Inching Forward with LEAP!
Community, Energy, Environment Judith Colla Community, Energy, Environment Judith Colla

Inching Forward with LEAP!

Dartmouth Students associated with the Cook Engineering Design Center’s LEAP Program (Learn Engineering Through Applied Projects) recently completed a two-term project looking at the feasibility of decarbonizing residential energy use through geo-exchange microgrids. Under the supervision of Professor Emily Monroe, freshmen Eden Gray, Caleb Frank, and Declan Schilling and senior Nathan McAllister concluded that this form of low emissions heating could be a viable alternative to furnaces fueled by oil or propane.

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Hanover Kicks Off Shared Streets Vision Planning
Community, Energy, Environment Jennie Dorosh Chamberlain Community, Energy, Environment Jennie Dorosh Chamberlain

Hanover Kicks Off Shared Streets Vision Planning

On May 12th, Hanover kicked off Shared Streets Vision Planning to design a multimodal network for all ages and abilities. How we design our streets, intersections and paths determines who can get where they need to go and how. And our choices have a massive impact on our community’s carbon footprint...

But how do our choices in street design impact the community’s emissions and health? What does it mean to envision Hanover streets that are inviting and accessible to people of all ages and abilities? How can we do it?

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Earth Day Fair
Community, Energy, Environment Dennis Robison Community, Energy, Environment Dennis Robison

Earth Day Fair

“Aye, ’twas a cold and rainy day” or at least the threat of one for the Earth Day Fair and celebration sponsored by  Sustainable Hanover and Dartmouth College’s Sustainability Department on Saturday, April 26.  Nevertheless, seventeen exhibitor and vendor tables were crowded together, receiving between 60 and 70 attendees in Richmond Middle School gymnasium. 

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A Promising New Initiative for Hanover’s Large Energy Users
Energy, Community Judith Colla Energy, Community Judith Colla

A Promising New Initiative for Hanover’s Large Energy Users

Sustainable Hanover is excited to have launched a new initiative to bring together the largest energy users in Hanover to share ideas and solutions for a more sustainable future. This group includes representation from Dartmouth College, Kendal at Hanover, the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), Hypertherm, Sheridan Printing, the Coop Food Stores, and the Town. 

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Community Power Outperforms Expectations
Energy, Community, Environment Yolanda Baumgartner Energy, Community, Environment Yolanda Baumgartner

Community Power Outperforms Expectations

Recent news from the Community Power Coalition of NH (CPCNH) contained some surprises. Community power programs, including our own Hanover Community Power (HCP), are surpassing expectations held in April 2023 when Hanover launched as one of ten communities in the first wave of CPCNH programs. Over the first 16 months, HCP customers saved $643,000 compared to what they would have spent for utility supplied electricity. 

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EVs on Long Trips
Energy, Environment Ben Steele Energy, Environment Ben Steele

EVs on Long Trips

If you are interested in getting an electric vehicle (EV) but apprehensive about how to charge it on a trip longer than the battery will supply, our recent trip to Maine might answer a few of your questions.

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WHO KNEW Y-O-U Might NOT Know About Sustainable Hanover’s Many Interesting Articles With Info You Can Use?
Community, Energy, Environment Judith Pettingell Community, Energy, Environment Judith Pettingell

WHO KNEW Y-O-U Might NOT Know About Sustainable Hanover’s Many Interesting Articles With Info You Can Use?

One of Sustainable Hanover’s initiatives is to publish a short piece called a WHO KNEW every Tuesday in the Hanover listserv focusing on a wide range of topics that might be useful to you. Sustainable Hanover archives all these pieces accompanied by photos on its website.

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Window Dressers Update
Energy Dennis Robison Energy Dennis Robison

Window Dressers Update

The Norwich/Hanover Windows Dresser Build finished its fourth year a day early!  Scheduled September 29-October 2 at the Norwich Congregational Church, 115 volunteers built 237 inserts for 25 households and rewrapped 15 inserts for 6 households.  Finishing a day early is likely due to having many more experienced volunteers.

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Dartmouth Leads & Hanover Supports
Energy, Environment, Community Judith Colla Energy, Environment, Community Judith Colla

Dartmouth Leads & Hanover Supports

Anyone driving through Hanover this summer has surely noticed the construction along East Wheelock, especially the once very deep and huge holes in front of the New Hampshire and Topliff dorms. “It looks like the College is building a subway system,” my husband commented.

