(6) 61 Bradford Road
“Community Power Aggregation is needed so we as a city can choose what type of power we are importing and work toward 100% renewable.”
Name
Peter and Bridget Hansel
What motivated you to install solar?
We have had a long-time interest in alternative energy and desire to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel.
How many panels do you have, and if you know, how much energy are you producing, percentage of your electric usage?
A total of 18 panels (12 installed in 2009 and 6 more added in 2013) rated at 3.9 kW. I estimate that we are producing an average of 362 kWh per month or 4.3 mWh per year. This is about a quarter of our total electric consumption but we drive an electric car (Chevy Volt) and recently converted our oil heating system to electric mini-split heat pumps.
What has been the biggest benefit so far? What are you excited about?
Near zero maintenance and the satisfaction of knowing where our energy is coming from.
What were the obstacles to installing solar and what did you do to overcome them?
Since we were one of the first solar installations in Keene, going through the permitting process in 2009 was a bit of a hassle but it has improved a lot since then. Also make sure you have a monitoring system that is easy to use. They have gotten better in recent years.
What advice do you have for people considering installing solar?
Don’t wait for the ideal time. Go for it now. Life is too short and climate change won’t wait.
What is Community Power?
Under New Hampshire law, municipalities can pool a community’s total energy needs to make a bulk purchase of electricity. Community Power is a way for cities to get more energy from renewable resources, while possibly helping ratepayers save money on their energy bills, too. Learn more from the City of Keene…
Anything else you want to share?
We have a ways to go to become net-zero and we are still dependent on Eversource to make up the difference. That is why Community Power Aggregation is needed so we as a city can choose what type of power we are importing and work toward 100% renewable.
Clean Energy Keene 