C-PACE Vermont Clears Final Legislative Hurdle. Commercial Clean Energy Financing Tool Now Heads to Governor’s Desk

Montpelier, VT –– After years of bipartisan collaboration and practical refinement, Vermont’s Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program is on the verge of becoming law.  Sponsored by Sen. Thomas Chittenden and gaining strong bipartisan support, Senate bill S.138, originally introduced to expand property-assessed financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and resilience upgrades, has been successfully incorporated into the omnibus economic development bill S.327. On May 14, 2026, the Senate concurred with the House proposal of amendment, sending the measure to enrollment and the Governor’s desk for signature in the coming days. 

Once enacted, C-PACE VT will allow commercial, industrial, agricultural, and multifamily property owners to finance 100% of qualifying upgrades, to be repaid through a voluntary assessment on the property tax bill. The program is entirely privately financed, creates no new taxpayer burden, and is administered locally with strong lender protections. “This legislation brings together lenders, developers, municipalities, and economic development leaders around a practical, no-taxpayer-cost solution,” said Libby Moyer, advocate and communications lead for the C-PACE Vermont working group, “C-PACE VT will deliver immediate economic wins for Vermont businesses while advancing clean energy goals, a true win-win that reflects the best of bipartisan collaboration and the Vermont brand.” 

CounterpointeSRE, a founding leader in the C-PACE industry, strongly supports the legislation and is prepared to bring its national expertise to Vermont property owners.  “We look forward to partnering in Vermont to help building owners access flexible, long-term financing that accelerates clean energy and resilience upgrades,” said Kurt Pollem, CFA, Managing Director, CounterpointeSRE and Manchester Center resident. 

The projected statewide impact, reviewed by Lyle Jepson, Commissioner, Vermont Department of Economic Development, includes:

• Hundreds of millions in private capital deployed over years with multiplier effect
• Significant reductions in commercial energy costs
• Job creation in construction, engineering, and green trades
• Improved state economic-momentum and competitiveness rankings
• Support for commercial developers including multi-family housing solutions and mixed-use redevelopment (including adaptive-reuse projects like the Greatwood Farm creative campus at Goddard, Plainfield, Vermont)

The voluntary, locally driven program was shaped through extensive holistic input from lenders, developers, planners, engineers, municipalities, and economic development leaders. It reflects Vermont values such as local control, fiscal responsibility, and a commitment to clean energy innovation without mandates or new state spending.  

Vermont has had limited residential PACE authority since 2013.  C-PACE VT closes the gap for the commercial sector, bringing the state in line with 40+ others where the tool has successfully financed billions in upgrades.

“C-PACE VT will provide powerful economic benefit as a public asset tool that operates at zero cost to taxpayers, and injects lower cost capital for sustainable construction to drive development” – Michele Pitale, M.D., Managing Director & Head of C-PACE, CounterpointeSRE

About Clearly Communications
Clearly Communications creates customized omni-channel campaigns at the intersection of art, technology, policy, and community impact.  Learn more and reach out to Libby Moyer at www.clearlytv.com.

About CounterpointeSRE

CounterpointeSRE operates at the intersection of commercial real estate and energy industries providing mortgage, C-PACE and other energy financial products. As a portfolio company of MassMutual, our focus is to provide one-stop sustainable finance solutions to our commercial real estate owners/operators.
Learn more at CounterpointeSRE.com.

Media Contact:

Evan Griswold
CounterpointeSRE
Counterpointesre@Counterpointesre.com