New Guidelines for Financing Solar Installations in NJ — but Few Details Yet

Cautious optimism about the state’s proposal to overhaul program that has been faulted for costing ratepayers too much in subsidies

The state is giving the solar sector more time to figure out how to overhaul the current system of financing the installation of solar arrays on homes and businesses, a program widely criticized as too costly.

Despite ranking as one of the most successful solar programs in the nation — more than 100,000 solar arrays have been installed in New Jersey — it has long been faulted as too expensive to utility ratepayers who subsidize it. The sector employs more than 7,000 people in the state, with an investment topping $10 billion.

New Jersey Clean Energy Bills Languish on Governor’s Desk

Just over a month ago, the New Jersey State Legislature passed a trio of clean energy bills focusing on sweeping Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) increases along with solar and storage initiatives, reviving an Atlantic City offshore wind farm, and a nuclear bailout.

Known as A3723, the first bill establishes an energy storage goal of 600MW by 2021 and 2GW by 2030 and increases the New Jersey RPS to 35% by 2025 and 50% by 2030. Also, the solar carve-out or solar renewable portfolio standard is increased to 5.1% by 2021 while reducing solar alternative compliance payments (SACP) over future years. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) is further directed to close the existing Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC) program upon achievement of the 5.1% goal and modifying or replacing the SREC program to encourage further efficient development of solar renewable generating sources. And last, the bill establishes a Community Solar Energy Pilot Program that is set to become permanent no later than 36 months after the NJBPU adopts regulations for the pilot program.

New Jersey Passes Nuclear Subsidies, Boosts Renewables Target to 50%

The RPS bill includes a 2 gigawatt energy storage target and sets higher goals for solar. The nuclear bill includes a lot of controversy.

The New Jersey state legislature passed three bills on Thursday that are designed to maintain and enhance access to low-carbon resources in the Garden State.

One piece of legislation (A3723/S2314) boosts New Jersey’s renewable portfolio standard to 35 percent by 2025 and 50 percent by 2030 — putting the state in line with clean energy leaders, New York and California. The same bill also increases New Jersey’s solartarget, enables the launch of a community solar program and establishes a process to deploy 2 gigawatts of energy storage by 2030.

NJ Offshore Wind Farm Gets Closer to Cranking Out Megawatts

Long-delayed pilot off Atlantic City gets OK from legislative panel, but some environmentalists argue it’s time to move directly to full-scale projects

A legislative panel has advanced a bill to allow a small pilot offshore wind farm off Atlantic City to move forward despite concerns from a couple of organizations that usually back such efforts.

The bill (A-2485) would revive the Fishermen’s Energy proposal, a $210 million, 24-megawatt project three miles off the city’s coast. During the Christie administration, it was rejected twice by a state agency over fears it would spike bills for electricity customers.

From Residential to Utility-Scale, Solar Wins in Recent State-Level Actions

A series of recent state-level actions have been lauded by industry advocates as positive steps for driving deployments of residential, community-scale and utility-scale solar.

22 Solar Projects for New York

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on March 9 announced that New York has authorized competitive awards under the state’s Clean Energy Standard mandate for 22 utility-scale solar projects. The awards are part of $1.4 billion awarded for a total of 26 renewable energy projects in the state.

Murphy Restarts Big Offshore Wind Plan for New Jersey

Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order Wednesday to return the state to national leadership in offshore wind energy.

New Jersey will finally implement the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act of 2010, which languished under Gov. Chris Christie, Murphy said at a press conference at the Atlantic County Utilities Authority’s wind farm and wastewater treatment plant.

New Democratic Governor in New Jersey Could Ignite State’s Offshore Wind Sector

Control of the governor’s seat in New Jersey is moving to a Democrat — a shift that could be a big win for wind power in the state’s waters.

Phil Murphy won the New Jersey gubernatorial election yesterday over Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.

Despite having legislation in place since 2010 calling for mechanisms to support offshore wind development, including authorization of offshore wind energy credits, New Jersey never achieved any progress on that front.

NJ Lawmakers Push for 80 Percent Renewable Energy by 2050--Again

One of the problems with this aggressive goal is that the Christie administration is not likely to back it

If legislators get their way, New Jersey will rely on solar panels, wind turbines, and other forms of clean energy to provide most of the electricity the state needs by 2050.

That’s the goal of a bill making its way through the Legislature, which would require 80 percent of the electricity used in the state to come from renewable energy, an aggressive target aimed at helping New Jersey sharply curb emissions of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.

Christie Conditionally Vetoes Bill on Renewable Energy, Resiliency in NJ

Legislation would have made it easier, more affordable for building owners to install solar panels, increase energy efficiency of their property

In a move that disappointed advocates, Gov. Chris Christie is recommending a program to help finance clean-energy projects and resiliency improvements be scaled back dramatically before it becomes law.

The legislation, similar to programs now in place in 31 states and the District of Columbia, would allow property owners to obtain private finance through special assessments on their property without any upfront costs to pay for the projects.

