Solar Landscape, a developer, designer, installer, owner and operator of community solar and solar energy, joined business leaders and public officials on July 13 to mark the completion of a new rooftop project at 2 Corporate Place South in Piscataway, allowing it to provide discounted energy to nearly 300 households in the area. — Courtesy: Solar Landscape
By Joshua Burd
A new rooftop solar project at a Piscataway warehouse is now complete after being connected to the grid, allowing it to provide discounted energy to nearly 300 households in the area.
Solar Landscape, which installed, owns and operates the system at 2 Corporate Place South, is leasing the rooftop space from Sudler Cos. under New Jersey’s Community Solar program. As such, it’s now able to sell energy from the project directly to consumers, including many low- to moderate-income residents, supporting a key component of the four-year-old state initiative.
Asbury Park-based Solar Landscape joined business leaders and public officials on Thursday to mark the milestone.
“Community solar brings the promise of solar energy to low- and moderate-income New Jerseyans and makes them part of the fight to resist global climate change,” said state Sen. Bob Smith, a Piscataway-based Democrat, who sponsored the legislation to create New Jersey’s Community Solar framework.
The new system, which accounts for 1.75 megawatts, is one of Solar Landscape’s 54 community solar projects in New Jersey that will soon provide renewable energy to more than 11,000 homes, according to a news release. It’s also part of a 9.7-megawatt portfolio of 11 community solar projects hosted by Sudler and its partner, GTJ REIT Inc., which will soon power more than 1,500 New Jersey homes.
“Great jobs and green energy are fantastic benefits that these logistics centers bring to Piscataway,” Mayor Brian C. Wahler said. “Hard-working residents are earning good salaries at these commercial sites, and now solar energy is produced at them for New Jersey families. I am also grateful that low- and moderate-income families can get a break on their PSE&G bill because of these building upgrades of solar panels.”
Stakeholders noted that more than half of the power generated by community solar projects must go to low- and moderate-income households.
“This project is yet another exciting milestone in achieving (Gov. Phil Murphy’s) clean energy goals and putting New Jersey at the forefront of solar development,” said Christine Guhl-Sadovy, a state Board of Public Utilities commissioner. “We look forward to continuing our progress through the community solar program toward making clean energy accessible to all New Jerseyans.”
In a news release, Solar Landscape noted that the BPU approved the new project in October 2021. Nearby residents can enroll now to receive discounted energy by the end of 2023.
“Community solar is a proven and efficient way to advance the clean energy transition,” said Shaun Keegan, Solar Landscape CEO and co-founder. “New Jersey has created a model for community solar that demonstrates how valuable commercial rooftops can be as we transition away from fossil fuels and toward a more sustainable future that doesn’t use precious open space. By installing community solar projects on warehouses and large commercial buildings, we generate the power closer to where it will be used, reducing burden on the local grid and the need for additional transmission lines.”
For Sudler and GTJ REIT Inc, the project represents a way to achieve environmental, social and governance goals, while engaging with its tenants and being a good neighbor to the community surrounding the project.
“Thanks to community solar and Solar Landscape, we’re taking advantage of an underutilized asset — our rooftops — and helping our community at the same time,” said Brian Sudler, principal at Sudler Cos. “This project helps advance our environmental goals and strengthens connections with our tenants and nearby residents.”
The tenant at the property, Colart Americas, said it has focused on sustainability since it established its North American hub in Piscataway in 2019.
“Community solar complements our continued track record in corporate responsibility,” said Mark Triano, Colart Americas’ chief financial officer. “As a tenant in the building, we’re glad that Sudler Companies / GTJ REIT Inc. and Solar Landscape share our commitment to the environment.”
