Solar Array Energized and Celebrated in Epping, NH
Representatives from government, the renewable energy industry and two partner companies today celebrated the opening of an 803-kilowatt solar array on 3.7 acres of former idled land at an industrial site in Epping, New Hampshire.
Solar array developed by Agilitas Energy at ReSource Waste Services of Epping
The solar array, one of the largest developed to date in the state of New Hampshire, was developed by Agilitas Energy at ReSource Waste Services of Epping (ReSource Epping).
ERRCO, located at 270 Exeter Road, is a facility that recycles construction and demolition material, processing the material for reuse in other industries. Agilitas will own the array and sell its electricity to ReSource Epping under the terms of a 20-year power purchase agreement.
“This project delivers a ‘three-fer’ in value,” said Kenneth Rubin, managing partner of Agilitas Energy. “First, ReSource gets to transform underutilized land into a profitable asset. Second, ReSource can lock in long-term electricity cost savings. And thirdly, we all benefit from green energy that sustains our planet. It is rare that one sees an opportunity to realize such benefits with virtually no downside trade-offs. Agilitas Energy is proud to partner with ReSource to make this happen.”
Gregory Leahey, the President and Chief Operating Officer for ReSource Waste Services, said the project fits ReSource’s mission. The solar array is designed to generate 100% of the facility’s electricity needs and will provide long-term energy costs savings. “We expect it to provide a slight improvement over our existing energy cost with Eversource,” said Leahey. “But more importantly, it meets the goals of our company, since we will be utilizing a renewable source of energy for our operation and reducing our carbon footprint.”
Said Kate Epsen, executive director of the New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association: “This project is a great example of businesses using innovative financing and smart policy to control their energy and operating costs. It will not only help the companies who own it, other Epping electric customers will benefit from the clean, local energy produced right here in Epping.”
The project is participating in the New Hampshire Net Metering Program, a program established by the New Hampshire General Court and administered by the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission. This program permits a net-metered renewable energy facility’s power purchaser to get a credit for the facility’s surplus generation against electricity that is imported from the local utility by the power purchaser at times when the electrical generation of the facility is less than the electrical load of the power purchaser.
