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DRIVING FORWARD THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION IN THE GRANITE STATE POLICY OUR POLICY APPROACH Changing local policies is the most effective way to forge a clean energy future. Clean Energy NH approaches our policy work through a strictly fact-based, non-partisan lens. We are a facilitator actively engaging with key NH stakeholders across all sectors to build consensus and advance priorities; We provide reliable expert testimony before the state’s legislature and Public Utilities Commission (PUC); We provide technical assistance and education to state lawmakers, municipalities, and individuals to drive meaningful change in the pursuit of a sustainable future. LEARN ABOUT: POLICY EXPLAINER SERIES HOW TO GET INVOLVED POLICY RESOURCES POLICY PRIORITY EXPLAINER SERIES Dive into our Policy Priority Explainer Series to learn about key clean energy policies shaping New Hampshire's future and how they impact our communities and economy. Net Energy Metering (NEM): Part 1 Net Energy Metering (NEM): Part 2 Commercial Property-Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE) LEARN MORE ABOUT NEM GET INVOLVED New Hampshire's Citizen Legislature offers an unparalleled opportunity to make your voice heard on local energy policy matters. It is a long-held tradition that every bill gets a hearing and a vote, and there is no limit on the number of bills that can be submitted each year. This approach fosters a close connection between legislators and the concerns of their constituents, enabling a more direct and responsive form of governance. HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW CITIZENS COUNT'S ADVOCACY TOOLKIT NH HOUSE LIVE STREAMS NH SENATE LIVE STREAMS However, the sheer number of bills and the confusing parliamentary procedures mean the State House can be confusing for the uninitiated. By becoming a member of Clean Energy NH , you'll gain exclusive access to our weekly policy newsletter, monthly calls, and our comprehensive bill tracking spreadsheet . You'll be able to keep abreast of which bills to take seriously and which you can safely ignore. To connect with our Director of Energy Transition, Chris Skoglund, for insights into policies and programs driving New Hampshire’s clean energy future, reach out at chris@cleanenergynh.org . BECOME A MEMBER POLICY RESOURCES FIND A LEGISLATOR Search by town, district, or county to find your elected representatives and view their profile and contact information. HOUSE ENERGY COMMITTEE Access the list of representatives on the 2025 House Science, Technology, and Energy Committee. Including their contact information in order to tell them your opinion on the bills they are considering. SENATE ENERGY COMMITTEE Access the list of Senators on the 2025 Energy & Natural Resources Committee. Including their contact information in order to tell them your opinion on the bills they are considering. REGULATORY RESOURCES The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (PUC) maintains information on state incentives for renewable energy systems, applications for net metering, and for setting up energy systems. CITIZENS COUNT'S ADVOCACY TOOLKIT Do you have a cause you feel strongly about but aren't sure how to effect change on the state level? Check out the Citizens Count how-to guides that help everyday citizens take their advocacy to the next level. NEW FUTURES: ABOUT THE NH LEGISLATURE New Futures provides an overview of the NH Legislature, including its structure, functions, and how citizens can engage with the legislative process. It serves as a resource for understanding how state laws are made and offers guidance on advocating effectively. UNDERSTAND BILL STATUS Learn how to read a bill status page and no longer be stumped by legislative acronyms with this helpful resource. POLICY RESOURCES

NEWS & MEDIA New Hampshire’s $1 Billion Gamble: Will Electric Vehicle Chargers Keep the Tourists Coming? A stark warning echoes through the lush landscapes of New Hampshire: a billion-dollar opportunity might evaporate if the state doesn’t rev up its electric vehicle charging infrastructure. As the needle flickers towards an electric future, an eye-opening study by clean energy proponents draws a line in the sand. Read the full article. Study claims NH could lose $1.4 billion in tourism revenue if more EV chargers aren't built New Hampshire could lose more than $1 billion if it doesn't add more electric vehicle chargers, according to a new study from clean energy advocates. The study, conducted by Clean Energy New Hampshire and Ski New Hampshire, found that the state could lose up to $1.4 billion in tourism revenue by 2031 if it fails to add more EV charging stations. Watch the news segment and read the full article. Lack of EV charging infrastructure could cost New Hampshire $1.4 billion in tourist dollars Nearly 3 million electric vehicles (personal light-duty) are expected to be on New England roads by 2033, according to ISO New England’s 2024 Transportation Electrification Forecast. This is 24 times more than the current number of electric vehicles and expected to approach 30% of the total number of vehicles on the road. Read the full article. Powering NH's Tourism Economy: The Urgent Need for EV Charging Investment A new report released by Clean Energy NH and Ski NH, Driving Towards a Sustainable New Hampshire Economy: Supporting New Hampshire's Tourism Industry through EV Charging Infrastructure, highlights a critical challenge: without significant investments in EV infrastructure, New Hampshire’s tourism industry risks losing significant revenue. Read the full article. EV drivers: From range anxiety to funding anxiety Electric vehicle drivers motoring in New Hampshire are known to have what’s called “range anxiety.” A lack of widespread charging infrastructure makes EV