Clean Energy NH named a 2024 Champion in Action
Jan. 31—CONCORD — Clean Energy New Hampshire, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding renewable energy and energy savings statewide, has been named a 2024 Champion in Action by Citizens New Hampshire and the New Hampshire Union Leader.
The recognition, a Citizens bank initiative for 21 years, comes with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, promotional and volunteer support and advertising and news coverage to support its mission of making New Hampshire carbon-free by 2050.
"An award like Champion in Action is absolutely crucial to help us expand our offering to more towns and help them reduce their energy bills while reducing emissions," said Sam Evans-Brown, executive director of Clean Energy NH, now in its 20th year.
"We all recognize that fossil fuel is a finite resource and our energy future depends on migrating to renewable and sustainable sources," said Joe Carelli, president of Citizens NH. "CENH has a mission to partner with local and state agencies, small businesses and individuals to ensure that we can build a sustainable energy future."
"Clean Energy NH is at the forefront of a key issue of our time," said Brendan McQuaid, president and publisher of the Union Leader.
Circuit Riders, its administrative support and money-saving program, brings energy efficiency experts to rural communities seeking to switch to renewables to shave costs. On-site energy consultants help municipalities tap into grants, such as NH Saves, which provides funding to insulate town halls and libraries. The federal Inflation Reduction Act will pay towns 30% of the cost of solar projects.
Often municipalities don't have the knowledge or manpower to apply for the grants available, said Evans-Brown.
"Circuit Rider strives to be the administrative muscle to fill those gaps for low-income, rural communities in particular," he said. "Once you realize these projects pay for themselves, the calculations towns make change in a dramatic way."
Bethlehem and Hanover now generate as much solar as they consume, said Evans-Brown. Stratford, a town of 600 in Coos County, received energy audits and energy upgrades including two solar arrays and is now pursuing funding for ground source heat pumps for the town hall and library.
Melissa Elander, a circuit rider since 2019, has helped 15 communities in Grafton and Coos counties.
"The need is huge," said Sarah Brock, Circuit Riders program director. "For many of these communities, there's so much opportunity and so little capacity to get these projects off the ground."
The goal is to have circuit riders in each of New Hampshire's 10 counties. So far, program experts are in place in the Seacoast and Monadnock regions, and a circuit rider will start in Sullivan County this year.
Since the program's launch 21 years ago, Citizens has awarded more than $10 million in unrestricted grants and promotional and volunteer support to more than 375 Champions in Action nonprofit winners across the bank's footprint. In New Hampshire alone, 60 nonprofits have been honored, receiving more than $1.6 million in funding.
