NJBPU to receive over $156M from EPA to provide solar power, lower energy costs and advance environmental justice across New Jersey
EPA announces selectees for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grant competition to deliver solar to low-income and disadvantaged households through the President's Investing in America agenda
NEW JERSEY – The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities was selected Monday to receive $156.1 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Solar for All grant program.
The funding will be leveraged to develop long-lasting solar programs that enable low-income and disadvantaged communities to benefit from solar power.
This award is part of the historic $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which was created under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to lower energy costs for families, create good-quality jobs in communities that have been left behind, advance environmental justice and tackle the climate crisis.
New Jersey, through NJBPU, has designed a program called New Jersey Solar for All to tackle the major barriers that have prevented the adoption of solar energy by low-income and disadvantaged households. The program will focus on four key areas: residential solar, multi-family housing solar and storage, residential-serving community solar, and technical assistance and workforce development.
In New Jersey, solar energy is in high demand, and NJBPU has extensive experience in managing successful solar deployment programs. 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 we’re delivering on President Biden’s promise that no community is left behind by investing $7 billion in solar energy projects for over 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The selectees will advance solar energy initiatives across the country, creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs, saving $8 billion in energy costs for families, delivering cleaner air, and combating climate change.”
“Solar for All delivers on EPA’s commitment that climate justice means delivering clean energy benefits to disadvantaged communities at the forefront of tackling climate change,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This grant will help communities across New Jersey access solar power and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while benefiting from programs that will provide good paying jobs.”
NJBPU is among 49 state-level awards EPA announced today totaling approximately $5.5 billion, along with six awards to serve Tribes totaling over $500 million, and five multistate awards totaling approximately $1 billion.
A complete list of the selected applicants can be found on EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Solar for All website.