motorists nervous about how far they can get in the state before they need a charge and whether a charging station will be available to them at any given destination. Read the full article. Daily Audio Newscast And delays in building public electric vehicle chargers in New Hampshire are risking significant state revenue. A new study finds the state's passive rollout strategy could cost it $1.4 billion by 2031, while other New England states position themselves as attractive destinations for EV owners. Read the full article. Rural New England needs EV chargers to keep tourism flowing. The Trump administration is making it harder to build them. When Charyl Reardon needs to charge her electric vehicle quickly, she has to leave her home in New Hampshire’s White Mountains region and drive 65 miles south to the capital city of Concord. For those like Reardon, a resident of the Lincoln Woodstock community in northern New Hampshire, this kind of routine is not uncommon. Public charging stations for electric vehicles, or EVs, are scarce in rural parts of the state. Read the full article. Housing developers will have a new green financing tool in New Hampshire A bill on its way to the governor’s desk in New Hampshire could spur new, energy-efficient housing development in the state as soon as this summer, supporters say. Read the full article. Trump used his first week to make big energy moves. How will those affect NH? In his first week back in office, President Donald Trump began remaking national energy policy through a string of executive orders, some of which could impact New Hampshire programs aimed at reducing the pollution that drives climate change. Read the full article. Clean Energy NH Adds Five New Board Members Clean Energy NH (CENH) is thrilled to expand its leadership team with five board members, each bringing a wealth of expertise and are poised to advance the Granite State’s transition to a zero-carbon energy future. Read the full article. (Opinion) NH will finally fix its property assessed clean energy law After more than a decade of trying, New Hampshire is on the verge of adopting a powerful new tool that will help unlock a wide array of measures that will save energy, save money and reduce carbon emissions. This tool is called Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy, or C-PACE, and a bill that has the backing of both parties in the New Hampshire State House seems set for the fast-track this legislative session. Read the full article. In a ‘reasonably busy year’ for energy bills, debates on administration, offshore wind loom large A new year, a new governor, and a new Legislature – but many energy debates in New Hampshire remain the same headed into the next administration and season of lawmaking. Gov. Kelly Ayotte, who took office Thursday, often mirrored her predecessor Chris Sununu during her political campaign. She has a similar “all-of-the-above” message on energy, and focused her rhetoric on cost savings for ratepayers. Read the full article. What Next for Clean Energy in NH? In the wake of this month’s elections across the United States, many are asking “What will this mean for New Hampshire when it comes to the transition away from dirty fossil fuels and toward clean energy?” Read the full article. Net metering in limbo The largest supplier and installer of solar energy projects in the Granite State believes a recent non-decision by the state’s Public Utilities Commission “makes New Hampshire very difficult to do solar at this time.” Read the full article. Solar net metering program left unchanged, will end in 16 years New Hampshire regulators have left in place the state’s net metering program, which pays owners of solar panels when they send power to the grid, but a looming expiration date could make financing more difficult. The order from the Public Utilities Commission makes no substantive changes to the program. Notably, it does not extend the termination date of the net metering program that was established in a 2017 PUC order. Read the full article. PUC decision on net metering makes future of solar in NH uncertain, expert says The decision on net metering could have major financial implications for New Hampshire, according to one expert. Watch the video. Conservative think tanks: NE renewable mandates will cost NH ratepayers billions The comprehensive mandates that solar, wind and battery power dominate the energy mix in all other New England states will raise electric rates in New Hampshire $74 billion by 2050, according to the report that a group of conservative free-market think tanks released Tuesday. Read the full article. Sunapee Middle-High School switches from oil to wood for heating Sunapee Middle-High School is swapping out its old oil-fueled heating system and switching to renewable wood fuel. At an unveiling at the school Friday, officials showed how the new biomass wood boiler heating system will work. Wood chips are deposited into a big metal silo and then carried by a conveyor belt into a boiler, which uses forced hot water to heat the building. Watch the video. New Hampshire's low-income community solar program is finally nearing the starting line More than seven years after New Hampshire regulators first approved the idea of using community solar to create savings for low-income households, electric bill discounts are finally on the horizon for the first batch of participants. Read the full article. In net metering case, New Hampshire regulators focus on costs while ignoring benefits, advocates say An agreement among utilities, generators, and clean energy advocates didn’t quell skeptical questioning by state utility regulators, who are focused heavily on whether there is a cost burden for other ratepayers. Read the full article. Net metering hangs in the balance in New Hampshire A group of interested parties, including the state's utilities