The rebates that matter most in Burlington
We re-read Burlington Electric's rebate, heat pump, EV and solar pages, Vermont Gas's rebate page and Efficiency Vermont's list on October 5, 2026. Amounts are maximums.
Heat pump (BED)
High-performance ducted systems on the cold-climate list. Standard ducted $1,000 to $2,000. Air-to-water up to $12,400 in total.
Weatherization (Vermont Gas)
For gas-heated single-family homes, by income. Townhouse and condo $1,000 per unit. Projects finished by December 31, 2026.
Electric vehicle (BED)
$5,000 for a new EV, $2,000 for a new plug-in hybrid, $1,300 used. Income-qualified households get more.
Home EV charger and rate (BED)
ChargePoint Home Flex only. The EV Rate credit brings charging to 9.95 cents per kWh if you charge only in set hours.
Water heater
Efficiency Vermont's heat pump water heater rebate, with BED partner offers that may be higher. BED gives free tank wraps for electric tanks.
Solar
BED explains net metering, a $150 generation meter and state registration, but lists no upfront solar rebate. The federal credit ended after 2025.
Four of these are statewide topics rather than Burlington pages: solar, battery storage, EV chargers and appliances and thermostats. There is also a windows and doors page that explains why there is no rebate.
Who is your utility, and who is your fuel supplier?
Burlington Electric Department is your electric utility, so Green Mountain Power's offers (including its $2,000 income-eligible heat pump rebate and its battery program) do not apply, and Efficiency Vermont says its heat pump income bonus is not open to BED customers. For gas, Vermont Gas pays weatherization rebates, and BED tells gas customers to call it. A Burlington household can easily have a BED electric bill and a Vermont Gas heating bill, and each pays for different things.
What Burlington homes heat with
The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey counts 17,504 occupied homes. 12,342 (71%) heat mainly with natural gas, 3,387 (19%) with electricity, 776 (4%) with propane, 662 (4%) with oil and 131 with wood. BED's own heat pump page warns that most gas homes might not save money with an air-source heat pump, so the households with the clearest case are the roughly 4,956 not on gas.
A city of renters and older buildings
58% of households rent (10,237), only 34% of housing units are detached houses, and 38% were built in 1939 or earlier. The practical consequence is that many decisions sit with landlords of duplexes, triple-deckers and small apartment buildings, and that insulation and air sealing usually come before new equipment. BED's weatherization page describes a city ordinance that sets weatherization expectations for rentals, which we did not read in full.
Cold and a lake
Our climate file puts Burlington's average January low at -9.2°C, with a record low of -29.8°C between 2015 and 2024. That is milder than Montpelier, Barre or Rutland, but a building with an old envelope still loses heat quickly, and BED's higher heat pump rebate requires cold-climate rated equipment.
A sensible order of operations
For most Burlington homes the order is: get a free comparison from BED Energy Services or Vermont Gas based on your actual bills, seal and insulate with the rebate that matches your heating fuel, replace a failing electric water heater with a heat pump unit, then size a heat pump for the smaller load. If you are buying an EV, the BED vehicle and charger rebates are among the largest in the state, and BED's EV Rate rewards charging in set hours.
Every rebate guide for Burlington
Common questions
Do Green Mountain Power rebates apply in Burlington?
No. Burlington Electric Department is the electric utility, and Efficiency Vermont says its heat pump income bonus is not open to BED customers.
Who pays for weatherization in Burlington?
Vermont Gas pays for gas-heated homes, and Burlington Electric handles customers who heat with electricity, propane, oil or other fuels.
Is a heat pump a good idea for a gas home in Burlington?
BED says you might not save money, because your electric bill may rise by more than your gas bill drops. Ask for a bill-based comparison before you buy.
How big is BED's EV rebate?
$5,000 for a new EV, $2,000 for a new plug-in hybrid and $1,300 for a used EV or plug-in hybrid, with more for income-qualified customers.
Is there a Burlington solar rebate?
We found no BED solar rebate. BED explains net metering, a separate generation meter and state registration.
What to do next
Start with the Burlington heat pump guide, then the insulation guide and water heater guide. For the whole state, see the Vermont rebate hub and the Vermont rebate calculator.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 5, 2026: Burlington Electric Department: heat pumps, Burlington Electric Department: rebates, Vermont Gas: residential rebates and financing, US Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2020-2024, table B25040 (house heating fuel). All Burlington rebates → Every Efficiency Vermont rebate →