Nicolas Iacovelli | Oppose HB1542

Setting alternative compliance payments to $0 effectively guts New Hampshire’s renewable energy system while pretending nothing has changed. These payments exist to make sure utilities actually follow the law when they cannot meet renewable requirements, and they are the only funding source for the Renewable Energy Fund, which supports community solar, low-income programs, clean energy jobs, and grid modernization. Making the penalty for non-compliance zero removes any real incentive to invest in renewables, collapses the REC market, and quietly defunds every program tied to the Renewable Energy Fund, including programs that help families afford energy. If the goal is lower short-term bills, this does it by sacrificing long-term stability, local jobs, and energy independence, which ultimately costs families more.