and the Granite State Hydropower Association, agreed on a settlement that calls for the rate to stay the same for two years. Read the full article. NH regulators consider changes to the way small renewable energy generators are compensated New Hampshire's Public Utilities Commission is holding hearings this week on a policy that could shape the future of the state's solar industry. It's called net metering, and it's the way that people with solar panels on homes and businesses get compensated for the electricty they feed back into the grid. Read the full article. Hudson housing development promises 'net zero' energy costs and new job opportunities A new development in Hudson promises “net zero” energy costs for homeowners. According to Barrett Hill planners, duplex-style homes are designed to save residents hundreds of dollars on utility bills, and the careful design will keep the utility footprint small while providing green spaces. Read the full article. Canaan Hardware store among recipients of federal renewable energy grants Canaan Hardware and Supply received a federal grant to install a solar array that is expected to save the business nearly $10,000 annually. The $56,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program for the Canaan store was part of $10.6 million of funding awarded to businesses and municipalities in New Hampshire through rural development programs, the agency announced last month. Read the full article. New Hampshire law provides new solar incentives for cities, drops ineffective consumer rebate program A recently signed New Hampshire law makes significant changes to the operations of the state’s Renewable Energy Fund, directing money to help towns and cities develop municipal solar projects and ending a residential solar rebate program that was generally viewed as deeply flawed. Read the full article. The 'Wild West' of hooking up large solar projects in New Hampshire Nearly two years ago, a Goshen couple signed a contract to allow an energy company to build a solar farm on their mountainside property. But the project has faced continuous delays – stalling, too, the life plans the family made around it. Read the full article. Large New Hampshire solar projects face delays to connect to power grid When conveyor belt manufacturer Wire Belt opened its new facility in Bedford, N.H., last fall, the company looked forward to saving money and fighting climate change with a 2,400-panel solar array installed on the roof. Read the full article. New England utilities plan ‘transformational’ data platform to make it easier to calculate energy savings A group of New England utilities plans to seek federal funding for a regional energy data platform that would make it easier for consumers and contractors to estimate potential savings from efficiency upgrades or new electric technologies. Read the full article. Large New Hampshire solar projects face delays trying to connect to power grid When conveyor belt manufacturer Wire Belt opened its new facility in Bedford, N.H., last fall, the company looked forward to saving money and fighting climate change with a 2,400-panel solar array installed on the roof. Read the full article. Citizens Champions Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Through Local Grant Program Citizens announced today seven nonprofits selected as its 2024 Champions in Action®. Each Champion in Action will receive $50,000 in unrestricted funding, as well as promotional support from local media partners and volunteers from Citizens to support their work improving energy efficiency within their own operations or expanding access to clean or renewable energy services in the communities they serve. Read the full article. As NH looks to federal money to expand EV charging, losing out on grants is a blow New Hampshire lost out on about $15 million of federal funding for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, according to an announcement from the federal highway administration, dealing a blow to the state's efforts to build out a more robust EV charging network. Read the full article. Opinion: Utilities need a business model that’s aligned with the needs of society For nearly twenty years electricity consumption has been pancake flat in the United States, but that era is about to end. Electrification is coming. Electric vehicles are hitting the road much faster than we ever anticipated. There are currently just over 10,000 EVs registered in New Hampshire, but by 2032 there are forecast to be more than 165,000. Read the full article. Grants would help less affluent New Hampshire towns invest in public solar projects New Hampshire’s energy department is preparing to road-test a grant program meant to help disadvantaged cities and towns access the environmental and financial benefits of solar power. The state plans to use $1.4 million from the 2021 federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act to help fund the installation of solar projects up to 60 kilowatts on municipal buildings or land. The grant will cover up to 95% of the costs of a qualifying solar project for lower-income cities and towns and 60% for other municipalities. Read the full article. Shaheen Introduces Legislation to Help Rural Communities Benefit from Investments in Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency (Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced The Energy Circuit Riders Act, legislation to help ensure communities in rural America can take advantage of historic investments in energy efficiency and clean energy. Shaheen’s bill would establish a new grant program within USDA Rural Development to help eligible entities hire local, on-the-ground experts that travel to rural communities and provide assistance on projects that can help save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Read the full article. New Hampshire