New Jersey Utility Proposes $773 Million Solar Energy Program

Written by Ariel Schwartz
Published on February 11th, 2009
6 Comments
Posted in Solar Energy

Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) asked New Jersey regulators today to approve an ambitious $773 million plan to bring 120 MW of solar power to the state. The plan, which will use brownfields and underdeveloped properties for solar generation, will eliminate 1.7 million tons of CO2 emissions. It will also bring New Jersey 7 percent closer to its goal of getting 22.5 percent of its power from renewable energy by 2020.

Not everyone will be happy with the new program, though— PSE&G estimates that it will add 10 cents to each customers’ monthly bill in the first year and up to 35 cents every additional year.

PSE&G will dole out its money to four areas: neighborhood solar, local government solar, centralized solar, and affordable housing solar. One-third of the solar panels will be placed on utility poles throughout the state.

New Jersey currently ranks second behind California in its production of solar energy— there’s nothing like a healthy $773 million competition to keep California on its toes.

Photo Credit: NREL

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6 Responses to “New Jersey Utility Proposes $773 Million Solar Energy Program”

  1. Yoram Greenberg Says:
    February 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am

    I feel like this site just steals from Greentech Media.

    http://www.greentechmedia.com/

    Am I wrong???

  2. Yoram Greenberg Says:
    February 11th, 2009 at 12:55 am

    here’s what was nicked today.

    http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/new-jersey-utility-proposes-773m-solar-project-5689.html

  3. Ariel Schwartz Says:
    February 11th, 2009 at 12:56 am

    @Yoram – Very wrong. I got this story straight from a press release, and I imagine they did the same. We also posted the Google story before they did – and one of their founders now writes for us as well.

  4. Ariel Schwartz Says:
    February 11th, 2009 at 12:57 am

    Also – I’m not sure why you assume we “nicked” this story from them. It has been covered in a ton of major news outlets, including the New York Times, Forbes, and Bloomberg. I didn’t even see their story until you pointed it out. Does it really surprise you that we end up writing about similar stories as Greentechmedia? We also cover cleantech (obviously).

  5. sunny Says:
    February 21st, 2009 at 3:34 pm

    There could be a lot of potentials in terms of developing solar power system particularly in New Jersey. Meaningful project as well

  6. Uncle B Says:
    April 17th, 2009 at 7:07 pm

    Everyone is getting ready to charge up the gas/battery cars from China. Cloudy days won’t matter, its the peaks sunny days cause that we want, and for cheap! I am looking for a two seater, three wheeled light plastic battery plug-in commuter car to get to and from work cheaply. I’ll keep my Mercedes for weekend jaunts, or sell it and go by rail – who needs the tensions of driving when they can travel in the bar car in air-conditioned style for less.The days of the large personal land-cruiser cars just may be over!