South Burlington, VT – The Lake Champlain Chamber (LCC) has named VGS its 2022 Business of the Year in recognition of VGS’s innovative work to reduce emissions for its customers. The announcement was made at LCC’s 111th annual dinner held March 16th.
“VGS is honored to be recognized as LCC’s 2022 Business of the Year,” said Neale Lunderville, CEO and President of VGS. “As our 55,000 customers know, we offer affordable, safe, and reliable thermal energy service, award-winning energy efficiency programs, equipment service and maintenance, and a first-in-the-nation renewable option for families and businesses. What makes these services so special is the customer focus that runs through every part of our organization. VGS’s operations, field services, gas control, customer care, safety, energy efficiency, sales and marketing, and office support teams are exceptional. On behalf of all of us at VGS, I want to thank LCC, and our customers, for this honor and for the continued opportunity to serve northwest Vermont.”
VGS serves more than 55,000 families and businesses in Franklin, Chittenden, and Addison counties. The 130+ employee company is northwest Vermont’s comprehensive thermal energy services provider and is a leader in a growing effort to decarbonize North America’s gas infrastructure.
VGS is committed to achieving its Climate Plan to get to NetZero by 2050, with a near-term goal of reducing emissions in line with Vermont’s Global Warming Solutions Act over the next decade. VGS’s team immediately set to work, becoming the first gas utility in the country to offer its customers a voluntary renewable natural gas (RNG) option. In 2021, VGS provided customers the option to purchase locally produced RNG after working with Vanguard Renewables and Middlebury College to launch the largest anaerobic digester in the northeast at the Goodrich Family Farm in Salisbury, VT.
VGS is focusing its 2022 efforts on a series of projects to help Vermonters save money, energy, and make their homes and businesses more efficient. In addition to increasing rebates to assist low- and moderate-income Vermonters weatherize their homes, VGS began installing electric heat pump water heaters in place of traditional gas heaters — a first of any member of the American Gas Association (AGA). VGS is also a founding partner of the Vermont Green Hydrogen Partnership with GlobalFoundries and the University of Vermont to research and develop zero-carbon hydrogen energy to displace fossil gas.
VGS looks forward to continuing progress toward its climate goals as the decade continues. Vermonters can learn about ways to improve the efficiency of their homes by visiting https://vgsvt.com/.