Energy

in committee · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 454: requiring that retailers of fuel blends with 15% ethanol also offer fuel blends with 10% or lower ethanol content.

HB 454 requires fuel retailers who sell 15% ethanol blends (like E15) to also offer at least one fuel blend with 10% ethanol or less (like E10). This applies to all such retailers in New Hampshire starting July 1, 2025. Retailers must display prices for these lower-ethanol blends as required by existing fuel pricing rules. The bill directly affects gas station operators selling higher-ethanol fuels, ensuring they provide more common ethanol blends for vehicle compatibility.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyRequires retailers to offer ethanol blends (renewable fuel), ensuring market access for renewable energy infrastructure while addressing vehicle compatibility.85% confidence

Track

failed · New Hampshire · Senate Jan 7, 2026

SB 111: authorizing a reliability indexing credit pilot program.

SB 111 establishes a pilot program allowing New Hampshire electric utilities to buy reliability indexing credits from qualified local energy storage systems (like batteries) to support grid reliability. The program would pay storage providers the difference between a set "strike price" and a daily "reference price" reflecting wholesale market value - paying them when the strike price is higher, and charging them when the reference price is higher. Utilities must get approval from the Public Utilities Commission for multi-year agreements (up to 200 megawatts) and recover costs through customer rates. The Department of Energy must develop program terms by December 2025, with utilities petitioning for approval by February 2026. This pilot aims to incentivize storage participation without direct state funding.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyEnables energy storage credits to support grid reliability, advancing renewable integration through storage infrastructure investments.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Electric Grid Energy Storage

Track

passed · New Hampshire · House Jun 3, 2026

HB 224: relative to rebates to ratepayers from the renewable energy fund.

HB 224 requires the state to rebate excess funds in the Renewable Energy Fund directly to all retail electric ratepayers (including households, businesses, and government entities) on a per-kilowatt-hour basis. The bill mandates that any money remaining in the fund after covering administrative costs and renewable energy incentive programs must be returned to ratepayers, rather than being retained or redirected. This applies to funds generated from Alternative Compliance Payments (ACPs) paid by utilities that fail to meet renewable energy requirements under the state’s portfolio standard. The rebates would be administered by the Public Utilities Commission, with the amount depending on annual fund balances and program expenditures.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates rebating excess renewable energy fund to ratepayers, promoting fiscal responsibility by returning unspent funds instead of retaining them.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill mandates rebates from Renewable Energy Fund to ratepayers, ensuring excess funds support renewable energy initiatives rather than being diverted, aligning with promoting renewable energy and consumer protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renewable Energy

Track

vetoed · New Hampshire · Senate Aug 20, 2026

SB 468: relative to enabling alternative treatment centers to operate a greenhouse cultivation location.

SB 468 allows alternative treatment centers (ATCs) that provide medical cannabis to apply for permission to operate greenhouse cultivation facilities, which typically use less energy than indoor growing. ATCs must submit a detailed plan showing how greenhouse cultivation will lower energy costs and reduce prices for registered qualifying patients. The state department must create rules for greenhouse operations - including security, location, and compliance with local zoning - and seek input from patients, caregivers, and community residents before approving new sites. ATCs will also report annually on greenhouse impacts to energy costs and product prices as part of their required state filings.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill explicitly requires ATCs to adopt greenhouse cultivation (using less energy than indoor) and mandates plans showing reduced energy costs, promoting energy efficiency in operations.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables medical cannabis ATCs to reduce cultivation costs, lowering prices for qualifying patients and improving access to healthcare services.85% confidence

Track

signed · New Hampshire · House Mar 4, 2026

HB 266: relative to structural changes to the department of energy and creating a limited exemption from parental consent required for certain recordings under the parental bill of rights and relative to the effect of murder on a decedent's estate.

HB 266 strengthens the Department of Energy's role in energy regulation by granting it formal standing before the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), requiring it to be treated as a full party in all relevant proceedings. The bill mandates the department to support the PUC, site evaluation committee, and consumer advocate office, while giving it authority to demand specific documents and answers from public utilities. This directly affects the Department of Energy, utilities companies, and the PUC by formalizing the department's participation in regulatory processes and information requests. The changes aim to streamline communication and ensure the department can effectively advocate for energy policy within existing regulatory frameworks.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill strengthens DOE's regulatory authority over energy policy by granting formal standing before PUC and demanding utility compliance, advancing departmental oversight of energy infrastructure and consumer protection.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency

died · New Hampshire · Senate Jan 8, 2026

SB 106: relative to the participation of customer generators in net energy metering.

