School committee approves 20‑year net‑metering credit agreement with New Leaf Energy

The Whitman‑Hanson Regional School Committee approved a 20‑year net‑metering credit purchase agreement with New Leaf Energy on March 11 after a recommendation from the capital and technology subcommittee.

Mr. Boyce and operations staff summarized the proposal: New Leaf would allocate solar‑field net‑metering credits to the district. The agreement does not place equipment on district property and carries no capital expense for the district; instead the district receives energy credits calculated against its electricity bills. The subcommittee had previously recommended approval.

Mr. Boyce said the proposal’s modeled first‑year benefit was approximately $85,500 and rose in later years in the firm’s projections. He also explained the current commercial approach used in these arrangements: “They will create the credits, they will sell the credits and then that 10% of that will essentially come to us as an offset on our bill,” and the district would see roughly a 10% reduction tied to credit monetization under the vendor’s proposal.

Committee members asked about variability and caps; staff clarified the 10% offset is the expected credit mechanism and that the firm’s projections are estimates. The motion to enter the net‑metering credit purchase agreement passed on a voice vote.

Why it matters The agreement is intended to lower the district’s electricity expense without an upfront capital outlay; such contracts can provide predictable energy offsets but depend on credit markets and contract terms. The committee asked staff to continue monitoring projected offsets and bring forward contract details to the business office for accounting treatment.

Provenance The New Leaf Energy proposal was introduced to the committee after review by the capital and technology subcommittee and discussed on the meeting record (presentation and motion began at the committee’s action item for New Leaf Energy).