seeks IRA grant to help low-income residents tap the benefits of solar New Hampshire’s Department of Energy has requested a $70 million federal grant to expand community solar programs for low-income residents, an infusion of funds that supporters said could lower energy bills, accelerate decarbonization, and perhaps even catalyze the development of much-needed affordable housing. Read the full article. Advocates fear NH clean energy proposal would pit nuclear against solar, wind Climate and clean energy advocates in New Hampshire say a pending proposal to define nuclear power as clean energy could undercut solar and wind power in the state. Though the details are still in the works, state Rep. Michael Vose, chair of the legislature’s science, technology, and energy committee, is drafting a bill that would allow nuclear power generators, such as New Hampshire’s Seabrook Station, to receive payments for contributing clean energy to the grid. Read the full article. New Hampshire Delegation Welcomes Nearly $500,000 to Expand Energy Efficiency Efforts in Rural Communities (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) alongside U.S. Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) announced that $499,128 is heading to Clean Energy NH to support the expansion of their work to assist small businesses and agricultural producers in New Hampshire’s rural communities with energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. These funds were allocated through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Technical Assistance as part of nearly $2 billion in funding provided for REAP through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Read the full article. (Opinion) NHSaves is back before the PUC Imagine you could go to the store and purchase a coupon for one dollar, and that coupon provides the recipient with two dollars and twenty-seven cents. It’s likely the stores offering these coupons wouldn’t be able to keep them in stock. Savvy shoppers would scoop up those coupons by the armload, and the staff at the store may have to limit customers from taking too many. This imaginary scenario is absurd, but in broad strokes it also describes the state’s energy-efficiency policies, which operate under the brand name “NHSaves.” The next iteration of the state’s three-year energy efficiency plan is set to be approved by state regulators by the end of November, and the programs as a whole are forecast to generate $2.27 in benefits for Granite Staters for every dollar invested. Read the full article. How long-term procurement could help ratepayers and get clean energy projects built A new long-term energy procurement law in the state is slated to create a market of power purchase agreements between utilities and energy generators for as long as 20 years. Proponents this past legislative session viewed Senate Bill 54, signed into law by Gov. Chris Sununu in August, as a financial mechanism to benefit ratepayers hit hard by the price volatility of natural gas. The new law allows Eversource, Unitil, and Liberty Utilities – the three utilities regulated by the state’s Public Utilities Commission – to enter into multi-year purchase power agreements for up to 2 million megawatt-hours annually. Prior, the utilities were restricted to six-month rate contract agreements. Read the full article. In unexpected move, New Hampshire utilities voice support for solar net metering New Hampshire’s electric utilities have come out in favor of continuing the state’s current system for compensating customers who share surplus solar power on the grid. Eversource, Unitil, and Liberty Utilities surprised clean energy advocates by submitting joint testimony to state regulators last month endorsing the state’s current net metering structure. The program credits customers roughly 75% of the standard electricity rate for any unused solar generation that flows back onto the grid and is used by other customers. Read the full article. As NH sets out to gauge energy efficiency awareness, some say education isn’t enough CONCORD, NH – Communities and organizations in six rural counties will share $11 million in federal funds awarded through grants from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). Created by the US Congress in 2008, the NBRC is a federal-state partnership working to alleviate economic challenges in northern counties across New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. In New Hampshire, projects are eligible for the Catalyst program in all, or portions of, Belknap; Carroll; Cheshire; Coos; Grafton, and Sullivan Counties. Read the full article. As NH sets out to gauge energy efficiency awareness, some say education isn’t enough The latest triennial energy efficiency plan filed by New Hampshire’s utility companies could save consumers $675 million, prevent 2 million tons of greenhouse gases from going into the atmosphere, and support 1,718 full-time jobs. Read the full article. NH utilities file new energy efficiency plans after controversy New Hampshire utility companies have submitted their latest three-year plan for energy efficiency programs, after years of conflict among state leaders over who should pay for energy efficiency and how those programs should work. Read the full article. How the Inflation Reduction Act is helping to jumpstart New Hampshire’s long-stalled climate plan New Hampshire — long an outlier among New England states on climate action — is on its way to creating a new climate plan for the first time in 14 years. The state budget adopted last week includes a $3 million federal grant from a program intended to support the development of climate action plans across the country. Read the full article. Sununu announces support for proposed transmission lines for Canadian hydropower Gov. Chris Sununu expressed his support today for a proposed electric transmission