September 2018 1

COMMUNITY SOLAR: READY TO WORK FOR NEW JERSEY

Jobs and Economic Impact Assessment

CONTACT: Pari Kasotia

Mid-Atlantic Director 202-670-6852 | pari@votesolar.org

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1. INTRODUCTION

TheNewJerseylegislaturepassedcommunitysolarenablinglegislationin2018.SignedintolawbyGovernorMurphy,thelegislationrequirestheimplementationofaCommunitySolarEnergyPilotProgram(“PilotProgram”or“Pilot”)andtheestablishmentofapermanentprogramafter36months.Theenablinglegislation(A3723)doesnotspecifythesizeofthepilotprogram;however,itdoesrequirethe“rulesandregulationsadoptedbytheboardshallestablish”,amongotherrequirements,“acapacitylimitforindividualsolarenergyprojectstoamaximumoffivemegawattsperproject”and“anannualcapacitylimitforallsolarenergyprojectsunderthepilotprogram.”1Thepurposeofthisreportistoanalyzethepotentialemployment,earningsandeconomicimpactsaswellasthecostsassociatedwithapilotprogramcapacityof450megawatts(MW)overthethree-yearperiod.2Aninitialthree-yearprogramof450MWisareasonablestartingpointforbringingcleanenergyaccesstothoseNewJerseyanswhohavenotbeenabletoaccesscleanenergytodate.Indeed,nearly100,000customersinthestatehavebeenabletoadoptasolarsystemattheirhomeorbusiness.3Aninitial450MWcommunitysolarprogramwouldserveapproximately32,000customers4,bringingaccesstosomeofthosewhohavenotbeenpartoftheearlysolaradoptersinthestate.A450MWprogramisjustafirststeptowardsreachingthe50%by2030RPSrequirement;thepermanentprogramwillbeakeycomponentofreachingthisgoalwhilecontinuingtodeliverin-stateinvestmentandjobs.VoteSolarusedtheJobsandEconomicImpact(JEDI)ModeldevelopedbytheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory(NREL)toreasonablyestimatetheemployment,earningsandeconomicimpactsfromtheconstructionandoperationofthesolarenergyfacilitiesthatcouldbeexpectedifNewJerseyadoptsthisminimumneededtarget.TheSolarPhotovoltaicJEDImodelhasbeenusedextensivelybydecisionmakerstoassesstheexpectedimpactsofsolarenergyprojects,proposedprogramsandpolicydecisions.Forthecostimpactaspectoftheanalysis,VoteSolarreliedonanalysisfromtheCoalitionforCommunitySolarAccess(CCSA).CCSAuseddatafromtheNewJerseydistributionutilities,leadingfinancialfirms,andPJMtoarriveattotalexpectedcostsbyutilityforthe450MWprogramandthensubtractedtheutilities’avoidedcostsfortheprogram,therebycalculatingtheremainingcoststoNewJerseyans.TheseassumptionsandmethodologiesaredetailedinSection3ofthisreport.

1https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp?BillNumber=A37232Anyreferencethroughoutthisreporttoa450MWCommunitySolarEnergyPilotProgramallrefertoaprogramcapacitynumberin

alternatingcurrent(AC).3NewJerseyBoardofPublicUtilities,OfficeofCleanEnergy,“SolarFrequentlyAskedQuestions”.Datacurrentasoflastupdate(July31st,

2018).Availableat:http://www.njcleanenergy.com/renewable-energy/program-updates-and-background-information/solar-transition/solar-market-faqs

4Assumestheprogramserves50%residentialandsmallcommercialcustomersand50%largecustomers,with32,143smallcustomershavinganaveragesubscriptionsizeof7kWand225largecustomershavingsubscriptionsizesof1MW.

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2. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS NewJerseycanexpectthefollowingeconomicbenefitsfrom450MWofdistributedcommunitysolarinstalledbetween2019–2021:• 1,778sustainedfull-timejobsduring

constructionandanadditional41sustainedfull-timejobsassociatedwithoperationsandmaintenance.

