New Jersey is positioning itself as "a center of economic opportunity in the new, green economy'' Rhone Resch, the president and chief executive officer of the Solar Energy Industries Association said as he praised the state for its 4,000th solar installation.

"The foresight of the Board of Public Utilities, the State Legislature and the Governor's office has positioned New Jersey as a center of economic opportunity in the new, green economy. And since New Jersey is ahead of the rest of the country, they are already benefiting economically with new, high-quality jobs, lower electricity costs and cleaner air,'' Resch said.

New Jersey is helping to create good-paying jobs across the supply chain; from manufacturing and system design to installation, according to Resch, who noted solar energy is expected to create 440,000 permanent jobs nationwide by 2016.

His comments came in response to the news last week that New Jersey had achieved its 4,000th solar installation. New Jersey is only second to California when it comes to solar installations. In fact, New Jersey has more solar photovoltaic installations than Florida, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada combined.

"We congratulate New Jersey leaders on the state's 4,000th solar installation. By enacting policies like the state's advanced renewable portfolio standard and strong incentives for solar, New Jersey has become the second largest market for solar in the country,'' Resch said.

By relying on solar energy, Resch said, consumers are lowering their energy bills, adding value to their properties and cutting pollution. And the entire region benefits from a smarter electricity grid that is less susceptible to brown outs and black outs during the heat of the summer.