NJBPU approves participants for Community Solar Energy Pilot Program

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) approved 45 participants for its new Community Solar Energy Pilot Program.

A community solar project is one where the output is divided among multiple participants or subscribers. The arrays will be located on landfills, brownfields, rooftops, or parking canopies. The projects represent 77.61 MW of solar energy capacity, enough to power 15,500 homes.

The approved applicants include community groups, government entities, and private developers. NJBPU reserved 40 percent of the pilot program’s capacity for projects that serve low- to moderate-income (LMI) communities. However, 100 percent of the approved renewable energy projects will serve LMI households in the state.

“My administration is committed to ensuring that all New Jersey residents are able to live and work in a healthy and clean environment,” N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy said. “The Community Solar Energy Pilot Program will not only provide clean energy to our state’s residents, but it will also expand access to renewable energy for low and moderate-income communities who have been previously unable to enjoy the benefits of solar energy.”

The board received 252 applications for the first year of the pilot program, with most serving low- and moderate-income communities and families. The application process also gave additional points to projects that were developed in collaboration with the communities and provide savings to subscribers.

“There is considerable excitement about community solar in New Jersey, and for all the right reasons, as these projects will grant underserved communities a long-overdue opportunity to participate in clean energy,” Joseph Fiordaliso, president, NJBPU, said. “It’s critical to ensure equitable access to clean energy, delivering the benefits of solar to those who were previously shut out of an industry that typically only wealthier communities could afford.”

The Community Solar Energy Pilot Program is a key part of Murphy’s goal of achieving 100 percent clean energy by 2050.