State May Start Funding Energy-Storage Projects for Solar and Wind

For the first time, New Jersey’s clean energy program is proposing that it hand out money to energy-storage projects, which are viewed by many experts as a crucial element in helping technologies like solar and wind become more successful.

In a straw proposal developed in the Office of Clean Energy at the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the staff is suggesting that the state allocate between $5 million and $10 million over the next four years for energy storage. The proposal says it may award up to $2.5 million in state fiscal year 2014. Over four years, the total could rise to $10 million.

NJ Senate passes 3 bills aimed at bolstering solar industry

The NJ Senate passed three bills today that will benefit the state’s solar industry, already one of the most productive in the nation.

S2888 creates a property tax exemption for commercial renewable energy systems.  The legislation would exempt large-scale green energy providers from local property taxes and creates a statewide, uniform tax equal to $7,000 for each 1,000 kilowatts of direct current capacity, or its equivalent, for the first year of commercial operation of the system, increasing by one percent in each subsequent year of commercial operation and until decommissioning of the system.

NJ committee approves 5-bill package to encourage design of green energy buildings

A five-bill package designed to encourage the proliferation of environmentally friendly buildings, was approved Thursday by the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee.

Unanimous support for NJ landfill energy bill

New Jersey lawmakers voted unanimously for legislation aimed at opening access to old landfills and quarries for use developing renewable energy facilities.  The NJ State Senate passed a bill this week that permits development of solar photovoltaic arrays and wind turbines on dozens of uncapped landfills that are otherwise at risk of leaking into the environment.

The bill, S-2126, was passed unanimously.

New law positions NJ as leader in offshore wind power

New Jersey’s plans to become a leader in offshore wind power received a boost on Thursday when Governor Christie signed a bill that would require the state to eventually generate enough electricity from wind to power 250,000 to 330,000 homes.

The Offshore Wind Economic Development Act also provides tax credits to companies that make wind turbines and other components.

NJ govenor to sign offshore wind energy bill

New Jersey Govenor Chris Christie is expected to sign the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act [view full text of the act] at a press conference on Thursday, jump-starting proposed plans to develop electric-generating turbines off the New Jersey coast, according to the governor's office.

The legislation directs the state Board of Public Utilities to provide financial assistance for projects supporting the offshore wind program and to require, at some point, that a percentage of electricity sold within the Garden State be generated by offshore wind facilities. The goal is to have at least 1,100 mega-watts of electricity coming from the wind projects.

New Jersey adopts law to support offshore wind farms

New Jersey has passed new legislation to help set up offshore wind farms in its waters. The Offshore Wind Economic Development Act will set up a program to provide a guaranteed income for companies that build offshore wind farms in the state.

NJ signs solar law

On Monday, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine signed the Solar Energy Advancement Act into law. Supporters say the legislation reaffirms New Jersey’s commitment to solar power, creates greater security in the New Jersey solar market, and significantly expands the state’s long-term solar power requirements.

The bill codifies the state’s Energy Master Plan goal of generating 2,164 GWh of solar power by 2020, or about 3% of the state’s total electricity needs. In addition, it renews and expands New Jersey’s commitment to solar by requiring that, by the year 2026, 5,316 GWh of electricity come from solar power--about 7% of total consumption.

“Thanks to smart, forward-thinking policy like the Solar Advancement Act, New Jersey is a national leader on solar power--second only to California,” said Matt Elliott, Global Warming and Clean Energy Advocate for Environment New Jersey. “This legislation advances our position as a clean energy leader, promotes green jobs in New Jersey, and promises to bring more solar to the Garden State,” Elliott continued.

Members of New Jersey’s solar community also cheered the bill’s passage.

“This innovative framework builds on the progress of the last eight years, and creates the scale and certainty that will attract billions of dollars of investment to NJ. The foundation is now in place to provide the affordable clean energy that NJ citizens need, and the local green jobs that they deserve,” said Mark Warner, CEO and President of Sun Farm Network.

Elliott said there is still more work to be done to advance the Garden State’s commitment to solar power. Over the next four months, he said that Environment New Jersey will work with legislators and solar advocates to pass a bill that will further expand the solar market by allowing larger-scale community solar arrays.

Source: http://bit.ly/5wjilo

NJ Gov. signs bills promoting clean energy

Measures making it easier for clean-energy projects to receive zoning approval and for the state to deposit pension funds in New Jersey banks were among a flurry of laws signed by Gov. Jon S. Corzine before the Legislature returned to Trenton.

The bills were among 23 Corzine signed into law Friday, which he was required to do before the legislative session today.

One of the new laws deems solar, wind and photovoltaic projects to be “inherently beneficial,” giving them the same zoning status as hospitals and schools.

Towns still will be able to put some regulations on where renewable-energy projects can be located, so clean-energy companies may not be able to install some projects in the middle of residential neighborhoods.

Source: http://bit.ly/8VMgmo