Selectboard approves potential solar project in Belmont

BELMONT — The Belmont Selectboard voted 5-0 on Sept. 2, to support a solar energy project on Jamestown Road that could ultimately save the town thousands and generate new tax revenue. The project, which must gain approval next from both the zoning and planning boards, would be installed in 2027-28.

Kearsarge Energy, long-term owners for over 100 solar projects in New England, presented to the selectboard their proposal for a 92-acre solar farm at tax lot 232-007 on Belmont’s GIS tax map, owned by Daniel McDonald, of Pembroke, Massachusetts. It is zoned for rural use at more than 90 acres.

Kearsarge Energy, which is family-created by three brothers who maintain they aren’t just “flippers,” contacted McDonald.

“We’re one of the largest independent power producers on the East Coast. We named it after Kearsarge because that’s where we used to go hiking as kids, on the easy side,” said Andrew Bernstein, one of the founders. “We have about 110 projects. We work closely, mostly with municipalities and towns. We are long-term owners. We don’t give out projects and then flip them.”

Kearsarge Energy supports local construction companies and materials when possible. There’s limited visibility from the Jamestown access point, so passersby wouldn’t immediately notice the solar array. The interconnection points through Eversource, which will arguably take the longest amount of time to construct, will be located on Jamestown, and cause minimum disruption.

All told, construction of the solar project would take four to six months.

The major net gain for the town would be the tax agreement. Discounts off the net meter rate would eventually be kicked back to the town via check from Eversource.

“There's potential for $10,000 annual savings. It just depends on what the total kilowatt hours that are used by the town. That assumes an annual electricity usage of about a million kilowatt hours. What you'd say, if it's a million kilowatt hours, the net metering rate is $0.14. And then you would say, 'I'm going to take a million,' you get 10% of that. And we write you a check every month. So, there's no downside at all.”

The numbers are subject to change as costs shift throughout the construction project. The town can lock that rate in for 20 years.

“There's nothing really to hide. The nice thing about a solar project is there's community benefits. There's local tax revenues. You've got locally-generated, renewable energy. When you do a project like this, all the costs of upgrading the infrastructure come back to the developer. So, that's a net positive, as well,” Bernstein said.

Very little maintenance is required by the town.

Sheep are often used to manage vegetation overgrowth, and emergency shut-offs can be done via mobile app. Training for first responders on the solar equipment will also be conducted by the company. To date, Kearsarge Energy has never had a project involved in a fire.

“In 16 years of business, we've never had a fire. There's really nothing that can burn. It's steel and glass. If there ever were, we just let it burn out,” Bernstein said.

Comparative projects around the state include arrays in Claremont, Bow, Manchester and Concord.

Selectboard member Travis O’Hara made the motion to support the project after much conversation, which was seconded by Sharon Ciampi. The planning board meets next on Monday, Sept. 28, and the zoning board meets on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

To watch the meeting, visit belmontnh.gov. The board will meet next at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at the Belmont Mill. 

•••

Katlyn Proctor can be reached at katlyn@laconiadailysun.com or by calling 603-524-0150.