Community Solar Helps New Jersey Families Save on Energy
Every New Jersey household uses electricity, but not every household has equal access to clean, affordable energy. New Jersey Board of Public Utilities is working to change that with a program that brings the benefits of solar energy directly to people across New Jersey.
Community solar makes it possible for residents to benefit from solar power without installing panels on their own homes. When you subscribe to a community solar project, you receive credits on your utility bill for the electricity your share of the project produces. These credits reduce the amount you owe and provide savings you can count on each month.
How Community Solar Works
Community solar projects are larger solar installations located throughout the state. Rather than installing equipment on your own roof, you subscribe to a portion of a solar array in your utility’s service area.
As the panels generate energy, you earn bill credits based on how much energy your share produces. Those credits appear directly on your electric bill under consolidated billing for all four major utilities in New Jersey.
This structure makes solar accessible to many people who were left out of traditional rooftop solar options. Renters, homeowners with shaded roofs, people living in condominiums, and anyone who cannot afford or cannot install their own system can join a community solar project and start saving.
Savings You Can See
The way the program is designed, the amount you pay for your community solar subscription is always less than the value of the credits you receive on your bill. That means you are guaranteed to see positive savings.
Every month, your bill will show your regular energy charges, the community solar credit, and your subscription cost. Together, those numbers help lower your overall energy expenses.
Serving All New Jerseyans
The Community Solar Energy Program requires that more than half of each project’s capacity be reserved for participants with low or moderate incomes. This means that families and households with limited income have a meaningful opportunity to benefit from clean energy and lower utility costs.
Because community solar works through the existing electricity grid, everyone in a project’s utility service area can participate. It does not matter whether your home is suited for rooftop panels or if you work with a competitive supplier. If you are a customer of your local utility, you can join a community solar project.
Clean Energy for Today and Tomorrow
Community solar also strengthens local communities by supporting clean energy development throughout New Jersey. Projects can be built on rooftops, parking canopies, landfills, and other sites that make good use of space while producing renewable power.
This expands solar capacity, creates jobs, and contributes to the state’s clean energy goals.
