Independent gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina released a blueprint for Vermont’s energy future on Monday that called for a new way of looking at an energy policy.

“We need energy that is local, renewable and regional,” Pollina said in a statement. “Vermont owned and Vermont, community controlled. We need to declare our independence from big oil and out-of-state power.”

Pollina said Vermont residents should use less energy and have more options for power choices.

“The cheapest, cleanest and safest energy is energy we do not use,” Pollina said. “Investments in household, business and community efficiency and conservation efforts will save money because it is cheaper to buy efficiency than to buy power.”

He also called for aggressively investing more in efficiency. Pollina outlined regional energy zones that he hopes will bring local energy solutions. In an attempt to tackle these local energy solutions, he came up with regional energy zones. These included the Northeast Kingdom to look to wood energy, the Champlain Valley to seek cow power and the Lamoille County should look to hydro and wind power.

Pollina’s plan also spoke to financing his policy. Regional renewable bonding authorities will be established to allow a community or region to raise revenue to implement their energy plans he said. According to his policy this could include a regional wood energy plant or local hydro facility.

“It is not enough to have energy plans and priorities,” he said. “We must provide help with financing renewable infrastructure, creating local jobs in the process.”

An additional method to help finance the renewable energy infrastructure would be from the two percent for the Vermont Investment Fund, in addition with the two percent of endowments from public institutions and additional investments by businesses and individuals.

The Vermont Credit Card will invest a share of every purchase in a fund to support local renewable energy and food he said.

Pollina said the Green Mountain State could lead by example with his plan to help drive the renewable energy market and eventually shut down the Yankee nuclear plant.

“Our energy future is the result of the choices we make,” Pollina said. “Governor Douglas has tried to tie our hands with no energy planning and no effort to build renewables.”