Clean Energy News

Bill will bring more solar to homes across the Garden State

TRENTON – The New Jersey State Assembly has passed a solar homes bill (A1558) that will bring more solar to New Jersey households.  The bill passed the assembly by a vote of 72 in favor, 5 opposed, 2 not voting.  The bill unanimously passed the Senate on February 23rd, and will now move to the governor’s desk for final approval.

The bill will require developers in NJ to offer solar power to new homebuyers, and to explain the economic and environmental benefits of incorporating solar in new construction.  

“Solar is a proven technology that can put New Jerseyans back to work and reduce our dependence upon dirty and dangerous power plants,” said Matt Elliott, Global Warming and Clean Energy Advocate at Environment New Jersey.  “We need to seize every opportunity to grow our solar market, and this bill is an important piece of the strategy.” 

Already, New Jersey is a national leader on solar power, ranking second only to California for number of solar projects online.  Solar advocates believe that bills such as this will further grow the market in New Jersey and help to position the state as a clean energy innovator.

“Today, we have close to 3,700 solar projects across the state,” said Elliott. “Now it’s time to kick it into high gear and really plug into the sun.  This bill, combined with other new laws and incentives for solar power, can help move us toward a day when 100% of our electricity is clean and renewable.”

A1558 will grow the solar energy market by requiring developers to offer solar in new home construction.  This has a number of benefits:

• Solar is significantly less expensive when incorporated into construction.
• Homebuyers can roll the cost of solar into their tax-deductible home mortgage, relieving many expensive up-front costs.
• Homes can be designed and constructed to maximize a solar system’s output.
• Solar can reduce the strain on the electric grid caused by new construction.
• Solar energy will reduce the state’s reliance on traditional power plants.  Such plants degrade the environment and exacerbate global warming.

“We applaud the bill’s sponsors for their leadership on this issue,” concluded Elliott.  “Assemblywomen Greenstein and Lampitt, Majority Leader Watson Coleman, Assemblyman DeAngelo, and Senator Smith should be congratulated on a win-win for the environment and the economy.”