A Vermont clean energy board announced April 21 that the state government has made available $5.5 million to support the installation of solar and small wind projects at homes and businesses in the state.

Green Mountain Power, a utility company serving 25 percent of Vermonters, said the number of customers using small-scale renewable energy sources to generate their own electricity has more than doubled since 2008. The largest growth came from customers who generate electricity with solar panels, the company said in an April 6 press release.