Governor Phil Murphy has signed new legislation to strengthen New Jersey’s Community Solar Energy Program (CSEP) by simplifying the application process, integrating subscription charges into the customer’s utility bill, and expanding capacity for community solar development.
Bill A4782/S3123 follows on the heels of important changes to New Jersey’s community solar program in 2023. In August, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), which houses the State Energy Office, voted to transition the CSEP, then a pilot, into a permanent program. In December, NJBPU highlighted the success of the permanent program, noting it had received more than 300 applications totaling more than 300 megawatts of new solar capacity since the application period opened in November.
NJBPU requires all community solar projects to serve a minimum of 51 percent low- to moderate-income (LMI) subscribers, as measured by capacity subscribed. Community solar subscribers are guaranteed a minimum discount of 15 percent on their utility bill, with priority given to projects that provide greater discounts to subscribers if program capacity is exceeded during the initial registration period.