Recently the Durham Unitarian Universalist Fellowship became the first house of worship in New Hampshire to install a solar array. As someone who was part of the effort to make that happen, I share a sense of pride with other members of the Fellowship.
Nevertheless, speaking for myself (I can’t speak for the Fellowship) I’m concerned that our success may represent not only the first, but also one of the last, solar installations by New Hampshire churches.
One important factor that made our efforts successful was net metering. Under net metering, during summer months the solar panels will produce excess electricity, earning credits that can be used during low-power winter months. Unfortunately, New Hampshire currently has a cap on net metering, which — if not modified significantly — means that in the future solar electricity will likely not be financially viable for New Hampshire’s homes, schools, businesses, and places of worship. Our Fellowship got through the net metering cap “door,” but that door seems to be closing behind us.
To the extent that net metering is restricted going forward, and consequently solar installations are severely hampered, the result will be that a corresponding amount of power will be generated by fossil fuels. Thousands of tons of carbon dioxide will be produced that could have been avoided, contributing to climate change.

Why reduce credits to solar customers when net metering creates solar jobs and makes solar more affordable to homeowners?

I’ve noticed two recent solar editorials in New Hampshire papers — the Union Leader and the Concord Monitor — that give me cause for concern because they oppose an important solar policy called net metering without any data to back up their conclusions.

The pieces both call for a change to New Hampshire’s net metering policy, but fail to acknowledge that there has not been a single study on the benefits and costs of net metering in the state. In other states, independent studies show that net metering is a financial benefit to all ratepayers, even those without solar.

So here’s the multi-billion dollar question: Why reduce credits to solar customers when net metering creates solar jobs and economic growth, makes solar more affordable to all homeowners, and has not yet received the benefit of a thorough analysis by the state PUC to determine its impacts on New Hampshire consumers?

By proposing to eliminate net metering before such a study could even take place, New Hampshire’s political leadership is prejudging the outcome. As an alternative, legislators could call for a study by passing SB 333. According to leaders in the solar industry — who probably know what they need to keep New Hampshire workers employed in their growing green industry — the bill just needs one important tweak: Let the industry continue their successful work of moving us into a new energy future until a study is complete.

A new half-acre array of solar panels at The MacDowell Colony has begun offsetting 74 percent of the 450-acre property’s electrical needs each year. The project is a major move forward for the nation’s first artist residency program as it continues efforts to improve efficiency in its buildings and reduce fossil fuel consumption.

The photovoltaic panels, which started producing electricity for MacDowell last Tuesday, will supply about 186,000 kWh each year — more than enough for Colony Hall, the Colony’s largest structural consumer of power, which houses administrative offices, the kitchen, dining room, laundry, and gathering space for artists. The installation will prevent about 282,300 pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere each year.

“This system is part of a long-term strategy MacDowell has been pursuing since 1992 to renovate studios and common buildings to reduce both energy loss and our dependence on fossil fuels,” says MacDowell Resident Director David Macy. “We started talking solar panels on Colony Hall during renovation planning in 2007.”

As a charitable nonprofit, the Colony can’t access federal incentives to help defray overall costs of such a project, so Board Member Bob Larsen of Concord introduced the Colony to ReVision Energy of Exeter, a solar energy company that offers turnkey installations. ReVision works in tandem with IGS Solar, a commercial and residential solar provider that invests in renewable energy projects for nonprofits. IGS Solar financed, owns, and operates the solar project, and is the beneficiary of federal and state incentives. MacDowell has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement with IGS Solar.