• $414.7millioninearningsforthose

employed.• $797.9millioninlocaleconomicbenefits

forthestate,exceptinglocaltaxrevenues.

• $3.3millionfrompropertytaxrevenues

inthefirstyearalone.

Theabovestatisticsyieldanaverageof$48.5million/yearofeconomicbenefiteachyearduringthe25-yearminimumlifeofthesolarprojects.Fromthesameprogram,NewJerseycanexpectthefollowingcosts:• $27.8million/yearofnetcosttoNewJerseyansaftertheutilities’avoidedcostsare

accountedfor,specifically,thereductioninenergy,andthecapacityandClass1RECsthatwouldotherwisebepurchasedtoservecustomers.Whilethiscostismodest,itisnonethelessanoverstatementofthenetcostasitdoesnotaccountforotheravoidedcostsaffordedbydistributedsolar,suchasavoideddistributionandtransmissioninvestment.

• Assumingtheprojectsserve50%residentialcustomersatminimum,thiswouldequalresidentialrateincreaseoflessthanhalfof1%(specificallyrangingfrom0.22-0.39%,dependingontheutility).Foranaveragehouseholdacrossthestate,thiswouldmeanacostof$0.19-0.42permonth,whichislessthanthecostofonepostagestamppermonth.

Fromthisanalysis,weconcludethattheeconomicbenefitsfroma450MWinitialcommunitysolarprogramaresubstantialandgreatlyoutweighthecosts.

Induced Jobs 22%

Solar Supply Chain Jobs

34%

Construction & Other Direct Jobs

44%

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3. ASSUMPTIONS EconomicBenefitAnalysisAnypilotprogramshouldsupportadiversityofprojecttypesandsizes.Althoughtheenablinglegislationauthorizedprojectsupto5MWinthePilotProgram,sitingconstraintsarelikelytoresultinarangeofprojectsizes.5Forthepurposesofmodelingtheeconomicimpactofthepilotprogram,akeyassumptionisthesystemsizeofprojects.Anaveragesystemsizeof2.5MWDCwasusedforpurposesofthereportanalysistoserveasaproxyforthevarietyofprojectsizesexpectedaspartofthepilotprogram.AnalysisconductedbyGTMResearchwasusedasthebasisforinstalledcostassumptions.Inareportentitled,TheVisionforU.S.CommunitySolar:ARoadmapby2030,GTMResearchincludedinstalledcostsestimatedforabaselineyear(2017),2020,2025and2030.Installedcostsforyears2019and2021wereextrapolatedfromthepubliclyavailableinformation(ReferenceGraph1).6However,thisprogramisintendedtoserveadiversityofcustomers,includingmanyresidentialandsmallcommercialcustomers.Indeed,jointlyfiledCommentsbyVoteSolar,GRIDAlternatives,Earthjustice,IronboundCommunityCorporation,andEnvironmentNewJerseyrecommendthatNewJersey’scommunitysolarprogramincludeprogrammaticrequirementstoensurethePilotexpandsaccesstoadiversityofcustomertypes.TheseCommentsrecommendthatthePilotProgramrulesimplementarequirementthateachprojectserve50%residentialandsmallcommercialcustomers,somethingthatistypicallyaccomplishedthrougha50%smallcustomerparticipationrequirementof25kWorless.

Servingthesesmallcustomersresultsinadditionalcostsaboveandbeyondthoseincurredbyasimilarly-sizedcommunitysolarprojectwithonlyafewsubscribers.TocapturetheadditionalcostofmeetingpolicyobjectivesofA3723,specifically“standardstoensuretheabilityofresidentialandcommercialcustomerstoparticipateinsolarenergyprojects,includingresidentialcustomersinmultifamilyhousing”,VoteSolarreferstocommentsfiledbyCCSAaspartofBPUDocketNo.Q018060646regardingonetimeandongoingcustomeracquisitioncostsforcommunitysolar.

