Solar power in New Hampshire explained

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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] The organization Freeing the Grid gave the state a B for net metering and a D for interconnection.[5] The state renewable portfolio standard calls for 25% of electricity from renewable energy in 2025, including 0.3% from solar.[6] Noncompliance fees are used to fund renewable energy, and resulted in payments of $1.3 million in 2009[7] and $2.6 million in 2010.[8] A 2014 review by the state found the "business-as-usual" model predicted that the state's 2025 goals would not be met.[9]

In 2005, New Hampshire's largest solar array was the 50 kW installation on the roof of the Stonyfield Farm yogurt factory.[10] It remained the largest in the state until PSNH installed a 51 kW array on their roof in 2009.[11] In 2012, New Hampshire's largest solar array was the 525 kW facility on the top level of the Manchester Airport parking garage.[12] 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.[13] 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[14]

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 .[16] [17]

In a pilot program, a solar panel was installed on a few utility poles, four in Nashua and four in Berlin.[18]

New Hampshire's average electricity price of 18.98¢/kWh is the fifth highest in the country.[19]

Installed capacity

ImageSize = width:420 height:240PlotArea = width:350 height:150 left:40 bottom:40AlignBars = late

DateFormat = x.yPeriod = from:0 till:6TimeAxis = orientation:verticalScaleMajor = unit:month increment:1 start:0

TextData = pos:(15,220) textcolor:black fontsize:M text:hrs pos:(205,25) textcolor:black fontsize:S text:Month pos:(90,230) textcolor:black fontsize:M text:Concord Sun Hours/day (Avg = 4.61 hrs/day)

Colors = id:yellow value:yellow

PlotData= width:20 textcolor:black bar:Jan color:yellow from:0 till:3.80 text:3.80 shift:(-10,55) bar:Feb color:yellow from:0 till:4.56 text:4.56 shift:(-10,65) bar:Mar color:yellow from:0 till:4.89 text:4.89 shift:(-10,70) bar:Apr color:yellow from:0 till:5.19 text:5.19 shift:(-10,70) bar:May color:yellow from:0 till:5.40 text:5.40 shift:(-10,75) bar:Jun color:yellow from:0 till:5.42 text:5.42 shift:(-10,75) bar:Jul color:yellow from:0 till:5.59 text:5.59 shift:(-10,80) bar:Aug color:yellow from:0 till:5.47 text:5.47 shift:(-10,75) bar:Sep color:yellow from:0 till:4.93 text:4.93 shift:(-10,70) bar:Oct color:yellow from:0 till:4.01 text:4.01 shift:(-10,60) bar:Nov color:yellow from:0 till:3.13 text:3.13 shift:(-10,45) bar:Dec color:yellow from:0 till:2.87 text:2.87 shift:(-10,45)

Source: NREL[20]

Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW)[21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29]
YearCapacityInstalled% 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

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy16osti/65298.pdf Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States: A Detailed Assessment
  2. http://solarpowerrocks.com/new-hampshire/ New Hampshire
  3. Web site: Renewable Energy Rebate Program . 2012-07-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120511020252/http://dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=NH32F&re=1&ee=1 . 2012-05-11 . dead .
  4. Web site: New Hampshire Net Metering . 2012-07-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120511020428/http://dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=NH01R&re=1&ee=1 . 2012-05-11 . dead .
  5. http://www.gracelinks.org/1179/freeing-the-grid Freeing the grid
  6. Web site: Renewables Portfolio Standard . 2012-07-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141101051749/http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=NH09R . 2014-11-01 . dead .
  7. http://www.puc.state.nh.us/Sustainable%20Energy/Electric%20Renewable%20Portfolio%20Standard%20Program/2009%20Renewable%20Energy%20Fund%20summary%20for%20website.pdf Annual RPS Compliance Report for 2009
  8. http://www.puc.state.nh.us/Sustainable%20Energy/Electric%20Renewable%20Portfolio%20Standard%20Program/2010%20Annual%20RPS%20Compliance%20Report.pdf Annual RPS Compliance Report for 2010
  9. https://www.nh.gov/oep/energy/programs/documents/energy-strategy.pdf New Hampshire 10 Year Energy Strategy
  10. http://www.nativeenergy.com/stonyield-farm-solar-array.html Stonyfield Farm Solar Array
  11. http://www.psnh.com/RenewableEnergy/About-PSNH/Solar-at-Energy-Park.aspx Solar at Energy Park
  12. http://www.hmmh.com/manchester-airport-solar-nh.html Project Experience: Manchester Airport Solar Project, New Hampshire
  13. http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130807/NEWS05/130809503&template=mobileart Manchester airport remains in dark over solar-panel glare solution
  14. Web site: 2022-01-12 . Largest municipal solar array in the state now fully operational Manchester Ink Link . 2023-01-31 . manchesterinklink.com . en-US.
  15. Web site: Parking Garage Solar PV Facility . Vale Clean Technology . March 22, 2016.
  16. http://www.concordmonitor.com/home/19328382-95/peterborough-to-turn-on-states-largest-solar-power-facility Peterborough to turn on state's largest solar-power facility
  17. http://www.peterboroughprojects.info/solar-powered-wwtp/ Solar Powered WWTP
  18. http://www.psnh.com/RenewableEnergy/About-PSNH/Solar-on-Utility-Poles.aspx Solar on Utility Poles
  19. https://www.eia.gov/state/rankings/?sid=US#/series/31 Residential Electricity Prices, July 2017(cents/kWh)
  20. Web site: PV Watts. NREL. 23 July 2012.
  21. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2011. 17. Sherwood, Larry. Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). August 2012. 2012-08-16. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120906231846/http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/IRECSolarMarketTrends-2012-web.pdf. 2012-09-06.
  22. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010 . Sherwood . Larry . Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) . June 2011 . 2011-06-29.
  23. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009 . Sherwood . Larry . Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) . July 2010 . 2010-07-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100925184512/http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IREC-Solar-Market-Trends-Report-2010_7-27-10_web1.pdf . 2010-09-25 .
  24. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008 . Sherwood . Larry . Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) . July 2009 . 2010-07-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091123030109/http://www.irecusa.org/fileadmin/user_upload/NationalOutreachDocs/SolarTrendsReports/IREC_Solar_Market_Trends_Report_2008.pdf . 2009-11-23 .
  25. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2007 . Sherwood . Larry . Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) . August 2008 . 2010-07-24 .
  26. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008 . PDF . Sherwood . Larry . Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) . July 2009 . 16 . 2010-07-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091123030109/http://www.irecusa.org/fileadmin/user_upload/NationalOutreachDocs/SolarTrendsReports/IREC_Solar_Market_Trends_Report_2008.pdf . 2009-11-23 .
  27. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012 . PDF . Sherwood . Larry . Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) . July 2012 . 16 . 2013-10-11.
  28. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2013. Sherwood, Larry. Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). July 2014. 2014-09-26.
  29. https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/new-hampshire-solar New Hampshire Solar

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