Community Solar
The Community Solar Energy Pilot Program enables utility customers to participate in a solar energy project that is remotely located from their property.
See our community solar brochure to get started.
Learn About Community Solar
The Board is pleased to announce that it has launched the Community Solar Project Finder to connect interested customers with community solar projects that serve their area. Developed in partnership with Sustainable Jersey, the Project Finder allows residents to search by ZIP code to view projects that are currently seeking subscribers.
How community solar works for subscribers:
The New Jersey Clean Energy Learning Center also has videos for developers and municipalities.
Additional information on how community solar works is available on the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy website.
A list of community solar subscriber organizations currently registered with the Board is available here.
You can view a sample utility bill for a residential community solar subscriber with PSE&G, JCP&L, Atlantic City Electric and Rockland Electric.
To stay up to date on community solar and communications, subscribe to the listserv here. An archive of messages sent to the Community Solar listserv is available here.
Questions or comments about community solar? Email us at communitysolar@NJCleanEnergy.com. Please use the Community Solar Complaint Form if you have a complaint about your community solar subscription
Program Documents and Forms
- Community Solar Affidavit
- Community Solar Subscriber Organization Registration Form
- Community Solar Subscriber Disclosure Form
- Community Solar Bill Credit Calculations and Sample Bills
Permanent Program
The Board established the permanent Community Solar Energy Program on August 16, 2023. Registrations will open on November 15, 2023. Please see the Board Order and Press Release for more information.
The Notice of Proposal of rules of the CSEP was published in the September 18, 2023 issue of the New Jersey Register. The deadline for written comments on this matter is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 17, 2023.
Program Year 2
The Community Solar Energy Pilot Program Year 2 Applications were due Friday, February 5, 2021 at 5 p.m. EST. Applicants were required to use NJBPU’s e-Filing portal. Documents pertaining to the PY2 Application Form are below. Note: these documents are identical to the Application Form approved by the Board on October 2, 2020 (as amended in subsequent Board Orders); they have been divided into several documents for the convenience of Applicants.
On February 3, 2021, NJBPU held a webinar demonstrating how to upload an application to the NJBPU e-Filing portal. A recording of the webinar is available here.
- PY2 Application Form Terms and Conditions
- PY2 Application Form Fillable PDF
- PY2 Certifications Fillable PDF
- PY2 Product Offering Questionnaire Fillable PDF
- PY2 Appendices
On October 2, 2020, the Board approved the Application Form for Program Year 2 of the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program. Please review the instructions above on how to submit a Program Year 2 application.
On January 7, 2021, the Board approved a waiver process for certain applications located in PSE&G service territory for which the hosting capacity map shows insufficient capacity available at the planned location. The details of this waiver are available here.
A total of 412 applications were received. On October 28, 2021 the Board granted conditional approvals to 105 community solar projects; the list of approved projects is available in the Board Order. The Program Year 2 scores are available here. The public versions of the applications are available on the following links:
Pilot Program Frequently Asked Questions
The Board also elected to forego a third year of the Pilot Program and transition to the permanent Community Solar Energy Program. Board Staff is developing parameters for the permanent program and will release a proposal for stakeholder comment soon.
Program Year 1
The application period for Program Year 1 of the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program opened on April 9, 2019 and closed on September 9, 2019. The Program Year 1 application form can be found here.
A total of 252 applications were received. The Program Year 1 scores are available here. The public versions of the applications are available on the following links:
On December 20, 2019, the Board granted conditional approvals to 45 community solar projects; the list of approved projects is available in the Board Order.
Procedural History
Board released a straw proposal with draft rules for the permanent Community Solar Energy Program on March 30, 2023. Staff hosted a stakeholder meeting on April 24, 2023, and written comment was accepted until May 15, 2023.
On April 11, 2022, the Board issued a request for written comments seeking preliminary input on the design of the permanent program. Comments received are available here.
On March 11, 2021 the Board issued a request for comments regarding consolidated billing of community solar subscriber fees. A stakeholder meeting was held on March 25, 2021; a recording of the stakeholder meeting is available here. Comments submitted can be viewed here, and the EDC report on consolidated billing is available here.
On November 16, 2020, two proposed rule amendments to the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program were published in the New Jersey Register (proposed rule amendment #1 and proposed rule amendment #2). Comments on each proposed rule amendment must be submitted separately, no later than January 15, 2021. The first proposed rule amendment was approved by the Board on October 28, 2021 and was published in the New Jersey Register on December 6, 2021.
On July 9, 2020 the Board issued a request for comments regarding lessons learned from Program Year 1. A stakeholder meeting was held on July 27, 2020; a recording of the meeting is available here, and the slides presented during the meeting are available here.
On December 20, 2019, the Board granted conditional approvals to 45 community solar projects to participate in Program Year 1 of the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program.
On July 10, 2019 (amended August 7, 2019), the Board issued an order regarding the calculation of the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program bill credit.
On April 11, 2019 a request for comments regarding the potential use of consolidated billing and Government Energy Aggregation for community solar was released. A Stakeholder Meeting was held on April 23, 2019. Written comments were received through May 17, 2019.
On March 29, 2019 the Board approved and released the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program Application Form. The Application Period opened on April 9, 2019 and closed on September 9, 2019. Furthermore, on March 29, 2019 the Board issued an Order clarifying the interconnection process for community solar projects.
On February 19, 2019 the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program Rule was published in the New Jersey Register.
On November 28, 2018 a draft of the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program Application Form was published for public comment, along with drafts of the Community Solar Subscriber Organization Registration Form and the Community Solar Subscriber Disclosure Form. Written comments were received December 21, 2018.
On October 1, 2018 the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program Rule Proposal was published in the New Jersey Register. Written comments were received on November 30, 2018.
On July 6, 2018 a Request for Comment was issued and notice of a Stakeholder meeting to be held on July 24 was announced. Written comments were received July 31, 2018.
July 24, 2018 Stakeholder Meeting Transcript: Morning Session
July 24, 2018 Stakeholder Meeting Transcript: Afternoon Session
Background
In May 2018, Governor Murphy signed A3723/S2314, which mandates the creation of the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities adopted rules establishing the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program on January 17, 2019.
