Credits: Solar Landscape
Solar Landscape has announced that for the first time PSE&G customers may choose the source of their electricity supply through the state’s new community solar program. Community solar allows residents to benefit from the solar energy generated by a large, local solar project. Customers’ who enroll support local, renewable energy, and pay a discounted rate for the energy they use.
Solar Landscape’s three Middlesex County community solar projects (two in Perth Amboy and one in Edison) will power more than 1,100 local homes. This new state program circumvents upfront installation costs while saving the customer money in real time and bringing the state closer to reaching its renewable energy goals.
Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz is excited about the positive effects community solar will have on the local environment. “These clean energy projects will prevent 6,000 metric tons of CO² emissions from entering the Perth Amboy atmosphere each year and provide utility cost savings to our residents,” said Diaz. “We are proud that we have taken former brownfields and transformed them into a thriving logistics center which will also be used to host solar projects to power 800 homes in Perth Amboy. Perth Amboy supports environmental justice and making green energy easily available to all.”
The primary purpose of community solar is to bring environmental justice to communities by providing cleaner air and allowing people to go solar, even if they do not own property. This makes solar energy an option for everyone including renters, or those who live in shared buildings. Project participants benefit from the clean electricity generated by the community solar project, which costs less than the price they would ordinarily pay to their utility.
“We are thrilled to announce the opening of enrollment for subscribers in Middlesex County,” said Shaun Keegan, Founder and CEO of Solar Landscape. “Now residents can go on-line and access clean solar energy with no fees, no long-term contracts and no panels on their rooftops. Most importantly, under the guidance of the NJBPU we are working with community partners to create a cleaner New Jersey.”
The NJBPU provides oversight of community solar projects and mandates certain contract terms to ensure that subscribers save 10%- 15% with the ability to cancel or unsubscribe without a fee at any time. Due to the success and popularity of the new program, the NJBPU recently announced it will approve enough community solar projects to power an additional 20,000+ New Jersey homes in 2021.
Residents interested in finding out more about the advantages of community solar may find out more and join on-line by visiting gosolarlandscape.com.
About Solar Landscape
Founded in 2012, Solar Landscape is an industry-leading company committed to creating healthier communities through clean energy. As the largest developer and owner of community solar projects in New Jersey, Solar Landscape is helping to bring New Jersey residents easy access to solar power. For more information, visit solarlandscape.com
About New Jersey Community Solar
The Clean Energy Act of 2018 established a statewide Community Solar Program in New Jersey. The pilot program allows property owners to lease their rooftops or land to solar developers to construct large solar projects that power their communities. The pilot program is being rolled out over three years. The first round of project approvals was announced by the NJBPU on December 20, 2019. The NJBPU will adopt permanent Community Solar Program rules on January 1, 2022.