New Hampshire is one of several states that has a cap on solar net metering placing a cap on in-state solar growth. To assess how consumers living in the state feel about solar, The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) conducted a poll and found that 4 out of 5 New Hampshire voters favor solar as an energy source. In addition, 70 percent support the state’s net metering law that allows solar customers to receive credit for the extra energy their solar panels produce. The support for net metering is consistent across political parties with two thirds of both Republican and Democratic respondents support the net metering law and three quarters of Independents support it.

“New Hampshire voters – including solar workers, consumers, schools and businesses – are urging policy makers to lift the cap and keep net metering in place this legislative session,” said TASC spokesperson Evan Dube. “The future of the state’s solar industry hinges on preserving net metering.”

The poll also found a surprising majority supports legislative intervention with the Public Utilities Commission to continue the state’s solar net metering program. Results show that Politicians who want to cap solar metering may find themselves out of a job at the next election. Only 14 percent of polled voters are more likely to vote for such a legislator, while more than three times as many voters would be less likely to vote for the legislator.

The poll also found that although New Hampshire has traditionally one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, voters are enthusiastic about the prospect of new clean-energy jobs created by the growing solar industry in the state. The industry has already created hundreds of solar jobs across the state with the help of policies like net metering.