Revision: Dec. 22, 2023, 9:24 a.m.
HB 1641-FN-LOCAL - AS INTRODUCED
2024 SESSION
24-2773
10/08
HOUSE BILL 1641-FN-LOCAL
AN ACT relating to requiring large parking lots to have a solar power canopy.
SPONSORS: Rep. McWilliams, Merr. 30; Rep. Gallager, Merr. 20; Rep. Grill, Hills. 18
COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government
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ANALYSIS
This bill requires that large parking facilities, whether existing or new, utilize photovoltaic solar canopies over at least 50 percent of the open asphalt surface.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24-2773
10/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relating to requiring large parking lots to have a solar power canopy.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Local Land Use Planning and Regulatory Powers; Requirements for Large Parking Facilities. Amend RSA 674 by inserting after section 17 the following new section:
674:17-a Requirements for Large Parking Facilities; Solar Canopies. Every parking facility, whether existing or new, with asphalt coverage of greater than 16,000 square feet or which accommodates at least 80 vehicles, whichever is smaller, shall utilize photovoltaic solar canopies over at least 50 percent of the open asphalt surface. Parking lots or facilities with 400 or more vehicle spaces shall be in compliance by January 1, 2028, and parking lots or facilities with between 80 and 400 vehicle spaces shall be compliance by January 1, 2030.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.
24-2773
Revised 12/22/23
HB 1641-FN-LOCAL- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relating to requiring large parking lots to have a solar power canopy.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ X ] County [ X ] Local [ ] None
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Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | ||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | Indeterminable $770,000+ per parking lot | Indeterminable $770,000+ per parking lot | ||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund Various Government Funds | |||||
Appropriations | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
• Does this bill provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditures? [X] No • Does this bill authorize new positions to implement this bill? [X] No | ||||||
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Estimated Political Subdivision Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | ||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | ||
County Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
County Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | ||
Local Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | ||
Local Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | ||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill requires that large parking facilities, whether existing or new, utilize photovoltaic solar
canopies over at least 50 percent of the open asphalt surface.
The Department of Administrative Services, Division of Public Works constructs surface parking lots associated with state-owned buildings throughout the State and could include design and construction of solar photovoltaic canopies for these projects as well as existing state-owned parking lots. The Department states New Hampshire has numerous state-owned surface parking lots, yet there's no exact count meeting specific size and capacity criteria. Consequently, the exact expenses for necessary canopy construction, solar panels, and electrical connections remain unknown. Estimations suggest a significant difference between conventional parking costs, roughly $2,000 per space, and solar canopy installations at about $15,250 per space after potential federal rebates, making the latter approximately 8.6 times more expensive. For instance, outfitting a new 80-space lot with 40 solar-covered spaces would sum up to around $770,000, significantly exceeding the cost of a traditional lot construction at $160,000.
The New Hampshire Municipal Association has located one asphalt covered municipal parking lot of more than 80 spaces, the Island Path Parking Lot in Hampton. The Association assumes it is possible that other qualifying parking lots exist, but estimates that fewer than a dozen exist. The Association indicates estimating installation costs of solar canopies is complex and requires comparing the estimated cost of labor and materials against the potential to net meter and receive other incentives such as Renewable Energy Certificates. Both may result in payments to the property owner. Although the Association has been able to identify one affected municipality and it is probable that the site is compatible for solar installation based on the lack of obstructing structures or trees surrounding it, the cost of the installation and the revenue generated by any such installation would be impossible for the Association to obtain without installation quotes from solar installers and the ability to predict the future of net metering policy in the state.
The New Hampshire Association of Counties states it is unable to determine a cost for a solar canopy installation as no county has received a bid for this type of project. The Association is not able to predict the bid costs in the future.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Administrative Services, New Hampshire Municipal Association and New Hampshire Association of Counties