Acting locally and generating electricity with solar panels are ways consumers can reduce energy costs, energy experts said Thursday during a Community Conversation in Peterborough.
The event, a partnership between the Monadnock Center for History and Culture in Peterborough and the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript, focused on how community power programs, solar energy and heat pumps are affecting consumer costs — and what options residents have to save money.
Bruce Tucker, member of the board of directors of the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire and the Peterborough Community Power Committee, said one of the most effective strategies is to “act locally.”
Tucker explained that the two halves of an electric bill — the supply and the delivery — were intended to foster competition among suppliers and keep prices down. Until the recent rise of community power models, that competition never really took hold, Tucker said, with the vast majority of customers using Eversource’s default rate.
Greg Blake of South Pack Solar said that one of the best ways to cut electricity costs is “to make your own.”
Blake said changes to state net metering rules in 2017 made them less favorable for new solar customers. However, systems built under the original rules are grandfathered and can be expanded — up to 100 kilowatts — while retaining those benefits. Though that capacity exceeds what most homes require, residents can form groups to share the output.
For homes unsuitable for rooftop panels, Blake pointed to community solar, which allows residents to buy into a larger solar array. While expiring tax credits could slow future development, he said, some projects remain viable.
Steve Walker, founder, president and CEO of Evari, discussed advances in heat pump technology his company is developing. Though not yet market-ready, he said the technology could improve efficiency and reduce installation barriers.
One of the benefits of the technology, Walker said, is that it can hook into existing systems, replacing a boiler, for example. He said that installation costs have been a major stumbling block to affordability. A heat pump system that costs several thousand dollars may end up costing a homeowner tens of thousands due to installation costs.
Asked whether homeowners should delay upgrades in anticipation of better technology, Walker cautioned against waiting and said that trying to predict technology is often a “fool’s game.”
He suggested that residents could always take smaller, intermediate steps, such as installing mini-splits rather than a whole heating system.
“Usually, I say, ‘Don’t wait,'” Walker said.
Walker pointed out that technology for things like solar panels and battery storage are always improving, and often coming down in price as they are refined.