AccordingtoCCSA,theSustainableEnergyAdvantage(SEA)inconsultancyfortheRhodeIslandOfficeofEnergyResourcesurveyedtheindustrytoascertaincustomeracquisitioncostassociatedwithprojectsthatserveatleast50%oftheircapacitytosubscriptionsof25kWorless.Error!Bookmarknotdefined.,7AnalysisbySEAfoundthattheupfront(onetime)customeracquisitioncostassociatedwiththeseprojectsareabout$0.25/Watt(W),theongoing(annual)costassociatedwithcustomerreplacementis$0.02/W/year,andtheongoing(annual)costofcustomermanagementandbillingisabout$0.01/W/year.Error!Bookmarknotdefined.,8

5Sitingconstraintstypicallyrefertolimitationsonavailableroofspaceorlandtophysicallyinstallthesolarfacility.6GTMResearch(2018).TheVisionforU.S.CommunitySolar:ARoadmapto2030.Availableonline:http://www.votesolar.org/csvision7SustainableEnergyAdvantage,LLCet.al,RhodeIslandRenewableEnergyGrowthProgram,September2016,

http://sos.ri.gov/documents/publicinfo/omdocs/minutes/6154/2016/49211.pdf8AllRhodeIslandcostreferencesforcapacityaredirectcurrent(DC).

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Theadditionalupfront(onetime)customeracquisitioncostsassociatedwithcommunitysolarprojectsthatmeaningfullyserveresidentialandsmallcommercialcustomersisaddedtoGTM’sbaseinstalledcostdata,whichdidnotassumea50%perprojectsmallcustomerrequirement.Table1outlinesspecificassumptionsusedforJEDImodelinputs.

Table1:ModelAssumptionsforAverageSystemSize,BaseInstalledCost,andNumberofSystems

PROJECTSCALE COMMUNITYSOLAR

PilotProgramSize(AC) 450MW

PilotProgramSize(DC) 475MW9

AverageSystemSize 2,500kWDC

BaseInstalledCost2017 $2.270/W

BaseInstalledCost2019(year1ofPilot) $2.115/W

BaseInstalledCost2020(year2ofPilot) $1.960/W

BaseInstalledCost2021(year3ofPilot) $1.883/W

ExpectedNumberofSystemsPerYearduringPilot

63peryear

SolarCell/ModuleMaterial CrystallineSilicon

SystemTracking FixedMount

MoneyValue–Yearinwhichcostsarebased(forconsistency)

2018

9NREL’sJEDItoolrequiressolarphotovoltaiccapacityinputsinMWDC(directcurrent).Theinverterefficiencycanbeusedtocalculate

expectedDCcapacityfromAC(alternatingcurrent)capacity.Given450MWACPilotProgramSizeand95%efficientinverters,aconservativecalculationof475MWDCwascalculated.475MWDCmultipliedby95%isapproximately450MWAC.A475MWDCPilotresultsinapproximately158MWinstallperyear.Assuming2.5MWsystemsizes,NewJerseycouldexpectapproximately63,2.5-MWinstallationperyear.

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CostImpactAnalysisThedataforthisanalysisincludedthefollowing:

• CurrentdefaultresidentialretailratesfromtheNewJerseyInvestor-OwnedDistributionUtilities–PublicServiceElectricandGas,JerseyCentralPower&Light,AtlanticCityElectric,andRocklandElectricCompany

• Utilities’reportedannualresidentialandcommercialelectricitysalesfiguresforbothbundledandretail-supplycustomers

• ForecastedPJMlocationalbasedmarginalprice(LBMP)energypricesandcapacitypricesforNewJerseyfromVentyx,anABBcompany,andS&PGlobal

