HB 1205 prohibits all state and county-owned lands in New Hampshire from enrolling in carbon sequestration projects, which are programs that capture and store carbon dioxide to reduce atmospheric emissions. This bill directly affects state and county governments, preventing them from participating in such initiatives on public lands they manage. The key provision adds a new section to state law (RSA 79:38) explicitly banning enrollment in carbon sequestration programs for public lands. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.
HB 454 requires fuel retailers who sell 15% ethanol blends (like E15) to also offer at least one fuel blend with 10% ethanol or less (like E10). This applies to all such retailers in New Hampshire starting July 1, 2025. Retailers must display prices for these lower-ethanol blends as required by existing fuel pricing rules. The bill directly affects gas station operators selling higher-ethanol fuels, ensuring they provide more common ethanol blends for vehicle compatibility.
SB 111 establishes a pilot program allowing New Hampshire electric utilities to buy reliability indexing credits from qualified local energy storage systems (like batteries) to support grid reliability. The program would pay storage providers the difference between a set "strike price" and a daily "reference price" reflecting wholesale market value - paying them when the strike price is higher, and charging them when the reference price is higher. Utilities must get approval from the Public Utilities Commission for multi-year agreements (up to 200 megawatts) and recover costs through customer rates. The Department of Energy must develop program terms by December 2025, with utilities petitioning for approval by February 2026. This pilot aims to incentivize storage participation without direct state funding.
HB 224 requires the state to rebate excess funds in the Renewable Energy Fund directly to all retail electric ratepayers (including households, businesses, and government entities) on a per-kilowatt-hour basis. The bill mandates that any money remaining in the fund after covering administrative costs and renewable energy incentive programs must be returned to ratepayers, rather than being retained or redirected. This applies to funds generated from Alternative Compliance Payments (ACPs) paid by utilities that fail to meet renewable energy requirements under the state’s portfolio standard. The rebates would be administered by the Public Utilities Commission, with the amount depending on annual fund balances and program expenditures.
SB 468 allows alternative treatment centers (ATCs) that provide medical cannabis to apply for permission to operate greenhouse cultivation facilities, which typically use less energy than indoor growing. ATCs must submit a detailed plan showing how greenhouse cultivation will lower energy costs and reduce prices for registered qualifying patients. The state department must create rules for greenhouse operations - including security, location, and compliance with local zoning - and seek input from patients, caregivers, and community residents before approving new sites. ATCs will also report annually on greenhouse impacts to energy costs and product prices as part of their required state filings.
SB 94 prohibits New Hampshire municipalities from creating new local building, energy, or fire code regulations that differ from the state codes after July 1, 2025. It allows existing local amendments in effect as of that date to remain valid but bans any new local modifications. The bill directly affects cities and towns that previously had the authority to adopt supplementary code requirements. All municipalities must now fully comply with the state codes without local changes, though they may continue enforcing pre-July 2025 local amendments.
HB 453 prevents towns and cities from banning the use of gas-powered grounds maintenance and snow/ice removal equipment on private or public property within their borders. It directly affects property owners, landscapers, and municipalities by prohibiting local governments from restricting the operation of these machines. The key provision states that local governing bodies cannot forbid such equipment use, though they may choose to ban purchasing these machines if voters approve a separate vote. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.
HB 266 strengthens the Department of Energy's role in energy regulation by granting it formal standing before the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), requiring it to be treated as a full party in all relevant proceedings. The bill mandates the department to support the PUC, site evaluation committee, and consumer advocate office, while giving it authority to demand specific documents and answers from public utilities. This directly affects the Department of Energy, utilities companies, and the PUC by formalizing the department's participation in regulatory processes and information requests. The changes aim to streamline communication and ensure the department can effectively advocate for energy policy within existing regulatory frameworks.
SB 106 requires customer generators with facilities between 100 kilowatts and 5 megawatts (operational after January 1, 2023) to consume at least 20% of their own annual electricity generation through net energy metering. This applies to larger residential, commercial, or industrial systems that generate renewable energy but not to low- and moderate-income customers, who are exempt. The bill modifies existing net metering rules to allow these generators to retain their current tariff for up to 20 years or until 2040, whichever is longer. It does not create new funding but may involve utility billing system upgrades to track cross-territory energy data.
HB 219 phases out New Hampshire's minimum requirement for electricity providers to source a certain percentage of power from renewable sources. It mandates a 20% annual reduction in these renewable energy targets starting in 2026, fully eliminating the minimum standard by 2030. This directly affects electricity providers (including distribution companies, competitive suppliers, and community aggregators) who must meet these renewable sourcing requirements. The bill replaces the current standard with a structured 5-year phase-out, allowing utilities to offer 100% renewable power options to default service customers starting in 2026.
