GMP Cow Power

If you're a GMP customer, you can voluntarily support Vermont farm-based renewable energy by enrolling in Cow Power, which adds a four-cent-per-kilowatt-hour charge above your normal electricity rate for the environmental benefits. You can sign up online or by calling the Customer Information Center at (888) 835-4672, and service typically begins with your next regular billing cycle. When farm energy isn't available, GMP tries to retire regional Renewable Energy Certificates or deposits your payments into a fund that helps farmers expand renewable generation.

This program is for agricultural customers who own grid-connected anaerobic digestion systems that generate electricity from farm products, byproducts, or wastes. Farmers sell the electricity separately under Vermont's Standard Offer Program, while GMP purchases the renewable energy credits for up to $0.04 per kWh with full subscription of the voluntary Cow Power tariff; note that net metering, though available to farmers generally, cannot be combined with this arrangement.

GMP, Vermont's largest electric utility, runs this performance-based incentive: participating customers pay a four-cent-per-kWh tariff rider above retail electricity cost, and GMP pays farmers that amount for the environmental attributes of their anaerobic digestion generation. Excess production beyond voluntary customer demand is sold on the regional market where possible, and if no regional RECs are available at or below four cents per kWh, payments flow into the independently overseen GMP Renewable Development Fund to incentivize farmer participation. The target demographic is Vermont agricultural producers with grid-connected digester systems, supported by voluntary green-power subscribers across all rate classes.