• ForecastedClass1RECprices• Standardannualsolarproductionforecastsusinga13.4%capacityfactorand95%

optimizationofsiteorientationandshadingWiththeabovedata,thecostimpactoftheproposed450MWprogramsizewasmodeledattheendofthe3rdyearwhenallcapacitywouldbeoperational.The450MWwasdistributedbetweentheutilitiesbasedontheirshareoftheNewJerseypeakloadasproposedbyCCSA,VoteSolar,GRIDAlternatives,Earthjustice,IronboundCommunityCorporation,andEnvironmentNewJersey.Foreachutility,theannualelectricityproduction(kWh)wasmultipliedbytheproposedcompensationineachutilityterritory(residentialretailrate+Class1RECs)minustheavoidedutilitycosts(theenergy,capacity,andClass1RECstheutilitieswouldnolongerhavetoprocureinthewholesalemarket).Theresultingnon-avoidablecostsperutilityterritorywerethenspreadacrossthekWhsalestotwomaincustomerclasses,with50%beingallocatedtoresidentialcustomers.Thisreflectsanassumptionthatprojectswillhaveacommercialanchortenantandthenservesmallcustomerswiththeremaininghalfoftheproject’scapacity.TheresultingcostperkWhwasthendividedbycurrentresidentialretailratesineachterritory,andthenmodeledintoacostpermonthoryearbasedontheaveragehouseholdelectricityusageof7,000kWhsannually.

4. DETAILED RESULTS TheJEDImodelassessesthejob,earningsandeconomicimpactsderivedfroma450MWCommunitySolarEnergyPilotProgram.Direct,indirect,andinducedimpactstoemployment,earningsandeconomicimpactswerecalculated.Employmentimpactfigurestypicallyrepresentfull-timeequivalents(FTE),or2080-hourunitsoflabor(jobyears).However,itisassumedthatsolarjobswillbemaintainedoverthe3-yearPilotProgramperiod,therebymakingthesesustainedjobs.Earningsreflectwages,salarycompensation,andbenefitspaidtoworkers.Economicoutputreferstoeconomicactivityorthevalueofproductioninthestateorlocaleconomy,anditisreportedin2018dollars.NREL’sJEDImodelcalculatesjobs,earnings,andoutputdistributedacrossthreecategories:8

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• DirectImpacts.Directimpactsarisefromsolarprojectdevelopment,design,permitting,construction,andonsitelabor.Thiscategoryalsoassesseseconomicimpactsfromcontinuedonsiteworkoverthecourseofsolararrayoperationsandmaintenance.

• IndirectImpacts.InvestmentsintoPVsolarprojectsstimulateeconomicimpactsinindustriesoutsideofonsiteconstructionandmaintenanceactivities.IndirectimpactsrefertochangesinlocalrevenueandindustryimpactsacrossthePVsupplychainforlocalconstructionactivitiesandongoingoperationsandmaintenance.

• InducedImpacts.Inducedimpactsresultfromreinvestmentinthelocaleconomy,andspendingofearningsbydirectandindirectbeneficiariesofsolarprojects.Examplesofinducedimpactsincludemoneyspentonrestaurants,gasandgroceries.10TheJEDImodelcapturestheadditionalinducedjobcreationandeconomicbenefitsduringbothconstructionactivitiesandongoingoperationsandmaintenance.

