Williston Energy Committee

Getting to work on Thermal Energy Networks

Apr 24, 2025

With all the news about tariffs and trade wars, you might not know that Vermont is third on the list of states that rely most heavily on imported energy. While we have some of our own energy sources, such as solar, wind farms and power plants, we depend heavily on Canada to supply us with electricity, gas, oil and propane.

That means we’re especially vulnerable to both the economic and practical impacts caused by the current economic uncertainty.

Fortunately, we have many untapped local energy resources that can be harnessed right here in Williston. Here’s how the creation of local Thermal Energy Networks supports our sustainable growth and thriving village centers and can bring multiple benefits to our town, residents and businesses.

CAPTURING LOST HEAT

Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) are not new technology but are a new idea to many of us in Vermont. Basically, a TEN extracts heat from either groundwater or waste heat from commercial/industrial locations and uses it to heat or cool several buildings at one time.

Many TENs include shallow geothermal boreholes, which pull warmth from the moderate temperatures available year-round in underground water — a constant 50 degrees or so in Vermont. TENs can also capture and distribute excess heat that is otherwise vented outside or flushed down the drain from sources such as breweries, bakeries, grocery stores, laundromats and industrial sites, to name a few. Even our sewer lines and pump stations can be tapped to capture heat that would otherwise be lost.

These highly efficient energy systems use ground source heat pumps and water in pipes to circulate thermal energy among buildings. Inside buildings, ground source heat pumps draw thermal energy from the network to provide heat and hot water, or they can reject excess heat back into the network to cool a space, keeping us comfortable in summer and winter.

Because the network uses constant, moderate temperatures, those ground source heat pumps use far less electricity than other solutions, and are the most efficient thermal solution we have. Reducing electricity demand helps all of us by freeing up electricity to use where it’s most needed without having to expand our electrical network.

THERMAL NETWORK — A COMMUNITY BENEFIT

TENs provide safe, healthy, affordable thermal energy to many homes and businesses at once, while increasing resilience and fitting seamlessly into our neighborhoods and green spaces. As a Williston resident, I feel that making new and existing housing more efficient and affordable is a top priority for our community. Having a home or business on a TEN will reduce the cost of heating and cooling that building over the long term.

While creating a TEN may sound bold, perhaps beyond what our limited town resources can manage, TENs are perfectly suited for areas that have the density and diversity of buildings that are being prioritized in Williston town planning. Based on the TENs cases we have studied, these networks can reduce energy use, slash carbon emissions and lower our energy bills. In particular, they can support the new housing development we need to help Williston thrive now and in the future.

We can choose how our TENs are owned, operated, and financed. Our municipality can own and operate TENs, just like they do our water and wastewater services. A group of local businesses can also establish a TEN, operating as a cooperative in which each member has a vote. There is the option to contract with companies that design, construct, manage and finance these systems, and then offer ownership when we can all see that the system works as promised.

Regardless of which model we choose, TENs can be financed without raising taxes. Unlike roads or schools that cost taxpayers money, TENs create revenue from the monthly bills customers pay, allowing the upfront costs to be paid back over time.

UPDATE: On May 7, town committees, Sustainable Williston and local businesses hosted an interactive workshop on how to make the best use of TENs in Williston. Over 40 people attended this workshop. Want to learn more about Thermal Energy Networks? Visit Vermont Community Thermal Networks' website at https://www.vctn.org/.

The event recording is now up on Town Meeting TV's YouTube channel.

To participate in Williston’s energy future, reach out to your Williston Energy Committee at energy@willistonvt.org or attend a public meeting held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. The agenda for upcoming meetings is posted on the Town of Williston website (www.town.williston.vt.us). For more information, visit: https://www.willistonvtenergycommittee.org.