Solar power in New Hampshire

Exeter High School 98 kW solar array^[1]

Solar power in New Hampshire provides a small percentage of the state's electricity. State renewable requirements and declining prices have led to some installations. Photovoltaics on rooftops can provide 53.4% of all electricity used in New Hampshire, from 5,300 MW of solar panels, and 72% of the electricity used in Concord, New Hampshire.^[2] A 2016 estimate suggests that a typical 5 kW system costing $25,000 before credits and utility savings will pay for itself in 9 years, and generate a profit of $34,196 over the rest of its 25-year life. A loan or lease provides a net savings each year, including the first year.^[3] New Hampshire has a rebate program which pays $0.75/W for residential systems up to 5 kW, for up to 50% of the system cost, up to $3,750.^[4] However, New Hampshire's solar installation lagged behind nearby states such as Vermont and New York, which in 2013 had 10 times and 25 times more solar, respectively.

Net metering is available for up to 1 MW generation, but is capped at 50 MW. Excess generation is perpetually rolled over each month, and customers can elect to be paid at avoided cost once a year.^[5] The organization Freeing the Grid gave the state a B for net metering and a D for interconnection.^[6] The state renewable portfolio standard calls for 25% of electricity from renewable energy in 2025, including 0.3% from solar.^[7] Noncompliance fees are used to fund renewable energy, and resulted in payments of $1.3 million in 2009^[8] and $2.6 million in 2010.^[9] A 2014 review by the state found the "business-as-usual" model predicted that the state's 2025 goals would not be met.^[10]

In 2005, New Hampshire's largest solar array was the 50 kW installation on the roof of the Stonyfield Farm yogurt factory.^[11] It remained the largest in the state until PSNH installed a 51 kW array on their roof in 2009.^[12] In 2012, New Hampshire's largest solar array was the 525 kW facility on the top level of the Manchester Airport parking garage.^[13] It was removed because of glare, and reinstalled with the panels facing East instead of South. Additional panels were installed to maintain the same output.^[14] In 2022, Manchester became home to the state's largest municipal solar array, which will generate 3.8 million kilowatt-hours. The facility is located on top of a land-fill^[15]

Manchester Airport Solar Generation (kWh) ^[16]

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
2016	29,325	36,690	55,281	68,395	71,776	86,272	83,328	74,757					505,824
Total													505,824

In 2015, the largest solar farm in the state was at the Peterborough wastewater treatment plant, a 942 kW installation with 3,100 solar panels on 5 acres (2.0 ha).^[17][18]

In a pilot program, a solar panel was installed on a few utility poles, four in Nashua and four in Berlin.^[19]

New Hampshire's average electricity price of 18.98¢/kWh is the fifth highest in the country.^[20]

Installed capacity

Source: NREL[21]

Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW)[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30]
Year	Capacity	Installed	% Change
2007	0.1
2008	0.1
2009	0.7	0.5	600%
2010	2.0	1.3	186%
2011	3.1	1.0	55%
2012	5.4	2.3	74%
2013	9.6	4.1	75%
2014	7	3	75%
2015	22	15	214%
2016	54	32	145%
2017	76	22	41%
2018	90	14	18%
2019	113	23	25%
2020	132.9	19.9	17%
2021	164.8	31.9	%
2022	201	36.2	%

See also

• Wind power in New Hampshire
• Solar power in the United States
• Renewable energy in the United States

References

1. Exeter Region High School
2. Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States: A Detailed Assessment
3. New Hampshire
4. "Renewable Energy Rebate Program". Archived from the original on 2012-05-11. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
5. "New Hampshire Net Metering". Archived from the original on 2012-05-11. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
6. Freeing the grid
7. "Renewables Portfolio Standard". Archived from the original on 2014-11-01. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
8. Annual RPS Compliance Report for 2009
9. Annual RPS Compliance Report for 2010
10. New Hampshire 10 Year Energy Strategy, New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning, September 2014
11. Stonyfield Farm Solar Array
12. Solar at Energy Park
13. Project Experience: Manchester Airport Solar Project, New Hampshire^{[permanent dead link]}
14. Manchester airport remains in dark over solar-panel glare solution
15. "Largest municipal solar array in the state now fully operational | Manchester Ink Link". manchesterinklink.com. 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
16. "Parking Garage Solar PV Facility". Vale Clean Technology. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
17. Peterborough to turn on state's largest solar-power facility, Concord Monitor, November 6, 2015
18. Solar Powered WWTP
19. Solar on Utility Poles
20. Residential Electricity Prices, July 2017(cents/kWh)
21. "PV Watts". NREL. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
22. Sherwood, Larry (August 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2011" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-06. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
23. Sherwood, Larry (June 2011). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2011-06-29.
24. Sherwood, Larry (July 2010). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-09-25. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
25. Sherwood, Larry (July 2009). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
26. Sherwood, Larry (August 2008). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2007" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2010-07-24.^{[permanent dead link]}
27. Sherwood, Larry (July 2009). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
28. Sherwood, Larry (July 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
29. Sherwood, Larry (July 2014). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2013" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2014-09-26.
30. New Hampshire Solar

External links

• Incentives and policies