EPA Grants $156M to Provide Solar Power, Lower Energy Costs and Advance Environmental Justice
According to the EPA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities $156 million under the Solar for All Program to develop long-lasting solar programs that enable low-income and disadvantaged communities to benefit from solar power. This award is part of EPA’s historic $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund created under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia, Rep. Frank Pallone and NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy stood together with local elected officials, solar developers, and local leaders at a rooftop community solar site in Edison, N.J. The gathering highlighted the transformative impact this award will have on New Jersey communities by lowering energy costs for families, creating good-quality jobs in underserved communities, advancing environmental justice and tackling the climate crisis.
“EPA’s Solar for All initiative will help ensure that clean energy solutions reach and benefit the communities most affected by climate change,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This grant will enable New Jersey communities to adopt solar power, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and create green jobs.”
“The EPA’s $156 million investment in New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities is a game-changer that will help low-income and disadvantaged communities have access to clean, renewable solar energy,” said Senator Cory Booker. “This funding through the Biden-Harris administration’s Solar for All Program was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, legislation passed by Congressional Democrats that is helping our nation tackle the climate crisis, save families money on their energy bills, and pave the way for a more equitable and sustainable future for our most vulnerable communities. Every community, regardless of income, should be able to participate in and benefit from the transition to clean energy.”
“Projects like the one in Edison are exactly what I envisioned when I fought to include these critical climate investments in the Inflation Reduction Act,” said Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ-06). “It’s fitting that a town named after one of the greatest minds in electricity is now leading the way in energy innovation. This initiative will make clean energy accessible to everyone, especially in low-income and disadvantaged communities, while creating jobs and saving families money. I remain as committed as ever to ensuring that these community solar projects continue to grow and benefit New Jersey and the entire country.”
“Thanks to the Biden Administration’s landmark Inflation Reduction Act and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, New Jersey will further its nation-leading efforts to achieve bold climate action and clean energy equity,” said New Jersey Board of Public Utilities President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “New Jersey’s $156 million Solar for All award will result in significant emissions reductions and millions of dollars in energy bill savings, including for thousands of low-income disadvantaged community households.”
The State of New Jersey through NJBPU designed its New Jersey Solar for All to tackle the major barriers that have prevented the adoption of solar energy by low-income and disadvantaged households. Funding 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 expects the program to accelerate the energy transition in underserved communities by serving tens of thousands of households in low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Today’s event took place at a rooftop community solar project currently under construction in Edison, N.J. The project, which is being constructed by Solar Landscape and is sited on a building owned by Prologis, received tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act. It serves as a model for the type of projects NJBPU will undertake with its EPA Solar for All funding support. Once complete, the project will serve about 440 local households, at least 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.