Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program
In May 2009, the Vermont legislature approved Act 45 (amended by Act 47 in May 2011), authorizing municipalities to create PACE districts. Through creation of such a district, a municipality is authorized to find the costs of installing energy efficiency improvements an renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and solr water hearing permanently affixed to residential property within the boundaries of the district. Eligible property owners who choose to participate in the PACE Program enter into an agreement with the municipality in which the property owner agrees to make the required assessment payments while they are the owner of the property. The funds advanced by the municipality for the installation fothe energy improvmentes are paid back through an assessment on the imporved property which is payable in installments and is secured by a lienn on the property ujnitl the assessment is paid in full.
The goal of creating a PACE district is to make energy improvement more affordable and promote their installation. By advancing the up-front costs of installing energy improvements, the PACE Program removed a barrier to greater participation in Vermont's energy efficiency and renewable energy efforts, thereby promoting energy conservation and climate protection while reducing the participating property owner's use of fossil fuels.
The Town of Randolph established a PACE district in August of 2013.