project that could bring hydropower from Canada into New England through Vermont and New Hampshire. The Twin States Clean Energy Link is a proposal to move that hydropower using existing routes for power lines and new, buried power lines along state roadways. Read the full article. NH regulators approve Unitil plan for Kingston solar array New Hampshire’s Public Utilities Commission has approved a plan from the utility company Unitil to build a solar array. The company says it’s set to be the largest in the state. Unitil spokesperson Alec O’Meara said the company plans to begin construction later this year. Read the full article. NH regulators approve Unitil plan for Kingston solar array New Hampshire’s Public Utilities Commission has approved a plan from the utility company Unitil to build a solar array. The company says it’s set to be the largest in the state. Unitil spokesperson Alec O’Meara said the company plans to begin construction later this year. Read the full article. More electric vehicles are coming. But NH lawmakers are split on charging infrastructure study bill. The number of electric vehicles on New England roads is growing . But people driving EVs don’t have many charging options in New Hampshire. A bill introduced in the state Senate would create a committee to study how the state could help fund the development of more charging infrastructure. But legislators are split on the issue. Read the full article. New Hampshire bill would offer new path for utilities to procure electricity Long a proponent of allowing the free market to dictate energy sources and prices, the administration of Gov. Chris Sununu is now having second thoughts. Citing New Hampshire’s soaring electricity prices, the administration is pushing legislation that would allow electric distribution utilities to buy power directly from generators rather than solicit new energy resources from regional wholesale markets. Read the full article. New Hampshire sits out on $3.6B Northeast clean hydrogen hub proposal Much of the Northeast joined together last week in submitting a whopping $3.62 billion proposal to the federal government in hopes of becoming a regional clean hydrogen hub. Missing from the announcement was New Hampshire. Read the full article. Over 2 million more electric vehicles estimated in New England over next decade New England's grid operator says approximately 2.4 million more electric vehicles could be driving on the region's roads in the next decade. But clean energy advocates say without significant improvements to EV infrastructure and policy in New Hampshire, uptake here will lag behind. Read the full article. PUC report spurs concerns about future of state’s energy efficiency programs In 2021, New Hampshire’s Public Utilities Commission sent the state’s energy utilities into turmoil: It approved a plan to slash funding for the “NHSaves” energy efficiency program down to 2017 levels, sparking an outcry and legal challenges from the utilities. Read the full article. Clean Energy NH Adds Six New Board Members Clean Energy NH, the state’s leading advocate for a zero carbon energy system, is pleased to announce that the following individuals have joined its board of directors. Read the full article. In N.H., frustrations and finger-pointing as Dems try again on climate legislation For the fourth year in a row, Democratic lawmakers and their allies in New Hampshire will push for the state to join the rest of New England in codifying state-level greenhouse gas reduction goals. Read the full article. Public Utilities Commission issues report on energy efficiency ahead of next plan deadline New Hampshire’s Public Utilities Commission released a report earlier this month on energy efficiency, detailing their findings from an investigation launched in August assessing how those programs work. Read the full article. New England grapples with sky-high electricity rates as Ukraine war squeezes gas supply New Englanders are contending with some of the highest electricity rates in the country this winter as they weather the transatlantic ripple effects of a global gas crunch. Residents of New England’s six states have thus far enjoyed a relatively mild winter without rolling blackouts. Read the full article. From Climate Exhortation to Climate Execution There are about a hundred and forty million homes in the United States. Two-thirds, or about eighty-five million, of them are detached single-family houses; the rest are apartment units or trailer homes. Read the full article. Evans-Brown: Yes, your electric bill just went crazy. Here’s what you can do about it On Dec. 1, electric supply rates for Unitil customers went from 17.8 cents per kwh to 33.7 cents. When you get your next bill, it will be somewhere between $85 and $100 higher than your last one. Read the full article. New Hampshire’s latest energy strategy: blame other states for rising costs New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu’s administration is taking aim at the five other New England states, blaming their investments in renewable energy for higher electricity costs regionwide. Read the full article. Opinion: Don’t get left behind, New Hampshire In 2019, author and investor Ramez Naam opined that the world had entered the “Third Phase of Clean Energy .” He concluded, based on large volumes of data, that a threshold had been crossed and it was now cheaper to build new renewable energy resources than to operate existing fossil fuel resources. Read the full release. State regulators approve Eversource’s electric vehicle infrastructure plan A plan from Eversource to spend about $2 million helping to build out electric vehicle charging infrastructure in New Hampshire was approved by the Public Utilities Commission late Monday. Read the full article. Community Power Rules Finalized: Regulators Open the Door to Revolutionary Community