Designing a mobile energy resilience system for rural communities. April 09, 2026 When extreme weather knocks out power and building systems fail, rural communities need a range of solutions that can keep essential services running until disruptions resolve. Vermont has learned this the hard way. Catastrophic flooding in recent years has repeatedly devastated rural towns, leaving households in uninhabitable conditions while government aid took weeks to arrive. In those gaps, it was local community members who organized cleanup, provided support, and reopened essential facilities. VEIC, a nonprofit energy organization with decades of work in the state, is building on that experience with a project designed to give rural community hubs the energy resilience they need to keep functioning when it matters most. The centerpiece of the project is a concept VEIC calls a Resilient System Support Pod: a mobile, weather-resistant unit capable of maintaining essential building services - space conditioning, ventilation, hot water, and device charging - when a facility's own mechanical systems fail. Unlike fixed solar-plus-storage installations, which are vulnerable to storm damage and dependent on functioning building infrastructure, the pod is designed to operate independently and to be shared across multiple communities, reducing costs and allowing deployment wherever it is needed most. VEIC will approach this project in three phases: a literature review and community needs assessment, a comparative technical analysis of candidate energy system models, and a detailed prototype design developed in collaboration with University of Vermont engineering students. The work will conclude with a comprehensive report and white paper intended to support future pilot testing and broader replication. Throughout, VEIC will engage municipal leaders, emergency managers, and residents to ensure the design reflects operational realities on the ground. This is explicitly a first phase of a longer-term project. Subsequent work would be needed to field-test the prototype, engage manufacturers and contractors, and build awareness through demonstration projects and community engagement. The goal is a replicable model applicable to rural communities facing similar challenges across the country. CO2 Foundation is interested to see how this intervention evolves. Rural communities are uniquely exposed to extreme weather and among the least resourced to respond, and practical, community-centered infrastructure solutions are a critical part of building resilience that reaches everyone.

DRCOG and VEIC to launch $60 million energy efficiency rebate and advising program serving over half of coloradans. The program is part of the Denver Regional Council of Governments' $199 million Power Ahead Colorado initiative to reduce energy use and pollution from buildings. Winooski, VT - The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) announced today that it selected the clean energy nonprofit VEIC to lead a new energy efficiency incentive and advising program, which aims to help local residents and businesses lower their energy costs. The $60 million program will offer rebates and incentives on residential and commercial energy efficiency upgrades throughout the Denver area, which includes 56% of Colorado's population. VEIC was also selected to implement a $6 million Innovation Pilot Program that will fund grants that test new technologies and approaches to building decarbonization. These efforts are part of Power Ahead Colorado, a nearly $200 million competitive grant that DRCOG received to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health, and expand economic opportunity - especially in communities that have historically been left behind. "This is a huge opportunity to make energy more affordable for everyone in the Denver region," said VEIC's CEO Rebecca Foster. "We're proud to help lead a program that puts cost savings, equity, and economic growth at the center of Colorado's clean energy future." The 59 member governments that make up DRCOG are home to 3.3 million people, including half of Colorado's low-income and disadvantaged communities. * Incentives and rebates to lower the cost of energy efficiency services and electric appliance upgrades like heat pumps, weatherization, and electric panels * Free virtual and on-site energy advising for homeowners and contractors * Innovation grants for projects that aim to accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies in Colorado * Deliver over 40,000 energy-saving rebates to residents * Provide energy advising to more than 50,000 clients * Award up to 30 innovation grants to accelerate electrification and energy efficiency adoption VEIC has partnered with Brendle Group and Group14 Engineering, leveraging both organizations' local expertise to help coordinate the project and support the initiative's community-centered approach. About DRCOG About VEIC VEIC is a national clean energy nonprofit that delivers high-impact energy solutions focused on equity and innovation. Since 1986, VEIC has been recognized as a leader in decarbonization strategies, working with governments, utilities, foundations, and businesses to reduce GHG emissions and create a sustainable energy system that benefits everyone. Learn more about its work at www.veic.org Press contact. Attn: Mike Haberman VEIC 20 Winooski Falls Way 5th Floor Winooski, VT 05404