Category: Energy

By Posted on Posted in Expo, Solar
Exhibitor Time Workshop Title Description
Wes Golomb 9:45-10:30am Creating a Net-Zero Home Wes Golomb, author of Warm and Cool Homes, will talk about what it takes to build or retrofit a house to be net zero.
Revision Energy 9:45-10:30am Solar and Battery Storage 101 Want to learn more about clean solar energy but don’t know where to start? Join ReVision Energy’s Residential Sales Manager Tom Hobbs for an overview of all things solar! We’ll discuss how grid-tied solar works, the all-electric household model (including heat pumps, EV charging, and battery storage), and explain how we design and price systems.
Shakes to Shingles 10:45-11:30am NHSaves Rebates and the New Aerobarrier Air Sealing Technology Aerobarrier air sealing is faster to install, more energy efficient, and non-toxic to the environment. Learn about this new technology as well as the NHSaves rebates that will help you make affordable energy upgrades to your home.
Capital Well 10:45-11:30am Can I Use My Existing Well for Geothermal? Find out when and how an existing well can be used for geothermal heating/cooling as well as domestic hot water. Tim Rapp of Capital Well will explain how it works and answer your questions.
Clean Energy NH 12:45-1:30pm Drive Electric NH – Everything You Need to Know Program Coordinator Josh Singer of Clean Energy NH will be giving a workshop on what goes into buying an EV in NH. Charging, range anxiety, and tax incentives will be just a few of the topics covered. You will also get a chance to ask questions, and there will be informational materials available for all.
Mitsubishi Electric 12:45-1:30pm De-Mystification of Heat Pumps Learn how heat pumps work! Matt Tilas of Mitsubishi Electric will explain the details of heat pump performance and operation.
Hillborough County Area Renewable Energy Initiative (HAREI) 1:45-2:30pm DIY Assistance for Solar with HAREI Interested in solar, but not sure where to start? Find out how the nonprofit HAREI can help you assess your solar options. Also learn how they can help you with do-it-yourself installations using their community-assistance barn-raiser model.
NH Network 1:45-2:30pm Energy in NH: the State of Affairs A discussion of how energy policy is created in NH, who are the players, NH’s progress compared to its New England neighbors, and an invitation to attendees to join NH Network and help advance sustainability in NH.
Bow Plumbing and Heating All day Alternative water heaters demo Outdoor demo on alternative water heaters
Electric Vehicles & Drivers All day EVs and owner interviews  See EVs and talk with their owners

By Posted on Posted in Energy, Expo

THIS IS AN OUTDATED PAGE – This year’s (2023) NH Energy Expo is October 14th.

Find current Expo information here: https://www.dunbarton-energy.org/energy-expo/.

NH Energy Expo is back!

The 6th annual NH Home Energy Expo is scheduled for Saturday, October 1, 2022 at the Dunbarton Elementary School Community Center from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. This event is being organized through a partnership of the Bow and Dunbarton Energy Committees. There is NO charge to attend and everyone is welcome. The Energy Expo will feature a gymnasium full of vendors and nonprofits along with free workshop sessions. Learn about solar energy, weatherization, electric vehicles, energy policy, and more.

The Energy Expo will have something for everyone. If you are considering an energy project and would like to learn more about various energy technologies (including solar photovoltaic panels, domestic hot water alternatives, geothermal, and air exchange heat pump systems, as well as NHSaves rebate opportunities), this is the place to come.

Attendees will be able to enter into free raffles for items donated by our exhibitors.

A special attraction this year is the opportunity to talk to electric car owners and discuss their experiences as owners and drivers of electric vehicles.

Plan to attend! For more information, see the web page at www.dunbarton-energy.org/energy-expo/ or visit our Facebook pages (Bow Energy Committee – www.facebook.com/Bow-Energy-Committee-100233452667079 and Dunbarton Energy Committee – www.facebook.com/Dunbarton-Energy-Committee-195961943752074).

With questions, please contact us by email at: energy@dunbarton-energy.org.