Electricity Programs The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission finalized the long-awaited rules which will govern New Hampshire’s community power aggregation program. The creation of this program will help to realize the potential of market competition in New Hampshire’s electricity sector which began more than two decades ago, in 1996. Read the full press release. Ride and Drive Expo Showcases Latest in EV Market Unitil Corporation, a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, teamed up with Clean Energy NH for an electric vehicle Ride and Drive Expo last weekend that attracted dozens of EV enthusiasts and put some curiosity seekers behind the wheel for the first time. Read the full press release. NH takes a step towards being serious about EV's - But the PUC dodges a decision to incentivize public charging infrastructure Via The NH Business Review By: Sam Evans-Brown Every time someone with an electric vehicle plugs it in and charges it overnight, they are saving money for their friends, neighbors and every other customer of their electric utility. Every Time. Don't believe me? Here's how it works. Read the full press release. North Country Communities Vote For Clean Energy Throughout the course of the past week, five Coos County communities approved funding for solar projects which combined will result in over a half a million dollars in energy savings over their lifetimes and leverage as much as $340 thousand dollars in grant support. Read the full press release. Clean Energy NH and Conservation Law Foundation Appeal PUC Efficiency Decision to the NH Supreme Court Today, in collaboration with the Conservation Law Foundation, Clean Energy NH filed an appeal challenging the Public Utilities Commission’s decision to drastically cut the state’s energy efficiency programs, which are delivered under the banner of NH Saves. The PUC struck a dramatic blow to NH Saves in a draconian order issued on November 12 of last year, and have refused to reconsider their decision. Read the full press release, or read the appeal. Clean Energy NH Announces New Board of Directors and Slate of Officers Clean Energy NH (CENH), a nonprofit organization advocating on behalf of clean energy policies and technologies to build a stronger economic future in New Hampshire, announces the appointment of five new members to its Board of Directors and its 2022 slate of officers. Read the full press release . Clean Energy Champions Recognized at Annual Member Holiday Event Clean Energy NH (CENH), the Granite State’s leading clean energy advocate and educator, has announced the winners of its annual awards. Read the full press release . Chris Skoglund to Join Clean Energy NH Skoglund has been a pivotal state official on energy policy for over a decade View Chris's bio . After more than a decade leading climate mitigation efforts as a state employee, Chris Skoglund will join Clean Energy NH as the new Director of Energy Transition. Read the full press release . Lawsuit Filed Challenging Decision Defunding NH Saves Municipalities, Housing Authorities and Efficiency Contractors Join Forces to Challenge PUC Decision Today Clean Energy New Hampshire and nine other energy efficiency advocates filed a lawsuit requesting an injunction that would stay an order issued by the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission last month. The order would cut the funding of the popular NH Saves energy efficiency programs by more than 50 percent. The lawsuit documents can be found here . "The documents and testimony compiled in this lawsuit demonstrate that if not stayed, this order will result in irreparable harm to countless New Hampshire businesses," said Sam Evans-Brown Executive Director of Clean Energy NH, "We urge the Superior Court to act swiftly to provide these businesses with relief while the PUC order is reconsidered." View the updated EERS Legal Fight Page. Clean Energy NH, Local Communities and Local Contractors Sue to Block Cuts to Efficiency Programs Clean Energy New Hampshire, in conjunction with local efficiency contractors and others that will be harmed by a November 12th order from utility regulators, announced it will file a lawsuit in the New Hampshire Superior Court. Read the full article Here. View the updated EERS Legal Fight Page . Clean Energy NH Announces New Deputy Director Stay Work Play NH Veteran Moves to Growing Clean Energy Organization View Beth's bio . Clean Energy New Hampshire (CENH) is adding to its team with the appointment of Beth San Soucie as Deputy Director. San Soucie most recently served as the Director of Communications at Stay Work Play New Hampshire, a nonprofit dedicated to attracting and retaining more young people to New Hampshire. Read the full press release . Clean Energy NH Comments in Energy Storage Docket Read them here ! NEW Solar Report & NH Specific Factsheet Released NEW report shows small-scale solar produced wholesale energy market benefits of $1.1 billion for ALL New England ratepayers from 2014-2019. Read the report here and view the NH factsheet here Understanding the FERC net metering petition June 10, 2019 Read it here! Clean Energy NH welcome new board members January 3, 2019 Read it here! Clean Energy NH Statement on HB365 Upheld Veto September 18, 2019 Read it here! NH hosts world's first electric vehicle relay! September 16, 2019 Read about it here! Clean Energy NH Statement on HB365 Veto June 3, 2019 Read it here! Clean Energy NH Welcomes Two New Board of Directors Members April 22, 2019 Read it here! EV Chargers, New Hampshire Tourism, and The Real Story of the Granite State Grid An article quoting Sam Evans-Brown of Clean Energy NH led to a tweet by host Michael Graham which led to a minor kerfuffle which resulted in a terrific conversation about New Hampshire, EVs, and the real numbers on energy in New England. Listen to the episode.

