“This partnership with utilities like VGS helps us expand geothermal access and continues to help us make this a standard, mainstream solution for developers and builders,” said Dan Yates, CEO of Dandelion Energy. “Utility-owned ground loops are a practical, immediate solution to decarbonize housing. We are proud to support and validate this model that aligns utility infrastructure investment with equitable, clean energy access.”
“Geothermal is one of the best solutions we have to make cost-effective, renewable heating and cooling options accessible to more Vermonters,” said Neale Lunderville, President & CEO of VGS. “We are thrilled to partner with Dandelion Energy to demonstrate ways geothermal can be scaled to meet community needs. As Vermont looks to rapidly build housing to meet demand, our teams are eager to incorporate geothermal into our product portfolio to give more choices to homebuilders and customers.”
Riggs Meadow, located in Hinesburg, Vermont, will feature 44 townhomes and apartments designed for low- and moderate-income renters and owners. Affordable housing developers Champlain Housing Trust and Evernorth worked with VGS to explore geothermal heating and cooling options, and a partnership with Dandelion Energy was formed. VGS is investing in the upfront cost of installing geothermal ground loops, significantly reducing the barrier to deploying this efficient technology for the developer and for future residents. Dandelion will serve as the end-to-end geothermal partner, including system design and drilling.
Updating the Community-Scale Geothermal Business Model
As policymakers, developers, and utilities seek cost-effective heating and cooling options, investment in individual geothermal ground loops offers a pathway for gas utilities to innovate and expand their portfolio as thermal services providers. This partnership shows what that looks like in practice, helping to deliver Vermont’s first community-scale geothermal project.
Dandelion’s geothermal heating and cooling system captures stable, year-round underground temperatures to provide highly efficient, all-electric comfort, from a renewable source. This new model overcomes historic cost barriers, bringing all the benefits of geothermal to low- and moderate-income Vermont residents.
Closing the Clean Energy Gap
This collaboration continues Dandelion’s track record of making geothermal heating accessible to all and serves as a national blueprint. With utility investment in individual ground loops, affordable housing developers can bring the benefits of geothermal to their projects, including:
The drilling of geothermal boreholes will commence early next year, with residents occupying the homes in late 2027.