See the workshop schedule at www.dunbarton-energy.org/expo-workshops/

Sponsored by

The Bow Energy & Dunbarton Energy Committees

By Posted on Posted in Energy

The Dunbarton Energy Committee’s Mission statement:

“To encourage and support Dunbarton’s municipality, businesses and residents in the practical application of technology resulting in energy efficiency and sustainable energy for buildings and transportation in order to lower our energy costs and reduce our carbon emissions.”

 

The 160-panel, 63.2kW solar array at the Dunbarton Transfer Station continues to produce sufficient power to significantly reducing the electric bills of all town buildings (Transfer Station, Fire Dept., Police Dept., Town Office, Town Garage, Town Hall/Library).  With lease payments of $815/month and no upfront cost, the array is easily paying for itself.  The lease /buyout option will be paid off in 2026 and the array will be producing electricity until at least 2050 (system performance guarantee term) with all of the electric power output after 2026 going to reducing the town electric bills.  Savings (currently projected to be $384,000) could also increase as the cost of electricity increases over time.

We are currently crafting a solar array proposal for our Elementary School that is over 2 times as large as the current array with savings that would be proportionally greater …stay tuned! 

With the present quickly increasing costs of energy and electricity, we notify the public on our website and the Dunbarton Community Group Facebook page that the Dunbarton Energy Committee. can provide residents advice for savings opportunities

The Neighbors Warming Neighbors Program has performed a total of 44 home audits since the program began in 2012.  It has been and remains on hold since 2020 due to COVID safety concerns.  The program helps Dunbarton residents improve the heating, electric efficiency and comfort in their homes with a 1 to 2 hour walk-through energy audit of a resident’s home or business. It provides a CD with thermal images of their building as well as a written report that summarizes the audit findings, provides recommendations to improve the building’s energy efficiency, and identifies applicable energy efficiency rebate programs for which they qualify. We are not sure when we will be able to continue this program. Email at energy@dunbarton-energy.org if this program should be continued. If you would like to join us as a committee member or NWN team member when the program restarts., training will be provided.

The 2020 and 2021 Central NH Energy Expos were cancelled due to the COVID restrictions.  Conditions permitting, we hope to resume this popular event later in 2022.  Watch for a notice later in 2022.

Residential solar electric installations in town continue to grow, now more than 80, producing significant savings to their owners. The Committee continues to provide guidance for residents to choose the approach best suited for their installations. The Committee offers to provide advice and assistance to those considering installing solar arrays on their property. Feel free to contact us and we will share lessons learned in designing the town arrays.

We welcome new members to bring new ideas and help with present and future new activities. We have openings in 2022 and would greatly appreciate at least two more Town residents and their ideas & project contributions.  Email us at energy@dunbarton-energy.org   See us on the web at www.dunbarton-energy.org or at www.facebook.com/Dunbarton-Energy-Committee-195961943752074

Dunbarton Energy Committee: Mike Kaminski (Selectmen Rep.), Dana Lavoie, David Elberfeld, George Holt, Bob Ray, John Stevens, (Chair)

By Posted on Posted in Energy
Energy Saving Tip #4 from the Dunbarton Energy Committee

4. Clean out the dryer vent.

As lint collects in your dryer vent, the drying cycle becomes less efficient and runs longer, wasting money. If the vent becomes blocked, it’s a fire hazard. So take advantage of a warm spring day to clean out the dryer duct and vent, being sure to follow safe practices. A few more ways to save energy while drying laundry:
  • Make sure your washing machine spin cycle is working well so your dryer uses less energy
  • As warm spring days arrive, hang your clothes out to dry, and
  • Set the dryer to the delicate or medium heat cycle, which uses less energy overall.

Energy Saving Tip #5 from the Dunbarton Energy Committee

5. Turn off the coffee maker after your morning cup.

Many coffee makers have a warming mode that can stay on all day and use more energy than you might think. For instance, when heating for the first time after being off, the peak usage of a Keurig coffee maker is 1,500 watts. If the power is kept on, the brewer will keep the internal tank up to temperature using between 200 – 400 watts when heating. While idle and not maintaining heat, the brewer will still use the average electricity of a 60 watt light bulb. That idle heat alone translates into $60 on your annual electricity bill, without taking account the energy usage during warming mode.
For pot coffee makers, instead of letting the coffeemaker warm, use your microwave to reheat a mug of coffee and switch off the coffeemaker sooner. Not leaving your coffee maker on warm will also make your coffee taste better on subsequent cups.

