a very successful year (9/1/03-8/31/04). Below is a list of some of the projects we worked on. Please feel free to contact us if you would like more information on or to support our efforts.

Formed two new town energy committees (EC) in Lyme, NH and Hartford, VT.

Supported the following town energy committee projects: Lyme EC incorporating chip a wood boiler into the new town garage plan and placing anemometer equipment atop the Dartmouth Skiway; Thetford EC redrafting of its town energy plan and investigation of switching to more efficient street lights; Norwich EC getting the town road vehicles to run on biodiesel; Hartford and Thetford EC?s conducting sales of compact fluorescent bulbs.

Recruited 82 family members to SERG's 2003/4 Energy Club. Helped members save energy by consulting on residential energy surveys and providing 20 follow-up home energy inspections and detailed home energy reports.

Sold 830 compact fluorescent bulbs, saving 397,220 kilo-Watt hours and $51,121.87 in energy expenditures over the life of the bulbs.

Contributed $8,200 to increase the efficiency in the new Upper Valley Haven building which will save the Haven about $1,000 in energy use per year.

Conducted energy audits on five other Upper Valley social service agencies (LISTEN, Family Place, Headrest, Hannah House and COVER) and provided reports on how they could make changes to save energy and money.

Organized a forum on the purchase of the Ct. River Dams by Vermont.

Worked with our partners (VPIRG, VNRC, New England Coalition, Sierra Club, FairWind Vermont, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, and others) from the Vermont Sustainable Energy Coalition, which we helped create, to oppose up-rate at Vermont Yankee, support purchase of the Ct. River Dams, oppose Vermont's horrible state energy plan and support wind development in Vermont.

Participated in Home Performance with Energy Star training to learn how to diagnose home health, safety, comfort and energy efficiency.