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Written by Grace Garvey, Former Chair of the Plymouth Energy Commission As of December 19th, 2024, the Quincy Road PV solar array is online and producing clean energy! For those of you who do not know the history, the initial idea of this type of local power plant was incubated by the Plymouth Energy Commission (PEC) a decade or so ago. After Covid and some inactivity, the PEC revisited this idea and decided to either permanently park the conversation or move it forward. Move it forward the PEC did!   After a lot of research and back and forth presentations to the Selectboard, the PEC wrote a 2022 warrant which passed and gave the PEC a green light to research options and funding for a municipal solar array project. The PEC wrote another warrant for the 2023 Town Meeting focused on funding and construction of the solar array. This 2023 warrant passed by over 90% of the votes. The town then signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Barrington Power (BP). The PEC worked with BP to nail down the location on Quincy Road and to plan an array large enough to generate power to offset 70% of municipal building electricity usage requirements. The Quincy Road site is ideal because it was already owned by the town, has excellent southern exposure and consists of an open field which required minimal site work before construction.   Modeling shows a 1st year revenue of $22,000 and over $1,000,000 revenue during the 35-year anticipated life of the solar PV array. This is a net revenue, above and beyond loan payments and any costs related to insurance, operation, and maintenance.   The Municipality of Plymouth is eligible for a 30% elective pay credit through the Inflation Reduction Act and possibly an additional 10% because Plymouth qualifies for a low-income bonus credit. The Town will also receive a $10,000 rebate from the Public Utilities Commission. Aerial Image of the Array On December 16, 2024, the town celebrated with warm beverages and snacks in the airport building. The celebration ended with a ribbon cutting and a tour of the array.  Representatives from the offices of Senator Maggie Hassan and US Representative Ann McLane Kuster attended, along with Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill, NH State Representatives Peter Lovett and Janet Lucas, town employees, past and current members of the PEC, and many members of the public.   Summary of Benefits to the Town: Dependable financial gain for the town of Plymouth Renewable energy investment Decreased carbon footprint Federal support through Inflation Reduction Act Optimum utilization of town-owned land Alignment with the town’s ecotourism vision Alignment with Town declaration of a “Climate Emergency” Alignment with two sections of Plymouth’s Master Plan   Thanks to many – to name just a few supporters:   *Highway Department for plowing out the airport parking array for the December 16, 2024 ribbon cutting celebration *Colin McIver, Airport Manager for hosting us *Carol Niewola & Colin McIver who helped navigate the FAA clearance to construct across from the airport *Scott Weden Town Manager & Anne Abear Town Finance Director who tirelessly helped to see this project over the finish line *Ted Vansant and Jack Bingham from Barrington Power who helped work through all the details and GCed the build *All past and present Selectboard members, particularly Bill Bolton who was our rock star and our SB liaison *The Town Voters * New Hampshire Electric Cooperative who was open to the town connecting a PV array with a design that did not fit into a neat box * Clean Energy NH * Community Development Finance Authority , particularly Scott Maslansky *Those who negotiated the Build Back Better Act through which we will get elective pay funds to help pay for the project

When Josh Green took a six-week grant writing class in Keene, he had no idea it would lead to a historic moment for the Town of Hinsdale . Less than a year later, Hinsdale secured $200,000 for its first-ever solar project, bringing long-term energy savings and sustainability to the community. As Josh stepped into his role as Community Development Coordinator, he knew Hinsdale had untapped potential but understood that making a meaningful impact would require access to the right resources. In late 2023, he and newly appointed Town Administrator, Kathryn Lynch, enrolled in a six-week grant writing course. Having to choose a grant to focus on writing during the course, Josh sought to use his new skills to apply for the NH Department of Energy (NH DOE)’s Municipal Solar Grant . His project centered on proposing the implementation of a PV (photovoltaic) solar array at the Hinsdale transfer station.   Proposed placement of the Hinsdale solar array “I was fortunate because the request for proposals (RFP) for Municipal Solar kept getting delayed, which allowed me ample time to prepare a strong grant application,” he states. “The classes taught by Suzanne Bansley in Keene were excellent, and I highly recommend them.”  Josh is driven by a deep commitment to strengthening his community and paving the way for a more sustainable future. He explains how his interest in energy efficient projects that benefit the town, along with key support from others, helped bring the project to life: “As a Community Development Coordinator, my passion is to make Hinsdale as energy-efficient as possible. In my view, the town lacks a future vision for infrastructure. I received invaluable assistance from Clean Energy NH circuit riders John Kondos and Frank Richter. John initially helped me select a suitable location for the solar project, and after his retirement, Frank took over. I could not have completed the grant application without their support, and I am extremely grateful for all their hard work.” Their efforts paid off. After submitting their proposal in early August 2024, Hinsdale was awarded $200,000 by the NH DOE through the grant program on September 17, 2024. “When we received notification of the award, I was in disbelief—I was so excited! This is a historic moment for the Town of Hinsdale, as we will be receiving solar arrays for the first time.”   The arrays are projected to save approximately $20,000 to $25,000 annually in electricity costs over the next 25 to 30 years. This is a significant benefit for a small town of 4,000 residents. The impact will help Hinsdale become less reliant on the grid, resulting in lower energy bills and enhanced energy security—ensuring a stable and sustainable power source for residents. Solar energy is a renewable resource that does not emit any of the pollutants that traditional energy sources do, leading to cleaner air and water and improved public health.  The solar grant didn’t just bring funding, it also sparked teamwork across departments. Implementing cross-department collaboration, with the Highway Department and Transfer Station, for example, helped provide a different perspective and set of expertise that determined the best siting opportunities and rollout for the project’s implementation. Josh also cited the benefits of working with reliable solar companies such as Barrington Power , to help guide the town towards the best options for their proposal.  The momentum for other projects has already started. Conversations about solar and energy efficiency are spreading, from solar arrays on the sewer plant’s roof to implementing energy efficient lighting at the local school. Even the town hall is undergoing an energy efficiency audit with NHSaves . “There’s so much opportunity to improve on the existing structures we have,” Josh states.  The town is currently waiting, along with all other New Hampshire communities awarded Municipal Solar Grant money, for the grant to be administered through the NH DOE. When the time comes, the town will be ready to continue the momentum. “The town’s current administration has a passion to move this town forward,” says Josh. “The future vision hasn’t been here for many years, and projects like this spark possibilities for that future into life. We’re ready to continue moving forwards.”

