The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has established the Aggressive Photo voltaic Incentive (CSI) Program, a brand new program designed to advertise grid-scale photo voltaic technology in New Jersey. CSI is a key a part of the state’s Successor Photo voltaic Incentive initiative (SuSI), which was enacted by the board in 2021, and is anticipated to considerably improve the state’s photo voltaic program at a decrease price for ratepayers.
The brand new CSI program has a purpose of incentivizing no less than 300 MW of photo voltaic yearly till 2026. The CSI program will primarily cowl giant initiatives, together with all sorts of grid provide initiatives and net-metered, non-residential initiatives larger than 5 MW.
“The CSI program is a crucial element of our new SuSI program and can play a serious half in serving to us meet our photo voltaic targets whereas reducing prices to ratepayers,” states NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso. “Our rising photo voltaic program, which not solely consists of CSI and ADI but in addition neighborhood photo voltaic, is among the core applications in reaching Governor Murphy’s purpose of a one hundred pc clear vitality future.”
Along with CSI, the SuSI program consists of the Administratively Decided Incentive (ADI) Program, which has been open for registrations for the reason that starting of the SuSI program on August 28, 2021. The ADI program set incentives for net-metered residential initiatives, net-metered non-residential initiatives of 5 MW or much less, and neighborhood photo voltaic initiatives.
The CSI program is designed to offer most profit to ratepayers on the lowest price; help the continued progress of the photo voltaic trade; meet Governor Murphy’s dedication to 50% class I RECs by 2030 and 100% clear vitality by 2050; present perception and data to stakeholders by a clear course of for creating New Jersey’s long-term photo voltaic incentive program; and absolutely adjust to the Photo voltaic Act of 2021.
The brand new program construction has separate classes, or tranches, to make sure that a variety of photo voltaic challenge varieties, together with these on most well-liked websites, are capable of take part regardless of probably completely different challenge price profiles. The board has permitted 4 tranches for grid provide and enormous internet metered photo voltaic and a further fifth tranche for storage together with grid provide photo voltaic.
Tranche 1 is open to primary grid provide with a procurement goal of 140 MW, whereas Tranche 2 is for grid provide on the constructed setting with an 80 MW goal. Tranche 3 is for grid provide on contaminated websites and landfills for 40 MW, Tranche 4 for internet metered non-residential installations bigger than 5 MW with a goal of 40 MW, and Tranche 5 for storage paired with grid provide photo voltaic for 160 MWh.
After receiving an award within the solicitation, CSI initiatives may have three years to return on-line.
The CSI program design has siting necessities that apply to all initiatives eligible for the CSI program, no matter whether or not they truly search an incentive. These siting necessities comply with stipulations specified by the Photo voltaic Act of 2021 and set up building necessities designed to uphold the mandate to “reduce, as a lot as is practicable, potential opposed environmental impacts.”
Solicitations will happen yearly, and all initiatives that meet pre-qualification necessities will compete on worth solely. The primary solicitation is scheduled to happen early 2023, with bids due on March 31, 2023.
Learn the total board order here.
