May 1, 2025 By The Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant
The Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant (HMLP) is proud to announce the completion of a new solar canopy system at its Bare Cove office and an expansion of its rooftop solar array. Together, these systems are 200 kW in size and represent a significant step forward in generating local, carbon-free energy for the Hingham community.
Now producing thousands of kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity on-site, the combined systems supply a portion of HMLP’s facility operations and help offset peak load demand- resulting in long-term savings for all ratepayers.
HMLP financed the entire project through its Green Fund, which HMLP funds through the sale of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from previous renewable energy projects. This approach allows HMLP to reinvest in sustainability without affecting electric rates.
For the first time, HMLP is also making its solar production data publicly available in real-time. Customers can now visit www.hmlp.com/solar to explore interactive charts showing:
- Live energy production
- Daily and weekly performance
- Estimated environmental impact- including CO₂ emissions avoided and trees planted
“We want our customers to see the value of these systems in action,” said Brianna Bennett, HMLP’s Sustainability Coordinator.
“HMLP wants to demonstrate its commitment to the Town of Hingham’s Net Zero goals and show what’s possible when we invest in innovative, dynamic infrastructure.”
Beyond supporting community-wide decarbonization, the solar canopy also directly benefits HMLP employees and operations. It provides shading for vehicles to reduce heat exposure, improve parking lot conditions, and protect equipment.
HMLP’s investment in solar is part of a broader commitment to energy efficiency, electrification, and climate-smart infrastructure. These efforts aim to ensure long-term savings, local resilience, and a carbon-free future for Hingham.
Any customers interested in going solar can find helpful resources at www.hmlp.com/solar, including permitting guidance, financial incentives, and tools to explore system sizing and payback periods.
Whatever happened to the plan to put solar on the dump cap? Every town on South Shore has done this. Carver power# their entire town from town generated power. Why are we so behind the curve?