Communities across the state will confront questions of energy sustainability at their annual town meetings this week.
Several southwest New Hampshire and Seacoast towns plan to vote on urging the state and federal government to study offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine.
Some of those towns are far from the ocean, but Henry Herndon, director of local energy solutions for the New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association, says they could still benefit from new renewable power in the region.
Herndon says he’s glad to see more and more municipalities considering clean energy ideas.
“The renewable energy industry seems to be aligned with towns saving money, and I think that’s really positive,” he says.
Also this week, Newport, Chesterfield and Lee will vote on financing solar projects, and Loudon will vote to create an energy committee and solar tax credit.
Other towns are focusing on energy use and technology at their schools.
Bedford is voting on money for an energy audit for its school buildings. And voters in the John Stark Regional School District will decide whether to spend up to $2.3 million dollars on energy saving equipment, including a wood-burning boiler.