Prominently displayed signs suggest otherwise. “Turning the corner from steam to hot water,” says one. “In the trenches to reach our goal,” says another. This construction is the initial stage of a $500m effort by Dartmouth to decarbonize.

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Window Dressers Returns!
Energy Dennis Robison Energy Dennis Robison

Window Dressers Returns!

For the fourth year, Sustainable Hanover and the Norwich Energy Committee are collaborating with the Maine-based nonprofit, Window Dressers (www.windowdressers.org) to make window inserts for Norwich and Hanover residents. The inserts are easy to install, remove and reuse. They let light in, keep drafts out, and reduce heating costs (on average, about 10 gallons of heating fuel per insert per year).

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Dartmouth College Sustainability
Energy Dennis Robison Energy Dennis Robison

Dartmouth College Sustainability

Sustainable Hanover’s first meeting of the new year featured an important update on Dartmouth College’s sustainability developments and plans. Rosi Kerr (Sustainability Director), Josh Keniston (Senior VP for Capital Planning & Campus Operations) and Abbe Bjorkund (Director of Engineering & Utilities) joined together to present a wide-ranging review of what has transpired in the immediate past and what they foresee for the future.

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EV Tax Credits for 2024
Energy Ben Steele Energy Ben Steele

EV Tax Credits for 2024

The Inflation Reduction Act that extended federal incentives for Electric Vehicles (EVs) until 2032 included a number of changes, some of which went into effect in January 2024. They include some great benefits, but also some restrictions.

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EV Update: Workplace Charging
Community, Energy Ben Steele Community, Energy Ben Steele

EV Update: Workplace Charging

More and more people are driving EVs and need to charge them. Charging is most efficient when the car is parked for more than a few hours, so charging at home and at work are the best options. Some employees may not be able to charge at home, or the range of their EV may not cover both directions of their commute, so workplace charging is important.

Installing chargers will help meet your sustainability goals and may help recruit and retain employees.

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Window Dressers Update
Community, Energy Dennis Robison Community, Energy Dennis Robison

Window Dressers Update

The third Norwich/Hanover Window Dressers Build is now complete! This year the Norwich Congregational Church was host. 268 window inserts were made by 115 volunteers for forty-one households between September 29 and October 5. According to Window Dressers, one medium pine insert may save an average of 8.5 gallons of heating oil every year, for an estimated savings of $15 – $43 per year, depending on variations in fuel price.

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EV Expo Coming to the Upper Valley
Energy, Environment Ben Steele Energy, Environment Ben Steele

EV Expo Coming to the Upper Valley

Thinking about getting an EV? Or switching to a different one? The Upper Valley EV Expo is coming to Lebanon, Saturday, September 30, 10 am - 3:00 pm. It will be held in the parking lot behind City Hall. This is a chance to see a wide variety of EV’s, talk with the owners and perhaps go for a test ride. There will also be presentations by panels of experts, ebikes, food, raffle prizes, and maybe Advance Transit’s new electric bus.

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Solarize Pop Quiz
Energy Yolanda Baumgartner Energy Yolanda Baumgartner

Solarize Pop Quiz

Have you been keeping track of all the solar activity in Hanover? All told, solar systems in Hanover represent more than 5 megawatts of solar capacity. This includes 300 households that are using electricity generated by local PV panels. The Town’s rooftop and ground mounted panels meet just about all of its current municipal electricity needs. Dartmouth College has 16 systems, and more are on their way. How much do you know about all these renewable energy systems? Take this quiz for your Solarize IQ status!

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Hanover Community Power Update
Energy Dennis Robison Energy Dennis Robison

Hanover Community Power Update

In July Sustainable Hanover announced that the utilities and HCP would be lowering rates for the 6 month period beginning August 1, with HCP’s default rate still cheaper that Liberty or Eversource. Please consider opting up now by clicking here and then scrolling down to the section “Electricity Supply Choices.

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Window Dressers Returns!
Energy, Community Dennis Robison Energy, Community Dennis Robison

Window Dressers Returns!

For the third year, Sustainable Hanover and the Norwich Energy Committee are collaborating with the Maine-based nonprofit, Window Dressers (www.windowdressers.org) to make window inserts for Norwich and Hanover residents. The inserts are easy to install, remove and reuse. They let light in, keep drafts out, and reduce heating costs (on average, about 10 gallons of heating fuel per insert per year).

Read More