The majority of the participants in the docket that will determine the future of the local renewable energy industry agree to leave net metering in place unchanged. Nearly all of the parties in the latest net metering docket  have come to agreement as to what the future of the policy that supports local distributed energy generation will be. For those interested in reading the complete settlement agreement, you can find it linked here , but here is the abbreviated version of what the settling parties are asking the Commission to do: The current net metering structure, which was established in 2017 , shall remain in place for a period of at least two years.  Two years after the release of the Commission’s order in this docket, the utilities shall propose new Net Metering Time of Use Rates.   New projects that take part in the net metering program shall be allowed to do so for a period of 20 years , after which point they will transition onto whatever new tariffs are available at that time.  The utilities shall create a new system of application fees  for net metered projects to reduce the administrative costs borne by non-net-metering customers. These fees range from $200 to $1,000 per project.  The utilities shall commence  an 18-month period of data collection,  which will gather more information regarding net metering generation profiles, customer consumption trends, and other necessary information to make wise decisions about the future of net metering in the next docket.  Why did the settling parties decide on these terms?  It’s valuable to consider the context. As a result of cuts to the net metering program in 2017 , New Hampshire already has the lowest net metering reimbursement rate in New England. Local solar in NH is credited at around 10 cents per kWh for large projects, and 14.7 cents per kWh for excess generation smaller ones. In Maine projects are paid between 13 and 25 cents per kWh, and in Vermont the rate is 16 cents per kWh. In Southern New England the reimbursement rates are even higher. Unlike the surrounding states, New Hampshire has a very “ thrifty and frugal ” net metering program. The settlement comes following the release of the Value of Distributed Energy Resources report in 2022 , which found that there is  no “unreasonable” cost-shifting occurring  as a result of net metering. CENH’s testimony  suggests that the reverse may actually be true, and local generation may be  decreasing electricity rates for all consumers . The utilities themselves agree  that net metering should be allowed to remain in place, a position that surprised  industry watchers across the country, and local renewable projects are helping to reinvest in the grid by paying for needed upgrades to distribution system as they interconnect.  The settling parties include almost all of the participants in the docket. The only participating parties that have remained outside of the settlement are doing so for slightly diverging points of view. The Community Power Coalition would like to see  a system that creates a time-varying net metering price signal put into place sooner rather than later, and the Department of Energy simply wants status quo . No party has argued for cuts to net metering. But perhaps most importantly, for the first time in decades, energy growth is forecast to grow rapidly in New England . We are going to need all of the electrons we can get our hands on, and for better or worse, smaller-scale distributed generation is much easier to get built  than large centralized power plants, which have a tendency to attract local pushback and litigation. The settlement agreement represents a common-sense approach to net metering policy that fits with New Hampshire’s history and context. This is not a state with large amounts of solar power already deployed, so there is no imminent need to move away from net metering towards a more administratively complicated tariff as of this time. However, in recognition of the fact that as variable renewable energy deployment increases, it will be increasingly important to move towards more flexible rate designs that differentiate the value of an electron based on when it is delivered, the settlement provides a date certain by which the utilities will submit a proposal to do just that. If adopted, this settlement would proactively move us towards that future, while at the same time not snuffing out the market for distributed generation. The settlement will only take effect if the PUC issues an order adopting the proposed recommendations. The PUC hearing in August regarding the docket is cruical in determining whether these recommendations are implemented. For a deeper dive into how NEM impacts you and your community , and how you can lend your voice to the effort to preserve and strengthen NEM in NH, explore our NEM webpage and factsheet .

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