New Jersey Senate and Assembly legislators have approved clean energy legislation (S.2314/A.3723) authorizing the state’s Community Solar Energy Pilot Program that would allow New Jersey residents to participate in community solar energy projects and get a credit on their utility bills.
The renewable energy economy in New Jersey supports more than 7,000 solar jobs, but over three quarters of New Jersey residents have not yet been able to access the benefits of solar because they lack suitable rooftop space or do not have the ability to cover the upfront costs of solar.
Sponsored by Senator Bob Smith in the Senate and John McKeon in the Assembly, the bills also include a provision supported by Earthjustice and a coalition of community solar advocates in New Jersey that would require the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to increase access and participation for low- and moderate-income families.
“In New Jersey and around the globe, low-income communities too often bear the brunt of pollution from dirty energy and contend with disproportionately high energy costs all while facing down the most serious consequences of climate change,” said Luis Torres, Earthjustice senior legislative representative. “And for too long, these same communities have not been able to access the clean energy that would reduce these burdens.”
Torres continued, “Low-income communities must be allowed to benefit from clean energy solutions. Earthjustice has partnered with groups and communities across the country to help increase equity and access to clean energy and looks forward to working with our coalition partners to ensure that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities heeds the call of this law by promoting robust participation from low and moderate income customers in community solar projects.”
The legislature also passed bills setting renewable energy goals. Under those bills — S2314 and A3723 — the BPU also will conduct energy storage analysis, make changes to the solar renewable energy certificate program, establish an energy-efficiency program, and must work towards an energy portfolio of 35 percent renewable energy by 2025 and 50 percent by 2030.
The states of New York and Illinois have already launched the ZEC program, while Connecticut has passed legislation enabling the Millstone nuclear power plant to enter into a competitive procurement process alongside other zero-carbon energy sources.
Separately, the New Jersey Senate and Assembly passed a bill that would cost about $300 million a year to subsidize three nuclear reactors operated by New Jersey power company Public Service Enterprise Group.
