Low-Moderate Income Solar Grant Program
The Low-Moderate Income Solar Grant Program is enabled through NH RSA 362-F:10, X
Fiscal Year 2024 LMI Program:
The Department issued an order approving request for proposals competitive solicitation for low-moderate income solar project funding in fiscal year 2024 and future fiscal years. Please click the link below for more details. Renewable Portfolio Standard Proceedings | NH Department of Energy
RFP # 2023-019
Please visit Request for proposals at the NH Department of Energy website to view the RFP and related information
Important Proposal Dates
Event Date/Deadline Time
RFP Issued 11/01/2023
Question Period Closes 12/01/2023 12:00 PM NOON
Responses to Questions Posted 12/15/2023 12:00 PM NOON
Proposal Due Date and Time 01/19/2024 12:00 PM NOON
Anticipated Contract Start Date June 2024
Contact: Susan Gagne, Program Specialist III at RFP@Energy.NH.gov
Past Years' grant-funded projects can be found in the Annual Renewable Energy Fund Reports by following this link:
Renewable Energy Fund | NH Department of Energy
Fiscal Year 2023 LMI Program:
The Department issued an order approving a second request for proposals competitive solicitation for low-moderate income solar project funding in fiscal year 2023. Plese see below for more details.
Order Approving Second Request for Proposals
RFP # 2023-004
Please visit Request for proposals at the NH Department of Energy website to view the RFP and related information
Important Proposal Dates
Event Date/Deadline Time
RFP Issued 03/16/2023
Question Period Closes 03/22/2023 4:30
Responses to Questions Posted 03/27/2023 4:30
Proposal Due Date and Time 03/30/2023 4:30
Anticipated Contract Start Date June 2023
Contact: Susan Gagne, Program Specialist III at RFP@Energy.NH.gov
The Department issued an order approving request for proposals competitive solicitation for low-moderate income solar project funding in fiscal year 2023. Please see below for more details.
Order Approving Request for Proposals
A stakeholder session was held prior to issuance of an RFP for this program in FY2023 to gather stakeholder’s input regarding continuing to utilize the competitive solicitation process.
RFP #2022-006
Please visit Request for proposals at the NH Department of Energy website to view the RFP and related information.
Important Proposal Dates
Event Date/Deadline Time
RFP Issued 11/10/2022
Question Period Closes 12/16/2022 4:30
Responses to Questions Posted 12/23/2022 4:30
Proposal Due Date and Time 01/23/2023 4:30
Anticipated Contract Start Date 05/01/2023
Contact: Susan Gagne, Program Specialist III at RFP@Energy.NH.gov
Public Stakeholder Session October 12, 2022 9-11 am
October 12th Stakeholder Session Agenda and Discussion Topics
The New Hampshire Department of Energy held a stakeholder session regarding the continuation of utilization of an RFP approach to meet the requirements of 362-F:10 (X ), which allocates no less than 15% of the Renewable Energy Fund to annually benefit low-moderate income residential customers. The meeting was held virtually on October 12, 2022 at 9 am.
VGLS Energy Clinic Written Comments RFP Process REF LMI Community Solar Grant
LMI Grant Program Information:
The RFP seeks “Community Solar Photovoltaic Projects Providing Direct Benefits to Low and Moderate Income Residential Electric Customers.”
Most recently released LMI Grant RFP: rfp-2022-001-lmi-community-solar-grants.pdf (nh.gov)
Eligibility requirements are outlined in each RFP issued annually and interested applicants should review the most recent RFP’s available on the Department RFP webpage: Requests for Proposals | NH Department of Energy. Among other things, general eligibility requirements have included:
- New solar PV projects that will result in a quantifiable direct benefit to a minimum of five residential electric customers within the same electric distribution utility service territory and where at least the majority of participants must be LMI.
- Projects must adhere to the statutory requirements of RSA 362-F:2, X-a and provide direct benefits to LMI customers from the date of initial operation through the earlier to occur of (i) 20 years, or (ii) the end of the project’s useful operational life
Renewable Energy Fund Low-Moderate-Income (REF LMI) Grant Program History:
In 2017, the General Court passed Senate Bill 129 (SB 129), which mandated that the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (now the New Hampshire Department of Energy) allocate no less than 15 percent of the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) annually to an LMI program to “benefit low-moderate income residential customers, including, but not limited to, the financing or leveraging of financing for low-moderate income community solar projects in manufactured housing communities or in multi-family rental housing.” See RSA 362-F:10, X.
After SB 129 was enacted, an extensive stakeholder process was initiated (see Docket DE 17-172) and Order No. 26,113 was issued, which approved issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for grant funding as an appropriate means of meeting the statutory requirements of SB 129 and allowing for the review and evaluation of multiple project models.
The legislation also required the Commission to issue a report on the costs and benefits of low-moderate income community solar projects on or before June 1, 2020, that report is available here: 2020 LMI Community Solar Projects Costs & Benefits Legislative Report
The first RFP for the Renewable Energy Fund Low and Moderate Income Community Solar Program was issued in March 2018. In subsequent years, after receiving further stakeholder input, utilization of competitive solicitations to select LMI solar projects for grant funding has continued to receive approval.
Since program inception, grant funded LMI solar projects have been highlighted in the Renewable Energy Fund Annual Reports available on the Department’s REF webpage: Renewable Energy Fund | NH Department of Energy