Community Solar

The Sustainable Oakland Green Team is excited to share information about New
Jersey's newest clean energy program, Community Solar.  Residents who have
previously been unable to go solar, due to a variety of factors including cost,
unsuitable roof, or lack of roof control, can now access this renewable
energy. Community solar projects enable greater access to solar energy to
everyone and will also enable low- & moderate- income households and the
environmental justice community greater access to clean energy and savings on
their electricity bills. Community solar encourages local clean energy
development that is tied to the communities without compromising the
preservation of open space or protected lands in New Jersey.

What is community solar? 

A community solar project is a solar array whose output is virtually divided
among multiple participants, known as subscribers. Participants receive a bill
credit on their utility bill for their participation in a community solar
project. These subscribers are often, but not necessarily, close to the array
they are subscribed to. Subscribers are not directly connected to the solar
array. They can be down the road, across town or even all the way across the
state. All subscribers must be located in the same utility service area as the
project to which they have subscribed. Why have I never heard of it? New Jersey
just established a 3-year Pilot Program. The first round of projects will be
announced by the end of 2019. How big is a community solar project? A project
cannot be larger than 5MW. For reference 5 MW could power up to 1,250 houses and
an array could cover approximately 20-25 acres. There is no minimum size. Each
project must have at least 10 subscribers, with no more than 250 subscribers per
1MW.  

Where can these community solar arrays go? 

Almost anywhere! Rooftops, parking lots, brownfields, landfills and impervious
surfaces are all great options for siting community solar. Projects cannot be
located on preserved farmland. Keep in mind that not all sites are suitable for
solar due to shading, interconnectivity and other factors. 

Can anyone participate?

Yes!  Oakland Residents can subscribe to a local solar energy project
regardless of whether you own or rent your home.  These projects typically
require no enrollment fee, allow members to cancel anytime and you will continue
your current energy provider.    It works like this: community solar projects
use solar energy to generate electricity, which is connected to the Orange &
Rockland grid. By subscribing, you sign up for a share in the project and
receive solar energy credits on your Orange & Rockland account, lowering your
bill!   The pilot program even reserves 40% of capacity for projects that serve
low- and moderate- income customers.

How can I participate? 

To sign up go to www.Neighborhoodsun.Solar/OaklandNJ   

Community Solar Project Finder

To find more solar projects available in Oakland, enter your zip code in NJ
Community Solar Project Finder here.

https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/u/0/reporting/e61544cd-a71b-4121-8263-b958c4843d67/page/L3soC .