By Posted on Posted in Energy

#2 Home Energy Saving tip

Find every incandescent bulb and replace it.

We know how it is — you’ve been buying LEDs to replace old bulbs as they burn out, which seems like the most frugal approach. But those old incandescents use up to 70% more energy and burn out 25 times quicker than LEDs. And they can lurk in odd places like inside your fridge or oven, or in your ceiling fixtures and outdoor lights. See how much energy you can save by replacing them.

 

3. TURN OFF THE EXTRA FREEZER, FRIDGE OR WINE COOLER.
This may seem like the worst of times to consolidate your food into a single refrigerator, but if your extra fridge or freezer is an older model that’s been retired to a garage or basement, it’s far less energy efficient than newer models. A ten-year old refrigerator could cost $53 annually, depending on the model, and a chest style freezer could cost $35 annually. Decide if that extra cooling is necessary. For the fridges that remain in operation, give them a spring cleaning by vacuuming the condenser coils, inspecting and cleaning the door gaskets for a proper seal, and checking that the temperature settings are correct (at or below 40 degrees for fridge and at 0 degrees for the freezer).
Wine chillers operate at higher temperatures so they use less energy than fridges. Having said that, a new Frigidaire wine cooler’s annual operating cost is $42.

By Posted on Posted in Energy
What can you do right now at home to save energy, just by making a few changes?
We’ve come up with six easy ways to save money by making a few adjustments at home. Look out over the next six days!
#1. Turn off your consumer electronics.
Gadgets that stay on continuously, which includes consumer electronics and common devices like radon fans, account for 23% of the average electricity bill, which translates into $322 annually. Your gadgets are silently, stealthily trickling energy savings out of your pocketbook.
Take a tour of your home and put your printers, PCs, laptops, home entertainment equipment and gaming systems on power strips — smart ones, if you have them — and turn them off when they are not in use. Some things have to remain on, of course, like a cable box, but does your printer need to stay in idle mode all the time?

By Posted on Posted in Energy
Day light view

Looking for ways to brighten your home without adding lights or using electricity?

Tubular skylights are the latest technology to bring natural sunlight into a dark room, hallway, office, kitchen, etc.

Night light view

Adding a Sun Tunnel® Skylight is a cost-effective way to add natural light to areas that need a brighter, more vibrant appearance. Get the solar powered nightlight option and qualify for the federal 26% tax CREDIT on the entire installed cost!
(this is not an endorsement of any particular product or vendor by DEC)

Link to one of the product lineups   http://www.veluxusa.com/products/sun-tunnels

 

Photos by Dana Lavoie, DEC board member

By Posted on Posted in Energy, Solar

Wonderful news!

The Dunbarton Solar Project is now ONLINE and OPERATING at the Transfer Station!! It went online Tuesday Feb. 18, 2020.

 The town pays its current electric bill to GSS for 6 years and then the town buys the array for 50k minus the excess energy payments for energy produced but not used that will go into a capital reserve account to reduce the 50k payment. We expect to produce about 10 % more than we use.
If you would like to see more info about how much the solar array has produced, you can check it on the web, Click here to see the Dunbarton Town Solar Array online.

Array Performance

Mar output – 7280 kWh (projected value $1019)

Apr output (thru 4/19) – 4380 kWh (projected value $613)

By Posted on Posted in Energy

Dunbarton Energy Committee meets on the third Monday of each month
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (EDT) ta the Dunbarton Town offices.

During the current COVID-19 Shelter at Home rules, we are meeting via Gotomeeting.com video conferencing.

Members of the Public are welcome to attend and observe the meetings.

If you would like to attend a meeting, Please email Line C. at the town offices to get the sign in information emailed to you during the day on Monday of the meeting.