Rural communities face unique challenges — and advantages — when it comes to pursuing clean energy projects. A panel discussion Tuesday at the Peterborough Town House explored how small towns can make progress.

As part of Radically Rural 2025, panelists and residents toured several local clean energy sites in Peterborough, including the future all-electric fire station, solar installations at ConVal High School, Microspec, the Peterborough Library and the municipal ground array, a hydro project at Noone Falls, and the Peterborough Police Department’s electric vehicle.

Following the tour, panelists met at the Peterborough Town House for a round-table discussion on how rural communities can advocate for clean energy initiatives.

Dori Drachman of the Peterborough Renewable Energy Project moderated the discussion and noted growing uncertainty about future federal support for clean energy.

“People have come up to me to say, ‘There’s just no help anymore.’ It is a difficult climate to be doing this kind of work. But just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean there is nothing going on to help us,” Drachman said.

Panelists discussed available resources and how small communities can access them.

James Key-Wallace, representing the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority, highlighted a new initiative known as Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy, or C-PACE, loans. The program allows commercial and multi-family property owners to finance energy improvements such as solar, wind, biomass, energy storage, EV charging, insulation, HVAC upgrades and disaster resiliency measures.

Key-Wallace said C-PACE loans are private loans attached to the property like a lien rather than a mortgage, enabling long-term, affordable financing.

“All sorts of long-term energy improvements that didn’t pencil out, start to pencil out,” Key-Wallace said.

Communities must allow the usage of C-PACE loans in their communities by adopting a resolution during Town Meeting.

Sam Evans Brown, of Clean Energy New Hampshire, explained that the organization provides “circuit riders,” specialists who can help communities with planning and executing projects when they lack staff capacity. He said the program has grown from a single circuit rider to seven, helping with more than 400 projects across the state.

He said there has also been work done to streamline the administrative costs of permitting for clean energy solutions, such as solar. He said that with tax credits for wind and solar coming to an end, finding ways to reduce “soft” costs can help make up the difference.

Maria Finnegan of the Moms Clean Air Force said the group focuses on how climate change and air quality impact health, particularly for children. The grassroots advocacy group works to educate people, partner with underserved communities, create educational materials, forums and webinars, and bring attention to climate impacts.

Josh Ewing of the Rural Climate Partnership, said funding availability is not as dire as some might assume.

“There is still quite a bit of money flowing,” Ewing said.

He advised that communities focus on the economic benefits of clean energy when communicating with residents and highlight successful projects.

Ewing advised focusing on the benefits, particularly economic, of clean energy when communicating with residents and highlighting successful projects.

Drachman said that while many see living in a rural community as a disadvantage, she said that sometimes, working small can be the “special sauce.” She said often, in smaller communities, there is more direct access between residents and their representatives on the Select Board, or in the town offices.

“You just can’t do that in big cities,” Drachman said.

She noted that in Peterborough, there are three committees that are working on energy initiatives, and two of them, including PREP, are not official town committees, but still have similar access to the Select Board.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.