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State officials have officially launched New Jersey’s $156 million Solar for All program, aimed at expanding solar energy access to low-income and disadvantaged communities. The initiative, part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, is expected to save New Jersey residents $250 million on energy bills over the next 30 years while significantly reducing harmful emissions.
“This program will result in substantial emissions reductions and millions of dollars in energy bill savings, including for thousands of low-income households,” said New Jersey Board of Public Utilities President Christine Guhl-Sadovy during the program’s kickoff at a community solar site in Edison. The event was also attended by EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., and local officials.
The Edison project, a 2.82-megawatt solar system located atop a Prologis warehouse, will serve around 440 households, nearly half of which are classified as low- to moderate-income. The initiative is designed to support projects like this, where residents who can’t install solar panels on their own homes—such as renters—can join shared solar sites and receive credits on their utility bills. For households benefiting from the Edison project, annual energy savings are expected to exceed $250.
Rep. Pallone, who advocated for climate investments in the Inflation Reduction Act, emphasized the program’s potential: “This initiative will make clean energy accessible to everyone, especially in low-income communities, while creating jobs and saving families money.”
The Solar for All program, created by the Inflation Reduction Act, focuses on expanding access to solar power for families unable to install their own panels. It will be crucial for projects like the Edison solar site, part of New Jersey’s Community Solar Energy Program signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy in January 2024.
State officials have outlined four key areas for the federal funding: residential solar installations, solar and energy storage for multifamily housing, community solar serving residential areas, and workforce development. The program aims to deploy over 175 megawatts of solar energy and benefit 22,000 households within the first five years, cutting 240,000 tons of carbon emissions and generating $250 million in savings.
The initiative also brings substantial job creation opportunities. “Community solar will not only help our environment but also create good-paying jobs in the clean-energy economy,” said Ed Potosnak, executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters.
New Jersey expects to use the federal funds starting in 2025, with more projects like the one in Edison on the way. Grid improvements and job training will also be supported by the funding, furthering the state’s efforts to transition to a clean energy future.
On a national level, EPA officials project that the Solar for All program will benefit more than 900,000 households, generating over $350 million in annual savings and reducing 30 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
Source: northjersey.com