SB 106 requires customer generators with facilities between 100 kilowatts and 5 megawatts (operational after January 1, 2023) to consume at least 20% of their own annual electricity generation through net energy metering. This applies to larger residential, commercial, or industrial systems that generate renewable energy but not to low- and moderate-income customers, who are exempt. The bill modifies existing net metering rules to allow these generators to retain their current tariff for up to 20 years or until 2040, whichever is longer. It does not create new funding but may involve utility billing system upgrades to track cross-territory energy data.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyRequires 20% self-consumption for renewable customer generators, promoting net metering adoption and renewable energy use per bill text.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renewable Energy Solar

Track

signed · New Hampshire · Senate Jun 24, 2026

SB 589: relative to port electrification, microgrid development, and cybersecurity standards for energy and water systems.

SB 589 requires New Hampshire to create a task force studying electricity needs for interstate trucking charging stations, port electrification, and transmission corridors, with a report due by June 2027. It authorizes a pilot program for microgrid development at up to five locations to improve energy resilience, collaborating with utilities and businesses. The bill also mandates the Department of Energy to develop cybersecurity guidelines for distributed energy systems like solar and battery storage. These provisions directly affect state agencies, transportation infrastructure planners, port operators, and energy providers by setting new planning and safety requirements.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyAuthorizes microgrid pilot for resilience, mandates port electrification/transmission studies, and requires cybersecurity guidelines for distributed energy resources like solar/batteries.92% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates cybersecurity guidelines for distributed energy resources, directly protecting critical technology infrastructure in energy systems.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill mandates task force for trucking charging stations, port electrification, and microgrid pilot for transportation energy resilience - directly advances transportation infrastructure needs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Electric Grid Energy Resilience Transmission Cybersecurity Electric Vehicles Freight Ports

failed · New Hampshire · Senate Apr 23, 2026

SB 449: relative to relative to the participation of large customer-generators in net metering and relative to energy storage in connection with net metering.

SB 449 requires commercial or industrial entities with solar or wind systems between 1 and 5 megawatts (called "industrial hosts") to consume at least 33% of their own electricity generation annually. This applies to new systems installed after January 1, 2027, that participate in net metering. The rule does not apply to low-income customers as defined by utility regulations. The bill modifies New Hampshire's net metering rules to ensure larger systems primarily offset their own electricity use, rather than exporting excess power.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyMandates 33% self-consumption for commercial solar/wind systems, promoting on-site renewable energy use over grid export, advancing renewable energy adoption.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Storage Solar

Track

signed · New Hampshire · Senate Jul 15, 2026

SB 538: extending net metering eligibility terms for municipal energy projects.

SB 538 extends the net metering eligibility term to 20 years for municipal energy projects in New Hampshire, directly affecting cities and towns developing community-based renewable energy systems. The bill ensures these projects can continue receiving compensation under current or future utility tariffs for the longer of 20 years from their start date or until January 1, 2040, addressing delays that previously shortened project viability. Municipalities participating in group net metering under House Bill 315 (2021) can transition to new utility tariffs while maintaining their 20-year eligibility period. This change restores the financial viability of municipal projects by aligning with the original intent of 2021 legislation and preventing premature loss of net metering benefits.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyExtends net metering eligibility to 20 years for municipal renewable energy projects, directly promoting community-based clean energy infrastructure and ensuring long-term viability of renewable systems.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renewable Energy Solar

died · New Hampshire · House Feb 27, 2026

HB 1180: updating the definition of the state building code to include the International Energy Conservation Code 2024.

HB 1180 updates New Hampshire's state building code definition to adopt the International Energy Conservation Code 2024 (IECC 2024) instead of the previous 2018 version. This change directly affects builders, architects, and developers who must comply with state building codes for new construction and major renovations. The bill requires all new projects to meet the stricter energy efficiency standards in the IECC 2024, which aims to reduce energy use in buildings. The update takes effect July 1, 2026, with minimal fiscal impact (under $10,000 annually through 2029).

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyAdopts stricter IECC 2024 standards requiring higher energy efficiency in new construction, directly reducing building energy consumption.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAdopts stricter IECC 2024 energy efficiency standards to reduce building energy use, directly advancing environmental protection through lower emissions and conservation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency Conservation

Track