Solar projects are cropping up left and right as they are an increasingly important piece of the planet’s renewable energy portfolio. And it is not just big solar farms having an impact. According to a Synapse Energy Economics report, New Hampshire saved $83 million from 2014-2019 with small-scale solar installations.
“Small” was defined as less than 5MW, so projects smaller than a municipal-sized system. For reference, most of Granite State Solar’s residential projects are 10–12 kW and small commercial projects are 25–75 kW. These savings are applied across all consumers who get an electric bill. not just solar panel owners.
While accepting the assertion that “bigger is better” is tempting, especially for climate activists seeking a rapid transition to clean energy, we must not forget about the impact smaller installations are having on the region. You’ll see headlines about impressive solar farms but remember, there are more homeowning residents than municipal players in the state, therefore efforts on the state policy side should reflect that ratio and support everyone going solar.
November 1st was the deadline for the Limited Electrical Energy Producers Commission, a legislative study commission, to come up with a comprehensive report relating to determining whether small-scale energy producers should get credit for cutting the cost of moving electricity over large distances. Any contribution to a healthy diversification of the grid’s energy sources should be celebrated.
Rooftop solar, the most prominent form of residential solar installations, does not use any additional space, transmission lines, buffering, or load infrastructure beyond what the local grid can usually incorporate. Individual residential solar and battery backup users are helping the grid by reducing the need to build additional utility-scale generation. Residential solar competes on cost and value making it a shorter path to clean energy future.
“There will always be strength in numbers and the more Granite Staters that go solar, the stronger and more resilient the local economy will be. It is that simple,” said Granite State Solar CEO Alan Gauntt.
The solar industry offers a lot of good too. Good jobs, contributing to a renewable future, supporting the local economy, and helping the environment.
Just in the last decade, the solar industry has experienced an average annual growth rate of 42% in the United States, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). That shows how quickly the industry and solar customers can mobilize in making energy transition progress.
However, as of Q2 of this year, less than 1% of New Hampshire’s total electricity was sourced from solar energy as reported by SEIA. We may have some work to do, but we see it as plenty of room for upward growth. Think of it this way. Our state can save $83 million in 5 years, not to mention the $87 million in pollutant-related healthcare costs in that timeframe, according to that Synapse report mentioned earlier. It is easy money and a lot of it.
“The vast majority of our customers are residential solar installations,” said Gauntt. “People are tapping into solar year-round, and every single customer contributes to making New Hampshire a more energy independent state.”
(Jane Stromberg is outreach & policy coordinator at Granite State Solar in Bow.)