Coming together: Real estate, environmental leaders see continued partnership as NJ’s landmark community solar program expands

State regulators have renewed their support for a landmark program that has created not only new revenue streams for warehouse owners and solar developers, but a source of common ground for the business and environmental communities.

Leaders from each stakeholder group were among those on hand in late April for an event marking the expansion of the concept known as community solar, which brings clean energy and cost savings to thousands of New Jersey residents. That typically begins with owners of industrial buildings and other facilities who, under the state policy, can make their properties available to firms that build rooftop solar panels and sell energy directly to the grid.

The program, which requires that at least 51 percent of all power generated goes to low- and moderate-income subscribers, is now entering a third phase after the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved another 250 megawatts of capacity to be built by solar developers.

“Community solar empowers New Jersey’s warehouse and logistics facility owners to meet growing energy demands while strengthening connections in the communities we build,” said David Greek, managing partner at Greek Real Estate Partners. “We’re proud to host projects like this on our rooftops and look forward to energizing them soon.”

The firm has been one of the most active participants in the New Jersey Community Solar Energy Program, which has provided landlords with a low-maintenance, lower-risk opportunity to monetize their unused rooftop space. It also hosted the April 28 event in East Brunswick that followed the BPU’s vote to expand the program, drawing a coalition of elected officials and business, political and environmental leaders who credited Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration for pioneering the concept with a law he signed in 2018.

The program now serves more than 28,000 New Jersey subscribers, who have received some $37 million in bill credits with net savings of more than $7 million since it began, according to the BPU. The latest 250-megawatt capacity block opened to new project registrations on April 30.

“We applaud Governor Murphy and his administration for taking a concrete step to tackle high energy prices by expanding access to a program that creates local jobs while fighting climate change,” said Allison McLeod, deputy director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters. “Community solar represents a win for the environment, a win for the businesses who benefit from hosting solar projects, a win for workers and, most important, a win for working families who will see their monthly energy bills dramatically decrease as they plug into clean, renewable energy.”

The event was held on the rooftop of a Greek-owned industrial building at 8 Elkins Road, where multiple speakers praised a policy that checks boxes for both businesses and environmental advocates. Among them were executives with Solar Landscape, the Asbury Park-based solar developer that has been a central player in both the BPU program and the state’s commercial real estate sector.

The firm is currently constructing the new panel system atop the East Brunswick building, noting it will serve nearly 150 homes and, on average, provide more than $400 in annual energy savings to each participating household.

“New Jersey is leading the nation in delivering the benefits of community solar to its residents and we’re proud to work with Greek Real Estate Partners on commercial rooftop solar projects like this one, ” said Grace Power, Solar Landscape’s general counsel and executive vice president of government affairs. “Generating energy on commercial rooftops and distributing it to the grid is America’s most shovel-ready way to address the country’s energy crisis: it mitigates rising energy costs, creates jobs and reduces the burden on grid infrastructure.”

BPU officials have touted community solar as one of the most effective and quickest ways to reduce energy bills, citing its impact on low- and moderate-income subscribers. Benefits of participating include guaranteed discounts of at least 15 percent via community solar credits that are applied to customers’ bills, supporting those who may not own their roof or home, rent or cannot afford the upfront cost of solar.

On top of opening another capacity block for new projects, recent program updates will streamline participation and reduce barriers to cost savings, the agency said in late April. 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.

“New Jersey’s nation-leading Community Solar Energy Program continues to deliver millions in cost savings for those who participate,” said Christine Guhl-Sadovy, the BPU’s president. “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 put 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.”