Takenasawhole,thesemetricsofjobimpactsandoutputofferacomprehensivesnapshotoftheimpactsofa450MWcommunitysolarPilotPrograminNewJersey.Resultsaregroupedintothreemaincategoriesreflectingemploymentimpacts,earningsimpacts,andeconomicoutputs.Inaddition,theexpectedcostsofa450MWcommunitysolarPilotPrograminNewJerseyarealsodetailedbelow.Note:Totalsincludedinthesummarytablesmaynotaddupduetoindependentrounding.4.1 Employment Impacts During Construction and Operations and Maintenance Solarinstallationsrequiresignificantupfrontprivateinvestmentincapitalandlabor.Onceinstalledandcommerciallyoperable,solarinstallationsrequireaworkforceforcontinuedoperationandmaintenance.WhiletheJEDImodeltypicallyreportsjobsinFTE,thisanalysisrecognizesthatthePilotwillresultinincrementalrenewableenergycapacityoverathree-yearperiodaswellasincrementalsustainedjobs.Table2showsemploymentimpactsassustainedjobs.ThesewerecalculatedbydividingthetotalFTEjobsbythenumberofyearsinthePilotProgram.AsshowninTable2,theJEDImodelrevealsthatnearly1,800sustainedjobswillbeneededtosupportjusttheconstructionof450MWofcommunitysolarfrom2019–2021.Approximately44%ofjobscreatedaredirectjobs,reflectingon-sitelaborrelatedtotheconstructionandoperationofPVarrays.Indirectjobs,oremploymentassociatedwiththesupplychainofPVarrayconstruction,accountsfor34%.Theremaining22%ofjobsareattributedtoinducedjobs,orlaborandspendingresultingfrombothdirectandindirectearningsinlocaleconomies.

10TheSolarFoundation(2017).U.S.SolarIndustryAdded$184BilliontoU.S.GDPin2016.Accessed

online,http://www.thesolarfoundation.org/solar-jobs-census/economic-impacts-report-2016/.

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Insummary,thecreationof450MWcommunitysolarPilotPrograminNewJerseycouldresultinthecreationofover1,800sustainedjobsduringtheconstructionandoperationsofthesefacilitiesacrossthestate.

Table2:SustainedDirect,Indirect,andInducedEmploymentDuringConstructionandOperations&Maintenance,from2019-2021

Categoriesofemployment DuringconstructionDuringoperations&maintenance

Total

Direct 779 29 808Indirect 607 7 613Induced 393 5 398

TotalEmployment 1,778 41 1,819

4.2 Earnings from a Statewide Community Solar ProgramTheJEDImodelalsocapturestheexpectedemployeesalaries,wagesandearningsduringtheconstructionandoperationofcommunitysolarprojectsinNewJersey.Table3illustratesthatarobustcommunitysolarprogramwouldsupporttremendousearningspotentialamongNewJersey’scitizens.Solarinstallation,operationsandmaintenancejobsarewell-payingjobs,andsignificantlyaboveminimumwage.NREL’sJEDIanalysisindicatesthatthe1,819sustainedjobsoverthePilotProgramPeriodcanearnatotalofnearly$415millioninearnings,orroughly$76,000/yearor$36.52/hour.11

TheseeconomicbenefitssignificantlycontributetoNewJersey’soveralleconomy,bothintermsofpersonalwealthcreationandinducedeconomicimpactsfromwell-payingjobsinthecleanenergysector.

Table3:LaborEarningsDuringConstructionandOperationsofDistributedSolarProjectsexpectedDuring2018-2023

DuringConstruction DuringOperations&Maintenance Total

Direct $182.4million $5.3million $187.7millionIndirect $143.4million $1.8million $145.2millionInduced $80.7million $1.1million $81.8million

Total $406.5million $8.2million $414.7million

11ConsistentwithNREL’sdefinitionofafulltimeequivalentjob,eachFTEisassumedtowork2,080hoursperyear.

