On Earth Day, New Hampshire Congressional Delegation Celebrates Over $43.5 Million from the Inflation Reduction Act to Help Lower Energy Costs for Granite Staters Through Affordable Solar

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), along with U.S. Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01), celebrated $43,510,000 in federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to help lower energy costs for Granite Staters by delivering affordable solar to low-income households. The funding comes from the U.S. Environmental Protect Agency’s (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s Solar for All grant program.

“I’m thrilled to see more than $43.5 million for solar headed directly to the residents and communities in New Hampshire that need it the most,” said Senator Shaheen. “These funds will create good-paying jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower energy costs for Granite Staters. Affordable, clean energy has long been a top priority of mine, and I am glad to see the Inflation Reduction Act continuing to deliver for our state.”

“As we celebrate Earth Day today, I am glad to welcome over $40 million in federal funding to expand solar energy in New Hampshire,” said Senator Hassan. “This grant will help more Granite Staters access solar power for their homes, lower their overall energy costs, and create good-paying jobs. I will continue working to combat climate change and bring down costs for New Hampshire.”

"These significant resources will help expand the benefits of solar energy to families and communities throughout New Hampshire," said Congresswoman Kuster. "Solar energy provides tremendous opportunity to combat climate change and lower costs for consumers. I was proud to help pass this funding that will ensure that solar energy can be accessed by more Granite Staters."

“I fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act to lower costs for Granite Staters, invest in clean energy, and move us toward energy independence. This legislation continues to deliver for New Hampshire,” said Congressman Pappas. “This significant investment into residential solar for New Hampshire’s low-income and disadvantaged communities will help close the gap on renewable energy transitions, lower energy costs, and protect our environment. I’ll continue working to return federal dollars to New Hampshire to provide our communities with the tools to transition to clean energy and invest in our future.”

The funding will support a comprehensive approach to bringing solar energy to those least able to afford the technology and will be administered by the New Hampshire Department of Energy (NHDOE), The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund and New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. According to the EPA, the Community Loan Fund will use an existing program that helps residents of manufactured housing parks buy the park from owners and convert them into cooperatives, NH Housing will use funding to install residential-serving community solar on workforce housing projects. The NHDOE will scale up its existing community solar program to support communities or projects that do not neatly fit into the Community Loan Fund and Housing Finance Authority programs.

The New Hampshire Congressional delegation has championed work to secure federal investments in clean energy and energy efficiency initiatives and lower energy costs across New Hampshire. Earlier this year, the delegation applauded $499,120 from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development headed to Clean Energy NH and Plymouth Area Energy Initiative to help rural New Hampshire small businesses and agricultural producers apply for funding through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

A longtime champion of energy efficiency, in the FY24 government funding bills Shaheen helped defend key efficiency programs at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) from cuts, including securing $366 million for weatherization efforts and $66 million for the State Energy Program, which work to bring down energy bills for families and communities. Shaheen also secured continued support for the annual U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) that tracks key jobs data in the energy sector. 

Shaheen and Hassan helped negotiate, and the full delegation supported, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which includes major investments in clean energy. A number of those provisions came from Shaheen’s bipartisan energy efficiency bill – the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (ESIC) – with former Senator Rob Portman (R-OH). She also included the Smart Manufacturing Leadership Act, the Promoting American Energy Jobs Act and the Heat Efficiency through Applied Technology (HEAT) Act. The full delegation were also key supporters of the Inflation Reduction Act, which included provisions for clean energy and climate investments in New Hampshire. Granite Staters looking for energy efficiency resources can check out Senator Shaheen’s Federal Energy Resource Guide.

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