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H.289 killed community solar in Vermont. Virtual net metering was phased out January 1, 2025. The last project — Randolph community solar — closed enrollment in September 2025. No replacement program exists. This is a truth-telling page: we will not pretend community solar is still an option.
DEAD
Status
H.289 (2024)
Phased Out
Virtual NM
Jan 1, 2025
Randolph
Last Project
closed Sept 2025
None
Replacement
no program planned
Vermont's community solar model relied on virtual net metering to distribute credits to subscribers. H.289 eliminated that mechanism. Here is the full sequence of events.
Vermont legislature passed H.289, phasing out virtual net metering. New community solar arrangements prohibited after January 1, 2025.
No new virtual net metering arrangements permitted. The mechanism that made community solar viable in Vermont is now dead.
H.289 included a narrow one-year extension for multifamily buildings and low-income housing projects. This expired at end of 2025.
The Randolph community solar project closed subscriber enrollment in September 2025 — likely the last community solar project in Vermont.
As of February 2026, the Vermont legislature has not established any replacement for community solar or virtual net metering. No program is on the horizon.
H.289 simultaneously set Vermont's most aggressive renewable targets (100% by 2030/2035) AND eliminated virtual net metering. The rationale:
Community solar is gone, but there are still strong paths to clean energy and savings in Vermont. Here are the three best alternatives, with honest pros, cons, and costs.
Your own panels on your own roof. Category I net metering with positive adjustor. You control your energy production and lock in rates before the next PUC reduction.
Advantages
Drawbacks
Estimated Cost
$27,500-$31,500 (10 kW)
Payback
~13 years
Add battery storage through GMP's lease or BYOD program. Backup power, TOU arbitrage, and virtual power plant participation.
Advantages
Drawbacks
Estimated Cost
$55/mo lease or $0-$10,500 net after BYOD
Payback
Varies by program
Combine rooftop solar with a heat pump to eliminate your fossil fuel heating bill and offset the heat pump electricity with solar production.
Advantages
Drawbacks
Estimated Cost
$45,000-$55,000 combined
Payback
~10 years combined
If you are currently subscribed to a Vermont community solar project, your existing contract is grandfathered. Here is what you need to know.
Your existing contract terms still apply until your agreement expires. H.289 grandfathered existing virtual net metering arrangements. Your credits will continue as specified in your subscriber agreement.
No. Once your current agreement expires, it cannot be renewed under the old virtual net metering rules. You will need to transition to one of the alternatives listed above — rooftop solar, GMP battery, or another behind-the-meter solution.
Your credits should remain as specified in your existing agreement. However, the underlying NM rate structure set by the VT PUC continues to change annually. Contact your community solar provider for specifics about how rate changes affect your existing credits.
Without community solar, renters and homeowners with unsuitable roofs have no viable path to solar savings in Vermont. This is an acknowledged problem with no current solution.
No. Community solar is effectively dead in Vermont. H.289 (signed 2024) phased out virtual net metering on January 1, 2025. The last project (Randolph community solar) closed enrollment in September 2025. No replacement program has been established. There is no way to subscribe to a new community solar project in Vermont in 2026.
H.289 prioritized behind-the-meter solar (rooftop) over shared/virtual net metering. The legislature determined that community solar's virtual net metering credits created cost-shifting issues and that the state's Renewable Energy Standard targets (100% by 2030/2035) would be better served by encouraging on-site distributed generation through the Category-based net metering system.
Rooftop solar is the strongest alternative. With Category I net metering (positive adjustor), sales tax exemption (6%), and property tax exemption, rooftop solar provides the best long-term economics. If you also heat with oil or propane, pairing solar with a heat pump creates combined savings of $4,700+ per year. GMP customers can add a battery lease or BYOD incentive for additional value.
If your roof is unsuitable (shading, orientation, structural issues), your options are limited in 2026 Vermont. Ground-mount solar is possible if you own land. GMP battery lease can reduce grid costs without solar. If you are a renter, there is currently no solar subscription option available in Vermont. The legislature has not created a replacement program for community solar.
Yes. H.289 simultaneously set Vermont's Renewable Energy Standard targets (Tier I: 100% by 2030 for large utilities, 2035 for all utilities) AND phased out virtual net metering. The law shifted policy toward behind-the-meter distributed generation (Tier II: 20% by 2032) while eliminating the virtual net metering mechanism that supported community solar.
There is no active legislative effort to restore community solar or virtual net metering in Vermont as of February 2026. The policy direction under H.289 strongly favors on-site, behind-the-meter installations. While future legislatures could revisit this, there is no indication that community solar will return in the near term.
For solar specifically, low-income access is significantly reduced without community solar — rooftop solar requires homeownership and upfront capital. This is an acknowledged equity gap that H.289 created. Efficiency Vermont income-eligible programs can help with heat pumps and weatherization, but there is no direct low-income solar rebate in VT.
Existing community solar contracts are grandfathered and will continue until expiration. Your credits and terms remain as specified in your subscriber agreement. However, you cannot renew or extend these arrangements after expiration. Contact your community solar provider for details about your specific contract timeline.
Full cost breakdown for rooftop solar — the top alternative to community solar.
Read guidePowerwall lease, Enphase, BYOD incentive details for GMP customers.
Read guideThe electrification bundle: solar + heat pump + battery in Vermont.
Read guideIf you own your home and have a suitable roof, rooftop solar with Category I net metering is the best path to clean energy savings in Vermont. Net metering rates are declining every year — the longer you wait, the worse the economics. Get your assessment today.