07/01/2025 EC Minutes

Minutes of Bethlehem Energy Commission

July 1, 2025

 

Present:  David Van Houten Mary Lou Krambeer, Josh Lieberman, Marni Hoyle, David Van Houten, Scott Caisse

Excused:  Bruce Caplain, Chuck Phillips, and Nancy Strand, Select Board Liaison

 

Mission The Bethlehem Energy Commission encourages and supports economically and environmentally sensible energy practices in Bethlehem, NH.

 

Minutes from past meetings may be found at:  https://bethlehemnh.org/minutes/

 

Vote to accept June minutes moved by Josh Lieberman and seconded by David Van Houten.  Approved.

 

IRS Direct Payment for Solar Tax Credit

Mary Moritz said the IRS has approved the $32,000 (30%) reimbursement with interest (based on January 2024 submission).  This arrived in mid-June.

 

REAP Main Street Solar

No news.

 

Changing REC dealers

David believes one can switch to a new REC dealer 90-days before a contract is renewed.  Contracts are usually 3-4 years in length.  This will be important to track for the Town of Bethlehem as CPCNH, as a nonprofit, pays $10 more per REC. Remind town to put this change on Town tickler file and remind village district to put the change on their tickler file.

Mary Lou will try changing to CPCNH after her next payment.

To Do: Mary Lou check in with Mary Moritz re: possibility of choosing a new Town REC dealer contract in 2 years

To Do:  David will check with Sally re: possibility of choosing a new Village District REC credits in 2 years.

 

Community Power Coalition of NH (CPCNH)

Marni reported rate setting changes go into effect on August 1.  Cost of the CPCNH Granite Basic residential rate will be 13.419 cents/kWh vs the Eversource rate of 11.196 cents/kWh.

CPCNH thinks this differential is due to Eversource is being too optimistic about the spot market and underpricing in this period.  If they do lose money in this 6-month period they will have to increase their prices for the January 2026 rate setting period.

To Do: Mary Lou will convey this information to Mary Moritz

 

VW Dollars

Next proposal deadline is in the fall.  Grant opportunities offer 25%-90% of the cost of replacing municipal vehicles with vehicles with better mileage.  Perhaps highway department – plow or dump

To Do:  Bruce will talk to Mary Moritz about what new vehicles are in-line for purchases in 2025. Marti will find deadline.

 

Clean Energy NH Circuit Rider Program Summer Social

Tuesday, July 8 at Carroll Town Hall

Honoring the good work of Melissa Elander

 

Waste Water Treatment Plant

WWTF is expecting a $110,000 Direct Payment reimbursement from IRS.  This will probably take many more months.  The final cost to the Town for this $410,000 project is approximately $40,000 (due to $370,000 in grants: $250,000 from NHDES, $10,000 from State of NH, and $110,000 from federal government).

 

Strategy Planning

August 5^th meeting will be held from 5:30 – 8:00 at David 649 Cherry Valley Road.  Vegetarian potluck.

To Do:  Marni will draft an agenda and ask all BEC members to edit the agenda.

To Do:  Mary Lou will ask Chuck Phillips help edit the agenda and facilitate the meeting.

 

 

Eversource billing and possible reimbursement for Solar credits:  Dan is working with Eversource to assure both the Town and the BES School bills are formatted the same way and record the same information.  The discrepancy in billing has underestimated the solar credits given to BES.  Dan will be asking for a reconciliation and credit for underpayment.

TO DO:  Get update from Dan for next meeting

 

Level 2 EV charger Bruce reached out to Main’s Electric to see if we could possibly dig a trench to the 3-phase pole near the Town Hall rather than wait on the installation of a new pole.  Meanwhile there is a new pole next to the Free Pantry which may allow us to finally have an opportunity to install a Phase II EV Charger.

TO DO:  Bruce report-out at the next meeting

 

Water Plant

Water Plant does not have solar.  Dan and Josh are working on this.  They are going to meet with Josh Welch to decide what to do next based on the energy audit.  A meeting is imminent.

TO DO:  Dan to call Suzie to move it forward with Josh.

 

BEC Meetings in 2025 (first Tuesday of the month): 

Aug 5 (strategy meeting), Sept 2, Oct 7, Nov 4, Dec 2

 

Adjourned at 6:44