For Immediate Release:	Contact: Tracy Munford
Date: 04/23/2025	609-940-1099

Expansion Streamlines Access and Advances Cost-saving Opportunities for Participants

 

TRENTON - The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) today approved an expansion of New Jersey’s nation-leading Community Solar Energy Program (CSEP) by opening another capacity block of 250 megawatts (MW).  Since the CSEP’s first capacity allocation in November 2023, more than 500 MW of community solar projects around the state have registered in the program.

 

“New Jersey’s nation-leading Community Solar Energy Program continues to deliver millions in cost savings for those who participate,” said Christine Guhl-Sadovy, President, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.  “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."

 

CSEP is one of the most effective and quickest ways to reduce energy bills. Community solar subscribers receive guaranteed savings for participating with discounts of 15% or more on community solar credits applied to their bills.  CSEP currently 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 the start of the pilot program.  Opening an additional capacity block of 250 megawatts is key to helping put affordability within reach for more New Jersey ratepayers.

 

Community solar enables utility customers who may not own their roof or home, rent, or cannot afford the upfront cost of solar to participate in a community solar energy project that is located within their electric utility service area, and projects must reserve at least 51% of capacity for low- and moderate-income (LMI) subscribers. On top of opening another capacity block for new projects, recent program updates will streamline participation and reduce barriers to cost savings. 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 Board 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 new 250 MW capacity block will open to new project registrations on April 30, 2025. Projects will be accepted into the CSEP on a first-come, first-served basis, except that project registrations submitted during an initial registration period of 10 business days should be considered to be submitted at the same time and awarded based on the highest discounts offered to subscribers.  In addition to opening another capacity block, the Board also updated the registration requirements and permitted Electric Distribution Companies (EDCs) to review inactive applications, while lowering the incentive levels for new projects.

 

Residents interested in reducing their energy bills can use the Community Solar Project Finder to find projects with available capacity serving their area.

 

Media Contact: Tracy Munford, 609-940-1099 Tracy.Munford@bpu.nj.gov

 

About New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP)

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.

 

About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) 

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 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 NJBPU, visit our website at www.nj.gov/bpu.