NJ A6169

Dual-use or agrivoltaics solar facilities (solar panels on unpreserved farmland that allow continued agricultural production beneath them) would become eligible to participate in New Jersey's community solar energy program

Currently, the Board of Public Utilities restricts community solar projects to rooftops, carports, contaminated sites, landfills, bodies of water, and mining sites—excluding dual-use agricultural solar installations

Dual-use facilities can currently only receive incentives through the Successor Solar Initiative (SuSI) program; this bill would grant them access to additional community solar program incentives

The community solar program allows utility customers to subscribe to remotely located solar projects within their service territory and receive bill credits equal to their share of electricity generated

Dual-use solar facilities would be admitted into the community solar market segment of the small solar facilities incentive program upon registration