By NewsBlogger Unitil Corporation is developing a 4.9-MW solar project in Kingston, New Hampshire, which will be the state’s first regulated utility-owned PV array, consisting of 11,232 panels spread across 36 acres, and is expected to be operational by 2025, generating an estimated 9.7 million kWh of energy in its first year.
At a glance
- Unitil Corporation is developing a 4.9-MW solar project in Kingston, New Hampshire, which will be the first regulated utility-owned PV array in the state.
- The solar project, approved by the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission in May 2023, will consist of 11,232 panels spread across 36 acres of vacant land.
- The project is expected to be operational by 2025, generating approximately 9.7 million kWh of energy in its first year and averaging 8.6 million kWh annually over its projected 40-year lifespan.
- Enel North America initiated operations of its 297-MW Fence Post solar + storage project in Texas in December, supported by a 12-year, 22-MW virtual power purchase agreement with Polaris.
- H2B2 Electrolysis Technologies has begun operations of SoHyCal, the largest green hydrogen production plant in North America, which will be capable of producing up to three tons of green hydrogen per day at its peak.
The details
Unitil Corporation’s Solar Project
Unitil Corporation is in the process of developing a 4.9-MW solar project in Kingston, New Hampshire. This project is set to be the first regulated utility-owned PV array in the state. The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission approved the project in May 2023. The solar project will consist of 11,232 panels. These panels will be spread across 36 acres of vacant land off Towle Road.
Brentwood-based ReVision Energy is responsible for the engineering, procurement, and construction of the solar array. The solar project will be located near an electrical substation. This location will allow the electricity produced to be directly incorporated into Unitil’s electric distribution system.
The strategic placement of the project is expected to decrease the amount of energy Unitil receives from the transmission system. The array is projected to be completed and operational by 2025. It is estimated to generate approximately 9.7 million kWh of energy in its first year of service. Over its projected 40-year lifespan, it is expected to average 8.6 million kWh annually.
Under current New Hampshire law, utilities can invest up to 6% of their total distribution peak load in renewable generation. This law allows Unitil the opportunity to develop as much as 18 MW of renewable generation. The project has received all required local, state, and federal permits. It is anticipated to provide savings for ratepayers, generate employment opportunities, and significantly reduce carbon emissions.
This follows Unitil’s first solar array built in 2017 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, known as “Solarway,” a 1.3-MW facility composed of more than 3,700 solar panels.
Enel North America’s Solar + Storage Project
In other news, Enel North America initiated operations of its 297-MW Fence Post solar + storage project in Texas in December.
The project, located in Navarro County, Texas, is supported by a 12-year, 22-MW virtual power purchase agreement with Polaris, an all-terrain vehicle manufacturer.
The agreement covers approximately 40% of Polaris’ U.S. electrical use. The Fence Post project includes an 86-MW storage system, which has been completed and is currently undergoing final commissioning. This partnership enables Polaris to supplement its renewable electricity portfolio and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
H2B2 Electrolysis Technologies’ Green Hydrogen Production Plant
H2B2 Electrolysis Technologies has begun operations of SoHyCal, the largest green hydrogen production plant in North America.
The facility is entirely powered by renewable energy and will eventually run on solar PV and proton exchange membrane electrolysis (PEM) technology supplied by Ingeteam.
At its peak, the plant will be capable of producing up to three tons of green hydrogen per day.
The SoHyCal plant, part of California’s commitment to promoting clean and sustainable hydrogen fuel technologies, is currently in its first operational phase, producing up to one ton of green hydrogen per day powered by biogas.
By Q2 2025, H2B2 plans to incorporate a photovoltaic power plant in the adjacent land and transition to solar energy. The plant’s annual hydrogen output will fuel up to 210,000 cars per year or 30,000 city buses.
The project was partially financed by a $3.96 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC) Clean Transportation Program and serves Hydrogen Refueling Stations in the San Joaquin Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area.
This project marks Ingeteam’s first foray into North America and further solidifies their global commitment to green hydrogen.