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4.3 Economic Output in New Jersey’s Economy

Themajorityoftheeconomicbenefitisderivedfromthedirect,indirectandinducedimpactsduringtheconstructionperiod.Theadditionof450MWofcommunitysolarinNewJerseyisexpectedtocreateover$785millionineconomicbenefitssimplyduringtheconstructionperiodofthesolarinstallations.Anestimated$12.7millionofeconomicactivityisexpectedduringthecontinuedoperationsandmaintenanceperiod,asreferencedinTable4.Overall,theJEDImodelcalculatesthetotaleconomicimpactofadding450MWofcommunitysolarfrom2019–2021tobenearly$798million.Table4:EconomicOutputDuringConstruction&Operationsof4.8GWInstalled2018-2023

DuringConstruction DuringO&M Total

Direct $261.9million $5.3million $267.2millionIndirect $316million $4.6million $320.6millionInduced $207.2million $2.8million $210millionTotalEconomicOutput $785.2million $12.7million $797.9million

4.4 Property Tax Revenue during Initial System Operating Year

CommunitysolarfacilitiesalsocontributetoNewJersey’seconomythroughthepaymentoflocalpropertytaxesforeachyearoverthe25-yearoperatinglifeoftheinstalledsystems.PropertytaxratesdifferacrossNewJerseybasedonaproject’slocation.Duetothefactthatthesecommunitysolarinstallationswillbespreadacrossthestate,astandardfactorof$7,000/MW(DC)installedwasusedforthisanalysis.12Usingthiscalculation,theStateofNewJerseycanexpecttoreceiveapproximately$3.3millioninpropertytaxrevenuesinjustthefirstyearofsystemoperation.

Table6:LocalPropertyTaxRevenueDuringOperationsandMaintenance

CumulativeCapacity 475MWDCEstimatedFactortoAssessLocalPropertyTaxes $7,000/MWDCinstalled

TotalYear1PropertyTaxRevenue $3.3million

12Accordingtolocalsolarindustry,astandardfactorof$7,000/MW(DC)isreasonable.ProjectsinNewJerseyhavepropertytaxratesboth

aboveandbelow$7,000/MW(DC).

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4.5 Costs of the Program PerCCSA’sanalysis,theprogramwouldhavemodestrateimpactsandoverallcostspercustomers.Thetablebelowreflectsthecostsforratepayersineachutilityserviceterritoryassumingeachutilitybuildsoutaportionoftheprogramonaload-weightedbasisafteraccountingforavoidedrenewableelectricitycertificate,energy,andcapacitypurchases.Thesecostsdonotincludeotheravoidedcostsprovidedbydistributedsolar,suchasreducedtransmissionanddistributioncosts

Table7:ProgramCostbyUtility

Utility

ExpectedCommunity

SolarProjects(MW)

ProposedCompensation($/kWh)*

Non-AvoidedCost

($/kWh)**

AnnualProductionfromtotal

MWInstalled(kWhs/yr)

%ResidentialRate

Increase***

CoststoAverage

NewJerseyHouseholdPerYear^

CosttoAverage

NewJerseyHouseholdPerMonth

PublicServiceElectricityandGas

243 0.181 0.06 270,980,964 0.39% $4.99 $0.42

JerseyCentralPower&Light

144 0.147 0.03 160,581,312 0.22% $2.31 $0.19

AtlanticCityElectric

54 0.191 0.07 60,217,992 0.33% $4.44 $0.37

RocklandElectricCompany

10 0.182 0.07 11,151,480 0.30% $3.82 $0.32

Total 451 *Fullvolumetricresidentialrate+class1RECs**Thenetofproposedcompensationandnon-avoidedcosts.Assumesenergyisavoidedat3.39c/kWh,capacityisavoidedat6.68c/kWh,andRECsareavoidedat1.5c/kWh***Assumesprojectshaveacapacityfactorof13.4%andasitethatis95%optimizedfororientationandshading.Thenon-avoidedcosts($)arecalculatedbymultiplyingtotalproductionbytheper-kilowatt-hournon-avoidedcosttogenerateatotalnon-avoidedcost.Thesenon-avoidedcostsarethendividedbyhalf,assumingprojectsserve50%residentialcustomers.Thesecostsarefurtherdividedbyannualresidentialelectricitysales(MWh)fromEIAForm861toarriveataperkilowatt-hournon-avoidedcost.Thisper-kWhnon-avoidedcostisthendividedbytheretailratetodeterminethepercentageincreaseinrates.^Assumesaverageresidentialcustomerconsumptionis7,000kWh

