New Hampshire town commits to 100% renewable energy

May 12, 2017
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Hanover represents the first municipality in the country to have a goal of 100% renewable energy voted for by its residents. Source: Flickr/Doug Kerr

Hanover, New Hampshire, is the 29th US city to commit to a goal of procuring 100% of its energy from renewable sources.

Pledging to run on 100% renewable electricity by 2030, and adding in renewable heat and transportation by 2050, this latest commitment is indicative of a trend towards a low-carbon future for the US, which is here to stay.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Hanover is the first town in New Hampshire to establish such a goal. The state is coming along in its solar installations, with 53.7MW of capacity installed to date. In addition, in 2014 Hanover was named the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) first ‘Green Power Community’ in the state. Hanover currently uses 22% renewable electricity.

“I am overjoyed that the town meeting voted unanimously to support a goal of 100% renewable energy,” said Hanover town manager Julia Griffin. “We look forward to working with Sierra Club and Sustainable Hanover to achieve this goal.”

Unlike the other 28 US cities and towns that have committed to 100% clean energy, Hanover represents the first municipality in the country to have a goal of 100% renewable energy voted on and approved by the residents of that community, according to the Sierra Club.

“I am so proud to be a resident of Hanover​ – the first town in New Hampshire to make a commitment to 100 percent renewable energy and the first municipality in the country to have done it by a vote of its citizenry,” said Judith Colla, a member of the Sierra Club Upper Valley’s executive committee. “I look forward to supporting next steps here in Hanover and helping to spread this campaign to our neighbours throughout the Upper Valley.”

Southampton in New York was the 28th US city to make the same mandate, and follows Atlanta, St. Petersburg, LA and Portland

Read Next

January 29, 2026
PV module defects are increasing as manufacturers struggle to achieve consistent quality through robust bill-of-material and process controls.
January 29, 2026
A Korean-led consortium including Hyundai Engineering has started construction at a 350MW solar PV plant in Dallas, Texas.
January 29, 2026
A new trade association, Californians for Local, Affordable Solar and Storage (CLASS) has started work to improve access to community solar.
January 29, 2026
Clean energy pricing in Europe and America is set for a decisive adjustment in 2026 as record deployment levels collide with heightened market volatility and policy headwinds.
January 28, 2026
Solar PV tracker supplier GameChange Solar has launched a distributed generation division to cater to commercial and industrial (C&I) and community solar markets.
January 28, 2026
Solar PV solutions provider Nextpower has begun testing products in its new power-conversion line, with initial pilot deployments scheduled for later this year.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Upcoming Webinars
February 18, 2026
9am PST / 5pm GMT
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA