NJBPU opens dual-use solar pilot program, creating new revenue opportunities for New Jersey farmers
TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on Friday approved the start of the application period for its long-awaited Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program, an initiative designed to allow farmers to install solar arrays on active farmland while continuing agricultural operations.
The pilot program, also known as agrivoltaics, aims to create a new revenue stream for farmers while expanding New Jersey’s clean-energy generation capacity.
“The pilot program demonstrates our whole-of-government approach to our clean energy goals, pairing the success of solar installation with economic growth for local farmers – working collaboratively with key feedback from the communities where this will be implemented,” Gov. Phil Murphy said. “This partnership will allow us to continue rapidly expanding clean energy sources while allowing farmers to reap the benefits.”
Applications for pre-qualified participants will open Jan. 14, 2026, and close Feb. 25, 2026.
NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy said the program builds on the state’s leadership in solar energy adoption. “New Jersey’s promising Dual-Use Pilot is another step taken to expand New Jersey’s already nation-leading solar portfolio,” she said. “I’m proud we are driving economic growth in New Jersey’s farming communities – after all, they put the ‘Garden’ in the Garden State.”
State Agriculture Secretary Ed Wengryn said the program positions farmers at the forefront of the state’s energy transformation. “This program will help shape the future of New Jersey’s energy landscape by allowing our farmers to undertake full scale projects demonstrating how agriculture and energy production can work together on the same land,” he said.
Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said the effort strengthens partnerships across sectors. “The opening of the new Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program ensures that our farmers – the legacy of The Garden State – are part of a robust green future,” he said.
Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak called the initiative a boost to both agriculture and clean energy. “By launching the Dual-Use Pilot Program, we are empowering our farmers with new revenue opportunities while advancing the Garden State’s commitment to renewable energy and preservation of working farmland,” he said. “This innovation ensures that our agricultural communities remain vibrant and that our energy remains sustainable.”
The initiative was developed through extensive public engagement and collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Environmental Protection and Rutgers University’s Agrivoltaics Program. Data collected through the pilot will inform a future permanent program and potential construction and operational standards for dual-use projects.
New Jersey’s solar capacity has continued to expand, with more than 5.2 gigawatts installed across 223,000 homes and businesses as of August 2025 — more than double the total from seven years earlier. Another 1.3 gigawatts is in the development pipeline, enough to power roughly 195,000 homes. The state’s solar industry currently supports about 7,000 jobs.
More information, including program guidance and the board order establishing the pilot, is available on the NJBPU website.
