The bill modifies New Jersey's renewable energy incentive programs, focusing on the interconnection of solar projects by electric public utilities. It introduces new definitions for solar facilities, including "co-location," "community solar program," and "contaminated site." The legislation allows for the co-location of solar facilities without size or power output restrictions on landfills, brownfields, or mining sites. It also requires electric public utilities to process interconnection applications for community solar or remote net metering facilities within specified timeframes, imposing penalties of $5,000 per day for delays.

Additionally, the bill expands the definition of renewable energy facilities to include energy storage technologies and permits projects on contaminated sites or landfills in all municipalities. Developers with previously approved projects under the Transition Renewable Energy Certificate (TREC) program are allowed to register in the community solar or remote net metering programs, provided they do not decrease the approved facility size. The bill also increases the maximum project size for the remote net metering program from five megawatts to 20 megawatts and updates criteria for suitable properties for solar facilities, aiming to streamline renewable energy project development and enhance New Jersey's clean energy initiatives.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 40:55D-66.11, 40:55D-66.16, 40A:11-5, 48:3-87.12