National White Paper Highlights New Hampshire CCA Model
- Sep 15
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 3
A new white paper published by LEAN Energy US highlights the growth of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs across the country, with a focus on the development and structure of CCAs in New Hampshire. The report includes a detailed case study on the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH), which began serving customers in 2023 and now operates the state’s only coalition-based aggregation model.
LEAN Energy US is a national nonprofit that supports the formation and operation of CCAs. Its report, The Rise of Community Choice Aggregation, compares the design and implementation of CCA programs in four states—California, Massachusetts, Ohio, and New Hampshire. It includes insights from CPCNH AGM Henry Herndon, who describes the coalition’s growth and structure, including its Joint Powers Agency (JPA) governance model and statewide membership.
In his interview included in the report, Herndon described three key enablers that led to the success of CPCNH:
Organizing the communities—[CPCNH] really engaged and organized active community leaders or having an organizer and participate with one voice effectively.
Policy expertise and capacity, including the ability to understand and engage effectively in state policy and regulation.
And the third piece is technical, individuals who understand the industry, the business and markets, to empower and localize the community.
“There are three pillars — community organization, policy expertise, and technical/industry know-how,” added Herndon, “and by bringing those together in a Joint Powers Agency, we have the ingredients to lead the evolution of our energy economy for the benefit of New Hampshire.”
The report outlines CPCNH’s evolution from initial organizing efforts in 2019 to its official launch in 2023, highlighting key milestones along the way. These include securing grant funding and launching legal and technical planning in 2020; forming a Joint Powers Agreement with 14 founding communities in 2021; and issuing major RFPs for market and operational services in 2022. The report also features CPCNH’s Discretionary Adder program—an innovation unique to New Hampshire—which enables member municipalities to fund local energy projects through revenues from community energy sales, giving communities a direct mechanism to support their clean energy goals.
The report outlines CPCNH’s progression from early organizing in 2019 through its official launch in 2023. It notes the coalition’s plans to develop a 4.999 MW solar project and evolve into a Load Serving Entity (LSE) within ISO New England. CPCNH has also served approximately 1.2 million MWh of energy to date, with communities selecting renewable energy levels from 25.2% up to 100%, using regionally sourced Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).
The white paper concludes that while there is no single model for implementing CCAs in New Hampshire represent a strong example of community-driven energy planning. The report recommends that national organizations support a wide range of CCA structures and continue building tools for local education and engagement. As the paper’s author, Deepa Vedavyas, writes, “CCA leaders are the most driven and highly capable force in the energy sector, championing community participation, clean energy acceleration, and energy democracy.”
Download the full paper below:
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