Solar

Solar power in New Hampshire took a big step forward Monday, as the state Site Evaluation Committee unanimously approved a utility-scale solar project for the first time.

At a public hearing Thursday, a state site evaluation subcommittee questioned developers behind a proposed 30 megawatt solar project about its potential impacts to the environment and wildlife.

The Chinook Solar array would cover about 100 acres near Route 119 in Ftizwilliam. If approved, it could be the largest solar array in the state.

For the third year running, net metering is set to be a top renewable energy issue at the State House in 2020.

Advocates have tried for the past two years to pass expansions of net metering for towns and businesses.

Net metering would let these large customers generate more of their own power and save on their bills by selling the excess back to the regional grid.

Dover High School on Thursday unveiled its new solar array, the largest rooftop installation in the state.

It can generate close to a megawatt of power, enough to meet 40 percent of the school’s electricity needs. Any excess generation is sold back to the grid to help lower the schools energy bill.

That process is called net metering, and it’s currently capped at one megawatt for large arrays like Dover’s. This week, state legislators declined for the second year in a row to raise that cap.