A new solar array in southwest New Hampshire is putting unbuildable land to work and is set to help 250 families lower their electricity supply charges by 25%.

Here's what to know

The array, recently completed atop a capped landfill in Jaffrey, was developed through New Hampshire's Low-Moderate Income Community Solar Program, according to the Ledger-Transcript. It features 2,266 panels and a capacity of 1.34 megawatts, with electricity generation expected to follow.

Jaffrey residents had first priority for the array's enrollment, with neighboring communities next in line and other participants chosen at random. 

The state established the community solar program in 2022 through its Department of Energy. Participating households are expected to share about $2 million in bill credits during the array's projected lifetime of more than 40 years.

For households exploring residential solar, $0-upfront leases may offer electricity savings of hundreds of dollars per month, depending on the home and agreement. EasyHome offers a free explorer tool to estimate potential savings and find vetted local installers.

More background

For nearly two decades, Jaffrey had considered installing solar panels on the capped landfill. At its Nov. 5 ribbon-cutting ceremony, Town Manager Jon Frederick credited municipal staff and elected officials with bringing the project to completion through "persistence and a commitment to a vision," according to the Ledger.

The local paper reported that ReVision Energy, a New England-based company, built the array and leases the town-owned site. Financing for the public-private effort came from Blue Haven Solar.

In addition to providing household savings, the installation is expected to generate over 1.7 million kilowatt-hours of renewable power each year and reduce annual carbon emissions by roughly 933 tons.

What else?

Sam Evans-Brown, who leads Clean Energy New Hampshire and helped develop legislation to establish the community solar program, said the initiative addresses a key barrier.

"The clean energy transition and affordability agenda really ought to be the same agenda. But if you are low-income and don't have access to capital or can't get a loan, you can't get rooftop solar, and you can't have access to these technologies that can save folks who have more income tons of money," Evans-Brown said, per the Ledger.

Evans-Brown said roughly 11,000 people statewide are enrolled in the program and that more projects are needed beyond Jaffrey's array.

For homeowners considering their own rooftop solar panels, EasyHome also offers options to explore battery storage alongside power generation. While Jaffrey's project focuses on community bill credits, pairing home solar with batteries can help households manage electricity costs and keep backup power available during outages, depending on the system.

Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander, who attended the ribbon-cutting, emphasized the connection between household savings, economic development, and action on the climate crisis.

"They can all be done together with projects like this," she said.

Where can I learn more?

The array in Jaffrey shows how even a capped landfill can be used to generate solar power and help families save on electricity. Other states are organizing similar solar projects:

• In Texas, a solar project could cut bills by $1,000 for 10,000 Harris County households.

• In Illinois, a solar project saves households $98,000 and OSF HealthCare $65,000.

• Michigan's proposed community solar legislation would require 20% savings for low-income subscribers without rooftop panels.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.