Brady PieperA $156 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency is helping the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities develop new solar programs to help low-income and disadvantaged communities harness solar power.
The funding, which is being awarded through the EPA Solar for All program, will support the development of residential solar, multi-family housing solar and storage, residential-serving community solar, and technical assistance and workforce development.
The state’s goal is for its New Jersey Solar for All program to accelerate the energy transition in underserved neighborhoods by serving tens of thousands of households in low-income and disadvantaged communities, the EPA says.
New Jersey’s Solar for All award is expected to enable the state to deploy more than 175 megawatts of solar energy to benefit 22,000 overburdened households within the first five years of funding.
The award also has the potential to result in 240,000 short tons of CO2 emission reductions, approximately $250 million in total energy bill savings over 30 years for residents in newly connected households, and enabling 90 megawatts per hour of associated storage through the NJBPU’s multifamily solar program.
The EPA recently discussed the program at a rooftop solar project under construction in Edison, N.J., which, once complete, will serve about 440 local households, about half of which are low-to-moderate income.
The 2.82-megawatt capacity system will save each household over $250 per year, lowering energy bills by a total of more than $111,000 per year for subscribers, the EPA says.
NJBPU was among 49 state-level recipients awarded funding under the $7 billion EPA Solar for All program in April. The program also awarded grants totaling over $500 million to tribes and made five multistate awards totaling approximately $1 billion.
Photo by Raze Solar on Unsplash
