Newport Town and School District Solar Project

Project Summary

Newport, NH – A 2-Megawatt solar energy project capable of providing the entire annual energy needs for all of Newport, New Hampshire’s town and school facilities will soon take a big step forward.

ALERT: DATE CHANGE DUE TO SNOWSTORM. There will be a presentation at a public meeting from 6-8 p.m. on Monday, March 12th at the Richards Library to hear details about the proposed project. AND PLEASE VOTE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 13TH!

DOWNLOAD THE PRESENTATION HERE: NST Solar Presentation Town of Newport V.7 Town presentation 180312

The Newport School District will vote March 13, 2018, on whether to approve an article authorizing the Newport School Board to enter into a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Norwich Solar for a Town-wide 2-megawatt solar energy project.

If approved, this would be the largest municipal solar energy project in New Hampshire and make Newport the largest Town in the state to net its entire municipal and school district energy demand from solar energy.

The project would serve the School District offices and the Town’s three schools, as well as all town-owned facilities, including the public library, Parlin Field airport, wastewater treatment plant, as well as the police, EMS and fire departments.

The Power Purchase Agreement allows the Town and Schools to buy energy created by a solar PV system at a discount without having to provide any capital investment for the project. The PPA calls for the placement of solar arrays on the roof of the Richards Elementary School—subject to engineering review and permitting—as well as on the closed Town landfill and on land adjacent to the wastewater treatment plant. Land and rooftop sites selected for the solar arrays are either not used, under-used or currently not developable.

If approved in the March 13 vote and a Town vote on May 8, the solar project will begin in late spring or early summer of 2018. The Town will see modest, but immediate, savings at first with greater savings as energy prices rise over time. The PPA includes a provision allowing Newport the opportunity to purchase the solar arrays at a great discount in the future and own all of the power and benefits.

Newport Town Manager Hunter F. Rieseberg said, “The sooner a municipality undertakes such programs, the sooner they will begin to realize the environmental and financial benefits; and having a solar energy program will be our hedge against future power costs.”

Norwich Solar representative Don McCormick, who is managing the project said, “In addition to the long-term energy savings from this multi-million-dollar project provided at no cost to the Town, there are the added benefits of protection from volatility in an unstable electricity market, energy independence, contributions to a clean energy economy, and educational opportunities for school STEM programs.”

Norwich Solar

Norwich Solar is a local solar project developer with facilities in White River Junction, Vermont, and West Lebanon, New Hampshire. The company provides comprehensive services to municipal and commercial solar electric customers including Development, Design, Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Solar Service Agreements, Structured Financial Solutions, and Long-Term Operations and Maintenance. Norwich Solar is now a leading developer of solar PV systems in New England, using its innovative EZ-PV MetaModule™ system for streamlining and reducing the cost of PV installations.

Production Statistics & Economics

25-year term PPA with 2% annual escalator.

4 arrays:

1) 1.49 MW DC ground mount adjacent to WWTP connected behind the meter
a. Estimated Output @ 1200/kW = 1,789,200 kWh/yr
b. WWTP usage 492,750 kWh/yr
i. Estimated BTM real-time usage 240,300 kWh/yr
ii. Estimated Exported 1,548,900 kWh/yr
c. Offsetable Rate: BTM = 9.2¢ ; Exported = 7.7¢
i. Annual Value: BTM =$22,110 ; Exported = $119,268

2) 130.41 kW DC ground mount Pollards Mill BTM pump house
a. Estimated Output 143,400 kWh/yr
b. BTM usage minimal, T & ¼ D on all meters applies
c. Offsetable Rate: ~ 8.5¢/kWh
i. Annual Value: $12,189

3) 140.74 kW DC ground mount Breakneck Rd Landfill (Long AC run)
a. Estimated Output 176,400 kWh/yr
b. T & ¼ D on all meters applies
c. Offsetable Rate: ~ 8.4¢/kWh
i. Annual Value: $14,818

4) 125.92 kW DC ballasted roof mount – Richards Elementary
a. Estimated Output 138,170 kWh/yr
b. T & ¼ D on all meters applies
c. Offsetable Rate: ~ 8.4¢/kWh
i. Annual Value: $11,606

Combined System Size (DC) 1,887 kW
Total Revenue: $179,991
Total Production: 2,247,170 kWh
Blended/average Rate: 8.01¢/kWh
Additional revenue from RECs