By CHRIS STEWART
New Hampshire, the state I proudly call home, excels in many aspects. Picturesque landscapes, strong community bonds, low taxes, and the resounding mantra, “Live Free or Die,” encapsulating our spirit of independence and love for freedom. Living in such a unique place is a privilege.
However, amidst our successes, we face unprecedented energy challenges. Over reliance on natural gas and a shortage of new electric generation capacity within the New England energy market leave us vulnerable to supply chain uncertainties and market fluctuations.
Granite Staters already live with some of the highest energy costs anywhere in America. Without a dramatic change it’s almost certainly going to get much worse.
Consider these figures: New Hampshire needs about 2,000 Megawatts (MW) of electric power to meet its current electricity demand. With the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, data centers, and the trend toward electrifying various aspects of our lives, analysts anticipate a yearly rise in demand of 5% over the next ten years.
By 2034, this would require an additional 1,300 MWs to meet our state’s electric needs. However, we’re not adequately addressing this. In fact, we are doing almost nothing to facilitate building electrical generation at scale in New Hampshire or the rest of New England. Offshore wind, small-scale nuclear, and hydro from Canada are all distant prospects, while demand-side management and energy efficiency are helpful, but don’t generate new electrons.
In New Hampshire, we must abandon the notion that someone or something will rescue us and take charge of our destiny. To meet our growing energy demands and ensure a resilient future, we must immediately make serious plans for how to enable large-scale wind and solar generation within our state borders. Such planning will guide the upfront strategic investments necessary to address our urgent need for increased capacity and will position New Hampshire as a leader in sustainable and self-reliant energy production.
Our state possesses abundant space to generate clean and affordable energy independently. New Hampshire can power our own clean energy revolution using less than 1% of our state’s total land area. Yes, less than 1%. Moreover, the technology needed to secure our independence is readily available today, as demonstrated by states like Iowa, which already has enough operational wind turbines to power New Hampshire’s 2034 needs. Large-scale onshore wind and solar energy offer an immediate and feasible solution that can be implemented in New Hampshire right now.
New Hampshire has a rich tradition of preserving vast expanses of land for a sustainable and thriving future. The Connecticut Lakes Headwaters stands as a testament to this commitment, conserving approximately 171,000 acres, which represents about 3% of the state’s land. This area constitutes the largest contiguous block of privately owned land in New Hampshire and serves as a national model for safeguarding significant landscapes through a stewardship approach vital to our state’s natural resources.
As a state celebrated for its pristine scenery, we must carefully navigate the balance between development and conservation. By employing cutting-edge mitigation techniques, we can ensure the safeguarding of our wildlife habitats and ridgelines, reaffirming our dedication to both clean energy and environmental stewardship. Just like we came together to protect clean water and tourism with the Connecticut Lakes, we can come together and decide where and how to site the energy infrastructure of tomorrow.
A thoughtful proposal, based on deliberate and careful stakeholder engagement, to allocate land for wind and solar projects presents a forward-thinking response to our challenges, moving us toward energy independence and offering profound advantages for our state. This initiative shields us from the unpredictable fluctuations in the ISO-NE power markets, creating a buffer against external shocks and ensuring a cheap, stable, and reliable energy supply for our residents and businesses. It also sets New Hampshire apart from other states, realizing a true “NH Advantage”.
As we anticipate a surge in demand driven by technological advancements and population growth, our next governor and legislature will face critical decisions, with energy costs and independence ranking among the most pressing issues. Identifying and allocating land for wind and solar projects goes beyond a commitment to clean energy; it signifies a bold step toward ensuring our state’s energy independence and resilience against market uncertainties and rising demand.
If ratepayers, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, engineers, and advocates come together with common goals this type of initiative can be successful. As the winds of change blow and the sun shines upon us, let New Hampshire lead the way in responsible innovation and environmental stewardship, embodying the spirit of “Live Free or Die.”
Chris Stewart is a clean energy developer. He is a Trustee of The Nature Conservancy NH Chapter and on the Board of Clean Energy New Hampshire. Chris resides in Manchester with his wife and three young children.
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