VEIC

Want to reduce energy costs? Start with water. Sounds counter-intuitive, but for many municipal governments, water utilities are the single largest source of energy cost and emissions (30%-40% of municipal energy use). We need to focus more resources on the water / energy nexus. The good news is there are technical assistance programs and low-cost financial tools to do just that. In the latest blog in our Big Ideas series, QV's Mike Crowley and VEIC's Dave Corliss, B.E.P. examine the opportunities for munis to thinking creatively about how to tap significant operational savings hidden in the ground (and pipes) under our feet. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ekxv-N6A

Applications are open! VEIC is proud to support Power Ahead Colorado’s Innovation Pilot Program. Explore the opportunity and apply now through May 15: https://lnkd.in/gM6Tp_kX

Great story from Canary Media Inc.’s Alison F. Takemura, Ph.D. on the San Francisco Environment Department’s new TECH Clean California Quick Start Grant project! For home-based childcare facilities, swapping a gas water heater out for a heat pump is more than simple economics — it’s at the heart of health and safety. This initiative helps make that goal a reality, all while serving as a model for other communities and programs looking to scale decarbonization in disadvantaged communities.   Congrats to the whole team for a successful launch! Read the story below, then check out what other new solutions we’re championing this year: https://lnkd.in/e8a9Si-h

This Earth Day, we’re proud to reflect on the impact we’re making. We’re partnering with communities across the country to advance affordable, equitable, and sustainable energy solutions. From coast to coast, our reach continues to grow, and so does our commitment to a healthier planet for all. Happy Earth Day from VEIC! 💚 Learn more at: https://www.veic.org/

Staying ahead of federal energy policy is more important than ever in 2026. ⚡ Join Hawaii Energy for an upcoming Regulatory Recharge session focused on the latest federal energy policy updates including IRA developments, ENERGY STAR changes, appliance standards, and solar policy shifts. 📅 Wednesday, April 8 ⏰ 12–1 PM HST (online) Featuring insights from industry leaders and special guest Rocky Mould (Hawaii Solar Energy Association), this session will break down what these changes mean for energy programs, businesses, and the broader market. If you’re a building owner, contractor, engineer, or energy professional, this is a great opportunity to stay informed and prepared for what’s ahead. 🔗 Learn more & register: https://lnkd.in/gju8DfHF #EnergyPolicy #HawaiiEnergy #CleanEnergy #EnergyEfficiency #Solar #IRA

Even with strong decarbonization funding in Massachusetts, many affordable housing owners don't know how to get started. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) partnered with VEIC to tackle that gap head-on. VEIC developed and ran a technical assistance program on DOER's behalf to help owners understand what’s possible in their buildings, plan upgrades, and confidently pursue funding. To date, we've supported 44 properties across the state and discussed everything from no- and low-cost updates, deep energy retrofits, and "zero over time" approaches. The program shows how pairing funding with hands-on support can lead to clean energy projects that improve residents' lives, lower bills, and improve air quality across the Commonwealth. Read the full case study to learn more: https://lnkd.in/euBmKg2U

Affordability has become the hot topic of the politics and policy world, so much so that blue states, the leaders on state-level climate policy, are paring back support for energy efficiency funding to focus on lowering costs for consumers. That trend has efficiency advocates, who say that efficiency improvements lower energy costs in the long run, worried. But they also acknowledge there's been the perfect storm of factors putting the pressure on states at the moment. “There are a lot of stresses to energy affordability today that are, I think, leading state policymakers to look for every solution possible,” said Rebecca Foster, CEO of VEIC, a nonprofit that runs state-level efficiency programs. But there's also the gap at the federal level creating concerns. “With the federal programming at risk and with federal budgets for energy efficiency and clean energy resources reduced dramatically in this administration, state support is more important than ever before,” Foster said. I took a look at efforts in Maryland, Rhode Island and Massachusetts to pare back energy efficiency funding. Take a read at the link below. via Bloomberg Law

👏 “It’s kind of like heating your home by burning all your blankets” 👏 Proud to see Rebecca Foster featured in POLITICO this week supporting energy efficiency! Thank you to Adam Aton and Marie French for continuing to cover the consequences of states pulling back on the cleanest, cheapest, and most reliable solution to lower people’s bills. Check out the full story: https://lnkd.in/eX-Pynhr

Affordability isn’t a short-term problem, and quick-fix solutions won’t deliver the durable savings families and businesses need for relief. Energy efficiency programs will. Read Rebecca Foster’s new op-ed in CommonWealth Beacon on why states like Massachusetts should protect what works—energy efficiency programs: https://lnkd.in/enJZ_z6X