Translator Disclaimers
For Immediate Release: Contact: Samantha Levine
Date: 01/24/2019 609-777-3305

 

Recognized as State with the “Most Growth Potential”
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) named New Jersey as one of four states in its 2019 Clean Energy States Honor Roll. Notably, New Jersey was identified as having the “Most Growth Potential” of any state, in particular for its community solar pilot program and its aggressive energy storage goals. IREC is a 37-year-old national independent not-for-profit organization that works state by state to increase consumer access to clean renewable energy. The other states cited were Michigan, South Carolina and Nevada.

 

“I’m very proud that New Jersey was one of only a handful of states recognized for its clean energy policies,” said New Jersey Board of Public Utilities President Joseph L. Fiordaliso. “As the impact of climate change gets ever greater it is extremely important that we do all we can to put in place policies that address these issues in a way that creates a better life for our children and grandchildren. The Murphy administration has accomplished an extraordinary amount in a very short period of time.”

 

In naming New Jersey to its honor roll, IREC stated that “New Jersey is now poised to be a national leader for both community solar and energy storage development. A newly adopted community solar pilot program incorporates many established program best practices and will expand access to all customers, including those with low and moderate incomes. The state's new energy storage goal of 600 megawatts of energy storage by 2021 and 2,000 megawatts by 2030 sets a high bar for energy deployment, putting New Jersey alongside other leading states with energy storage targets, such as California, Massachusetts, New York and Oregon.” 

 

On January 17, 2019 the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved the three-year Community Solar Energy Pilot Program Rules, a key component of Governor Phil Murphy’s clean energy agenda. Community solar will make solar available to more state residents by allowing customers of an electric public utility to participate in a solar project not actually located on their property. Instead, the system can be located in a subscriber’s electric utility service territory. In order to ensure that all New Jerseyans have access to solar, the Pilot will earmark 40 percent of the overall program capacity for low- and moderate-income projects.

 

The Pilot Program, which will generate crucial market information and implementation data, will ultimately inform the development of a permanent community solar program over the next three years. In developing the Pilot, staff created an innovative and flexible program that the Board may evaluate and adjust over the life of the program in order to maximize the program’s success. 

 

Solar is a critical component of Governor Murphy’s clean energy agenda. The Governor has a stated goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050. This includes 3,500 MW of offshore wind energy by 2030 and the state’s solar initiatives such as community solar and the transition to a new, more cost-effective solar energy program.

 

The Murphy Administration’s goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050 was established in the Governor’s Executive Order 28 calling for a new Energy Master Plan which positioned New Jersey as a leader in clean energy storage. 

 

About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) The NJBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for New Jersey customers. Critical services regulated by the NJBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about the NJBPU, visit our web site at www.nj.gov/bpu.

 

About the New Jersey Clean Energy Program (NJCEP) The NJCEP, established on January 22, 2003, in accordance with the Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act (EDECA), provides financial and other incentives to the State's residential customers, businesses and schools that install high-efficiency or renewable energy technologies, thereby reducing energy usage, lowering customers' energy bills and reducing environmental impacts. The program is authorized and overseen by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), and its website is www.NJCleanEnergy.com.