Encore Renewable Vitality
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) on Nov. 21 voted to open the Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program software interval to pre-qualified members. The Twin-Use Pilot seeks to include photo voltaic installations on designated farmland, often known as agrivoltaics — advancing a confirmed expertise that may present a brand new income stream for farmers throughout the Backyard State and produce inexpensive in-state power era.
A brand new report from the Institute for Vitality Economics and Monetary Evaluation discovered that agrivoltaics installations are increasing, rising from 27,000 acres with 4.5 GW of capability in 2020 to greater than 62,000 acres and 10 GW in 2024 — sufficient to energy 1.5 million properties.
“The pilot program demonstrates our whole-of-government strategy to our clear power targets, pairing the success of photo voltaic set up with financial development for native farmers — working collaboratively with key suggestions from the communities the place this might be carried out,” stated Gov. Phil Murphy. “This partnership will permit us to proceed quickly increasing clear power sources whereas permitting farmers to reap the advantages.”
The overall software interval will open on January 14, 2026, and shut on February 25.
Public enter was crucial to the event of the Twin-Use Pilot. The NJBPU held a strong stakeholder course of to develop the Twin-Use Pilot in collaboration with the New Jersey Division of Agriculture, New Jersey Division of Environmental Safety, and the Rutgers Agrivoltaics Program (RAP) at Rutgers College. The Twin-Use Pilot will generate analysis outcomes wanted to tell a everlasting program, which can embody requirements for building and operation of dual-use tasks.
Information merchandise from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)