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5.0 CONCLUSIONS

TheJEDImodelprovidesausefultooltoestimatejobandeconomicimpactsoftheadditionof450MWofcommunitysolaraspartofNewJersey’sPilotProgramfromyears2019-2021.ThefindingsfromtheJEDIanalysissuggestthatrenewableenergytargetwouldsustainover1,819jobsfrom2019to2021.Thesesustainedjobsrepresenta25.6%increaseinwell-payingsolarjobsinNewJersey.13Inaddition,expectedaveragehourlywagesof$36/hourcreatesanopportunityforlocalcitizenstoearntosubstantialannualsalaries.PolicymakersinNewJerseycannotignorethe$798milliondollarsthata450MWcommunitysolarprogramcouldbringtothestate’scleanenergyeconomy.TheeconomicbenefittoNewJersey’seconomyisdrivenbyprivateinvestment,on-sitelabor,increaseddemandforprofessionalservicesandsupportingindustries,aswellasbenefitsfromreinvestmentinthestate’seconomy.TheJEDIfindingsclearlyshowthatarobustCommunitySolarEnergyPilotProgramwillmeaningfullycontributetoNewJersey’seconomybothduringtheconstructionandongoingoperationsandmaintenanceoftheinstalledsystems.Inaddition,NewJerseyisexpectedtoreceiveover$3.3millioninpropertytaxrevenuesduringthefirstyearofoperationofthesecommunitysolarprojects.MunicipalitiesacrossNewJerseyusepropertytaxrevenuestofundcommunityservicessuchaspubliceducation,policeandfireprotection,andpublicroadmaintenance.Asaresult,NewJersey’slocalgovernmentsandcitizensstandtobenefittremendouslyfromtheeconomicbenefitscommunitysolarcanbringtotheircommunities.What’smostexcitingthough,isthatarobustcommunitysolarPilotProgramoffersabroadrangeofadditionalbenefitstotheend-users.Communitysolarexpandsaccesstocost-savingsolarenergysolutions,particularlyforhouseholds,renters,businesses,andotherthatcannotinstallrooftopsolar.Furthermore,asindicatedinthejointCommentsofVoteSolar,GRIDAlternatives,Earthjustice,IronboundCommunityCorporation,andEnvironmentNewJersey,itiscriticalthatanyPilotPrograminclude15%carveout,inaggregate,forlow-to-moderateincomecommunitysolarprojects.ItisimportantthatanyPilotProgramincludemeaningfulprovisionstoprovideaccesstounderservedcommunities–low-to-moderateincomehouseholds,low-incomeserviceorganizations,andaffordablehousingsubscribers.Theseindividualsstandtobenefitmostfromaffordableandpredictableenergycosts.NewJersey’sCommunitySolarEnergyPilotProgramisthestate’sopportunitytocreateaninclusivecleanenergyeconomy.NewJerseyhasdoneagreatjobestablishingrenewableenergypoliciesandprograms.Butnow,it’stimeforNewJerseytocreatearobust,inclusive,andforward-lookingCommunitySolarEnergyPilotProgramthatcanprovidecleanenergyforallitscitizens,regardlessofincomelevelorhousingtype,anddrivenewinvestmentandeconomicbenefitstothestate.13AccordingtoTheSolarFoundation’sMarch2018SolarJobsCensus,NewJerseycurrentlyhas7,106solarjobs.Theadditionof1,819sustained

jobswouldequatetoa25.6%increaseincurrentsolarjobsinthestate.Dataretrievedfrom:https://www.thesolarfoundation.org/solar-jobs-census-factsheet-2017-nj/

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Report Authors: Pari Kasotia

Mid-Atlantic Director pari@votesolar.org

Marta Tomic

Community Solar Program Director marta@votesolar.org

Visit votesolar.org to learn more.