After some discussion during Tuesday’s Peterborough Select Board meeting, town buildings and structures will soon be powered by 100% renewable energy.

Since the current contract with Standard Power is ending soon, Select Board members looked at rates from other electrical companies for the supply of electricity. Ultimately, they chose the the Clean 100 option from the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire. The rate the town will pay for the next six months, 12 cents per kilowatt hour, will be cheaper than what it currently pays.

According to Town Administrator Nicole MacStay, the rate for electricity for the town is over 16 cents/kWh. She noted any of the options presented were within the budget.

Select Board Chair Tyler Ward argued that going with any option other than Clean 100 option would be going backwards. He noted the town has been purchasing renewable energy credits based on a principle set by the Select Board. RECs are market-based certificates that represent the generation of renewable energy.

“As long as I’ve been here, that’s been the drive of Peterborough, our energy commitment,” Ward said.

Ward noted the town residents voted in 2021 to set a goal of using 100% renewable electricity by 2030, primarily focusing on transportation and heating and cooling.

Select Board member Bill Kennedy said there would be more savings for the town if they opted for the Peterborough Local option from the coalition, which offers 24% renewable energy and costs 9.3 cents/kWh. Kennedy said the town would be able to reinvest $3,700 a year.

“Now I agree we are not getting the kind of bang for our buck in terms of renewable energy in that regard. The incentive is that let’s invest in the town; let’s invest in renewable energy for the town,” Kennedy said.

The Select Board passed the motion to go with the Clean 100 option with all in favor.