Standing in front of a long line of solar panels that make up the largest array in the state, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Colin Van Ostern vouched to support renewable energy growth in the state if elected.
He commended the 947-kilowatt solar project in Peterborough off Route 202, which went online in 2015.
“Investing in clean and renewable energy projects is one of the ways we can make sure as we create jobs that have good wages,” Van Ostern said Friday at the event. “I know that New Hampshire is ready to take that next step forward and I think this is an example of the kind of project we need to be investing in, not turning our back on.”
Van Ostern said demand for renewable energy – especially in solar – is there, although policies aren’t in place to accommodate rapid growth in the sector.
“We have a solar energy industry [in New Hampshire] that is growing right now and frankly government red tape has been what’s holding it back,” Van Ostern said in an interview with the Ledger-Transcript Friday afternoon.
He said state grants for large scale community projects, like the one in Peterborough, are necessary for industry development. In addition, he said, New Hampshire lawmakers have to get rid of its net-metering cap, which allows producers to sell energy produced by their units back to the grid.
Fifteen years ago, lawmakers put a cap on net metering that only allowed a certain amount of energy to be sold back to the grid.
“I advocated to end that cap, they just doubled it and are using that time right now to hopefully permanently fix the cap, so there won’t be a cap in the future,” Van Ostern said.
Van Ostern said solar technology is improving, and as it does, the state needs to take the next step forward so that it can create clean, renewable power and the local jobs that go with it.
Abby Kessler can be reached at 924-7172, ext. 234 or akessler@ledgertranscript.com.