Intermunicipal Regional Energy Coordinator

The Intermunicipal Regional Energy Coordinator (IREC) works closely with participating TRORC towns to promote actions and programs that support the energy goals defined in each town’s adopted energy plan. The program provides Energy Coordinator services to towns that do not have the resources on their own to implement and manage energy efficiency programs. Additionally, IREC towns benefit from information and knowledge shared by the other participating towns and energy committees.  

Planning for the IREC program began in FY2019 when six towns in the region approached TRORC requesting staff support to provide a shared Energy Coordinator. The original six towns were Barnard, Fairlee, Sharon, Strafford, Thetford and Woodstock. Voters in each of these 6 towns approved funding to support this work, and an Intermunicipal Energy Agreement articulating responsibilities and roles among the towns and TRORC was executed. The first locally funded, shared service of its kind was off and running. 

Value is provided to the IREC towns by documenting energy savings and bringing in grant dollars to fund energy efficiency projects. IREC services include: developing, procuring, and managing town level energy projects such as energy audits, community solar, replacing fossil fuel heating systems, and building EV charging stations; as well as conducting community outreach and education. The IREC works with the town to efficiently manage and track their energy usage to lower their energy bills and verify energy project savings.  

As of FY2023, the seven Towns participating in the IREC program are Bradford, Sharon, Norwich, Strafford, Thetford, Woodstock and Barnard. Any program that works towards Vermont’s Comprehensive Energy Plan goals by increasing energy efficiency or reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is within the scope of the IREC program. The IREC Steering Committee, comprised of representatives from the six towns, helps to further define the direction of the program and assigns specific tasks. 

For more information about this program, contact Jeff Grout at [email protected]. 

IREC Climate Action Plan

IREC Climate Action Plan

In early 2023 the IREC Steering Committee completed a Climate Action Plan (CAP) for the TRORC region. This IREC Climate Action Plan provides specific actions that towns can take to move them toward their climate goals at the community level, and to encourage partnerships among the IREC towns.

The CAP is a non-binding document that focuses on six categories of primary energy use and Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. It is intended to be used as a guideline that lists actions that towns can take to save energy, reduce energy spending and cut GHG emissions.  The CAP recommends that the specific steps taken by each town be documented and tracked annually.   

The Energy Advisory Committees and the IREC will work together to review and revise the plan each year as new information becomes available and new priorities are established, to identify opportunities for collaboration, and to learn from the experiences of others. 

Ultimately, the actions in this CAP are designed to move towns closer to the goals defined in their respective energy plans, and to track progress to the best extent possible.  

Grants available to help towns and individual homeowners upgrade their utilities can be found under Climate Action Guidelines, linked here.

IREC Steering Committee Minutes

2023 Minutes

2022 Minutes

2021 Minutes

2020 Minutes