By Joshua Burd
The state’s popular Community Solar Energy Program is expanding once again with a newly announced third phase, setting the stage for fresh revenue opportunities for commercial property owners who lease their rooftops to solar developers.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities this week approved another 250 megawatts of capacity for the program, touting its role in bringing clean energy and cost savings to millions of residents who may not have access to the technology. That typically begins with owners of warehouses and other facilities who, under the program rules, make their properties available to companies that build rooftop solar panels and sell energy directly to the grid.
The state has helped pioneer the concept since the BPU’s initial allocation in November 2023, leading to more than 500 megawatts registered projects since that time.
“New Jersey’s nation-leading Community Solar Energy Program continues to deliver millions in cost savings for those who participate,” said Christine Guhl-Sadovy, the BPU’s president. “By opening another round of projects, we are advancing smart policies that secure electricity bill savings for anyone who subscribes regardless of income, whether your roof is suitable for solar or not, or if you rent, ultimately helping putting affordability in reach for more New Jersey households. The NJBPU’s Community Solar Project Finder can help households find projects near them and start saving money.”
The agency touted community solar as one of the most effective and quickest ways to reduce energy bills, noting that projects must reserve at least 51 percent of capacity for low- and moderate-income subscribers. Benefits of participating include guaranteed discounts of at least 15 percent via community solar credits that are applied to customers’ bills, supporting those who may not own their roof or home, rent or cannot afford the upfront cost of solar.
The program now serves more than 28,000 New Jersey subscribers, who have received more than $37 million in bill credits with net savings of more than $7 million since it began, according to a news release. The latest 250-megawatt capacity block will open to new project registrations on April 30, with acceptance coming on a first-come, first-served basis, although applications during an initial period of 10 business days will be considered as one group and awarded based on the highest discounts offered to subscribers.
On top of opening another capacity block for new projects, recent program updates will streamline participation and reduce barriers to cost savings, the news release said. Local governments may now submit registrations for automatic enrollment projects, whereby municipalities may select hard-to-reach households to be directly subscribed to community solar projects and receive savings without residents needing to take action.
The BPU also recently implemented consolidated billing through the utilities, where subscribers will see both subscription charges and their net savings on their utility bills, without the need for separate bills from the community solar provider, the news release said. Residents interested in reducing their energy bills can use the Community Solar Project Finder to find projects with available capacity serving their area.
Demand soars for ‘community solar’ projects on warehouses, as state program enters new phase
