Powering the Past, Shaping the Future: Kensington's Historic Town Hall Goes Solar

Rooftop solar panels on Kensington’s historic Town Hall.

Kensington Energy Committee members with CPCNH staff in front of Town Hall, celebrating the launch o

Zeke Schmois demonstrates the operation of the Town Hall’s solar system.

Kensington’s 1846 Town Hall with its new 26.4 kW rooftop solar array.

Zeke Schmois speaks to officials, CPCNH, Clean Energy NH, and media at the unveiling.

An aerial view of Kensington’s 1846 Town Hall, where a 26.4 kW solar array now powers nearly 70% of

When the town of Kensington, NH, set out to explore solar energy for its historic town hall (built 1846), it wasn’t just about reducing electric bills. It was about proving that modern energy systems can live in harmony with centuries-old architecture—and that even small towns can lead the way in innovation.

This summer, the town unveiled a sleek 26.4-kilowatt DC rooftop solar array on the white clapboard municipal building that serves as the heart of the community. The system is projected to offset roughly 70% of the town hall’s annual electricity use.

Fast Facts

• Project: Kensington Town Hall Rooftop Solar

• System Size: 26.4 kW DC / 20 kW AC

• Estimated Offset: ~70% of building’s electricity use

• Installer: Harmony Energy Works Incorporated

• Funding: ~$92,000 grant via NH Municipal Solar Grant Program (now discontinued)

  • First completed project under the state pilot

• Project Partners: Town of Kensington, CPCNH, Heritage Committee, Harmony Energy Works

“This isn’t a solar farm,” said Zeke Schmois, Chair of Kensington’s Energy Committee and the town's representative to CPCNH. “But it’s huge for a town like ours with such a small budget and such a small population.”

From the beginning, the project was about more than energy savings. The town was determined to install a system that blended seamlessly with the aesthetics of its 19th-century town hall. That required both creative thinking and strong collaboration.

“We wanted the panels to disappear into the roofline,” said Schmois. “We spent a lot of time with the installer looking at panel color, layout, and wiring routes to make sure everything looked clean. I think the result speaks for itself.”

The project received a $92,000 grant through the state’s Municipal Solar Grant Program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. While the program was short-lived and has since lost funding in the state’s new budget, Kensington’s array stands as the first and only completed project under the pilot.

“We worked with multiple towns and cities who were interested in the Grant program,” said George Horrocks, President of Harmony Energy Works. “Kensington was the only town that had done enough planning to make this work in such a timely manner.”

“For us, it was a good partnership, and we applaud the Kensington Energy Committee and Heritage Commission and its Select Board,” he added.

Harmony Energy Works, based in Hampton, NH, specializes in commercial solar arrays and residential solar installations.

Kensington’s success wasn’t accidental. The process began with curiosity and community engagement, led by a core group of volunteers. During the application process, the town received a letter of support from CPCNH—something that helped strengthen their grant proposal. Later on, as the project neared completion, CPCNH staff worked with the town to enable it to sell its Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) back to the Coalition. Though those sales won’t begin until early 2026 due to standard processing timelines, the town’s solar energy will soon contribute directly to CPCNH’s growing renewable energy supply.

“Kensington’s project is a great example of how community leadership, historic sensitivity, and good technical design can come together to deliver a highly visible and replicable result,” said Mark Bolinger, Director of Projects & Programs with CPCNH.

Still, installing solar on a historic building brought its own challenges. Community education played a major role. The Energy Committee hosted meetings, coordinated with town officials, and provided visuals to show how the panels would appear.

“Zeke called me very early in the project to explain the opportunity,” said Lynne Monroe, chair of Kensington’s Heritage Commission. “I told him it was a great idea—if we could make it work. Protecting the historic building, which is so visible and significant to our town center, had to come first.”

“He agreed, and we began discussing possibilities,” added Monroe. “The Heritage Commission emphasized that the panels needed to match the black roof, extend to the roof’s edge, and avoid silver dots or other visual interruptions. We also had an engineer familiar with historic framing verify that the installation would not overload the original roof trusses.”

The project received unanimous support from the Heritage Commission following its careful review.

“We’re very pleased with the outcome,” said Monroe. “It’s funny how many people drive past Town Hall without even noticing the panels. That’s a sign of success.”

She added: “We’re proud to have helped find a solution that preserves the character of the building, is reversible, and contributes to our town’s transition to clean energy in a public facility.”

Monroe also noted that the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance is now featuring the project in its best-practices guidance for solar installations on historic buildings—a sign that the Kensington effort could serve as a model for others across the state.

Construction wrapped up in early July, just in time for the height of summer sun. During a ribbon-cutting event, town officials, residents, and project partners gathered to celebrate not only a completed installation, but a new model for small-town sustainability.

“This was really a team effort,” said Schmois. “It took persistence, local buy-in, and technical know-how. Hopefully this makes it easier for the next small town to say, ‘We can do that too.’”

In an era where the clean energy transition often feels out of reach for small communities, Kensington proves that innovation can happen anywhere—even atop a nearly 200-year-old town hall.