Zach Holt of the Hampshire Council of Governments speaks to Huntington selectmen about cow power.
HUNTINGTON – Zach Holt of the Hampshire Council of Governments (HCG) came before the Board of Selectmen at Wednesday’s meeting to present an opportunity to save money on the town’s electricity through the purchase of net metering credits from area dairy farms. Net metering credits give residents and communities the opportunity to offset their electric bill by using unique sources of energy at a discounted price.
Hampshire Power, a program of HCG, is selling power produced by Ag-Grid Energy LLC, an agricultural anaerobic digester of manure and food waste. Through the anaerobic digester, the manure and food waste is converted into bio gas, which then goes through a generator and produces electricity. Ag-Grid is working on the project, which is only available to municipalities, with Rockwood Farms in Granville and Luther Belden Farm in Hatfield.
90% of Huntington’s electricity would be produced by Ag-Grid and 10% would be produced by Eversource, Holt said. Hampshire Power would sell the electricity produced by Ag-Grid to Eversource. The result would be a 15% reduction in the town’s electric bill, for an annual savings of $2,700 to the town, and an estimated savings over 10 years of $30,000. Holt said it would be a guaranteed savings for the town.
Holt said the change would be seamless, and would appear on the Eversource bill as net metering credits. He also talked about the “feel good” part of the project of working with a non-profit, helping dairy farms and taking tons of methane out of the environment. Holt said Huntington would be joining Granville, Hatfield, Hatfield Schools, Northfield, Shelburne and Westhampton if they choose to participate.
Selectman Darlene McVeigh asked what would happen if “cow power” closes down. Holt said that the program is set up to be very sustainable from day one. However, if a natural disaster were to shut it down, the town wouldn’t get the credit any more.
Selectmen Chair Ed Renauld said that Eversource has been a good partner for the town, responsive and quick to restore power after a storm, and wondered whether that would change. Holt said that Eversource likes the program, and they like working with green energy.
Renauld asked whether it would be legal for a 3-man board to sign a 10-year contract with HCG. Holt said because HCG is a government entity it would be an intergovernmental agreement. He also said that Chapter 25A allows municipalities to enter such agreements for environmental reasons.
Renauld said it sounded like a “win-win,” but he would like to send the contract to the town’s attorney to look over before signing it. He told Holt that they will make a decision at the next meeting on December 13.
