Energy Commission Minutes

Minutes of 9/3/2024

September 3rd, 2024

Carroll Energy Commission Minutes
Meeting of September 3, 2024 @ 5:00 p.m.
Carroll Town Hall Conference Room

The Carroll Energy Commission mission is to advise, encourage, and facilitate energy conservation, energy efficiency, and clean energy solutions for public buildings and properties, businesses, and resident homes. The Committee shall provide leadership and direction for community education relating to energy and shall propose and explore funding for local energy projects.
These minutes of the Town of Carroll Energy Commission have been recorded by its Secretary. Though believed to be accurate and correct they are subject to additions, deletions, and corrections by the Energy Commission at its next meeting when the Commission votes its final approval of the minutes. They are being made available at this time to conform to the requirements of New Hampshire RSA 91-A:2.

Minutes recorded by Imre Szauter, Secretary

Commission members in attendance: Member and Select Board Representative John Greer, Vice Chair and Secretary Imre Szauter, and Chair Bill Vecchio. Members Vern Amirault and Brian Mycko were absent and excused.

Members of the public in attendance: none

The meeting was called to order at 12:00 p.m. by Chair Vecchio.

Chair Vecchio invited all attendees to rise and join in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Chair Vecchio stated he would entertain a motion on the August 14, 2024 meeting minutes. Chair Vecchio motioned to accept the minutes as written. Member Greer seconded the motion. With no discussion, the motion passed with 3 AYES to 0 NAYS.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the August 29, 2024 email from the New Hampshire Department of Energy (NH DOE) regarding additional information for the town’s Municipal Solar Grant Program application. The email message, from Amy J. Waterhouse, Administrative Assistant to Commissioner Chicoine, read:

Thank you for your submittal to the Municipal Solar Grant Program RFP. As referenced in RFP 2024-006: The Municipal Solar Grant Program will not cover other costs unrelated to the direct material, equipment, or labor costs related to the design, construction, and installation of the project. Such costs include, but are not limited to, the repair, reinforcement, or replacement of roofs, permits, landscaping, inverter replacement or ongoing operation and maintenance costs, distribution system upgrades and any interconnection fees/costs and other related expenses.
If applicable to your proposal: Provide information on the funding source of any “reserve” funds to be established, if selected, and what are the proposer’s plans for guaranteeing that the funds will be available when necessary.

Please provide the information requested above on or before Wednesday, September 4, 2024, by 12:00 pm (noon), or sooner is best.

Thank you for your attention in this regard. We look forward to receiving your clarifying statement.

Member Greer expressed a concern about why the NH DOE was requesting information about town funding of items not covered in the RFP. Members discussed potential funding sources.

Chair Vecchio distributed research he completed on establishing a Revolving Fund: Solar to cover such expenses as an out-of-warranty inverter replacement. The information included a citation to NH RSA 31:95-h Revolving Funds and a sample warrant article from another municipality.

Members also discussed establishing a new Capital Reserve Fund specifically for expenses not covered in the RFP, based on information provided by Melissa Elander, Clean Energy New Hampshire (CENH) North Country Circuit Rider.

Members discussed sources of revenue, such as income from solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs), which are earned at a rate of one SREC per MWh of electricity generated by a solar PV array system. Based on an estimate of about 61 MWh per year from the Public Safety building’s proposed solar PV array system, the town could receive a steady stream of revenue, subject to the current market rate when the SRECs are sold.

Members discussed Revolving Funds versus Capital Reserve Funds, and concluded that in this case, a (Solar) Capital Reserve Fund might be a better approach.

Members agreed to use information provided by Melissa Elander as a template, and drafted the body of a reply to the NH DOE in a hardcopy letter (on town letterhead) to be signed by Chair Vecchio, scanned, and sent as an email attachment to Amy Waterhouse.

Following review of the draft letter, Chair Vecchio stated he would entertain a motion to approve and send the letter. Member Greer made a motion to approve the Carroll Energy Commission letter to the NH DOE Administrative Assistant, Amy J. Waterhouse. Chair Vecchio seconded the motion. With no discussion, the motion passed with 3 AYES to 0 NAYS.

Vice Chair Szauter sent the approved letter to Carroll Select Board Administrative Assistant, Megan Basnar, requesting that she print it on town letterhead for Chair Vecchio’s signature. Once printed and signed, the letter will be scanned and the resultant PDF file will be emailed to Amy Waterhouse at the NH DOE.

With no additional items for discussion under Old Business or Other, Chair Vecchio entertained a motion for adjournment. Vice Chair Szauter motioned to adjourn. Member Greer seconded the motion. With no discussion, the motion passed unanimously with 3 AYES and 0 NAYS and the meeting was adjourned at 5:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,

Imre Szauter, Vice Chair and Secretary