New Hampshire Senate Bill SB161

New Hampshire 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/20/23
• Refer: 1/20/23
• Report Pass: 2/7/23
• Engrossed: 3/20/23
• Refer: 3/20/23
• Report Pass: 4/25/23
• Enrolled: 6/30/23
• Chaptered: 8/1/23
• Passed: 8/1/23

Caption

Relative to low-moderate income community solar projects.

Impact

The implementation of SB161 could significantly alter state laws pertaining to renewable energy projects by emphasizing support for low-income residents. The bill mandates that the electric bills for the solar projects can be paid either by the residents themselves or through the public housing authority. It seeks to ensure that a minimum of 15% of the anticipated energy output in these community solar projects is reserved for residential end-users, limiting the participation of non-residential customers to preserve benefits for the targeted demographic.

Summary

Senate Bill 161 seeks to support low-moderate income community solar projects in New Hampshire by expanding the definition of these projects to include solar arrays that specifically benefit groups of at least five residential customers. Importantly, the bill stipulates that a majority of these customers must be at or below 300% of the federal poverty guidelines. Additionally, it facilitates the direct benefit to residents of public housing authorities or similar projects, ensuring that at least 80% of the beneficiaries fall below the Area Median Income (AMI). This approach aims to make renewable energy more accessible to economically disadvantaged communities.

Contention

While SB161 is primarily designed to enhance the accessibility of renewable energy for low-moderate income communities, there may be points of contention regarding its implementation. Opponents could argue that the bill may place restrictions on non-residential customer participation, potentially limiting the economic viability of certain solar projects. Additionally, there could be concerns raised about the overall impact on the balance of energy distribution and funding from the renewable energy fund, particularly as it pertains to larger, more commercially viable projects versus community-focused endeavors.