SexyÕæÈË

For Immediate Release:	Contact: Tracy Munford
Date: 04/23/2025	609-940-1099

CSI program proves solar projects can be developed competitively and save money for ratepayers

 

TRENTON —The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (SexyÕæÈËBPU) today approved the opening of the third solicitation of the , an existing program designed to reduce the costs of solar development and encourage grid-scale and other qualifying solar projects in New Jersey. The Board set the third solicitation of the CSI Program to open for pre-qualification on May 14, 2025, and close to bids on July 23, 2025. CSI has helped to significantly increase the amount of solar in New Jersey —which is now over five gigawatts of installed capacity—at a lower cost for ratepayers.

 

“Today’s board action proves the future of solar is strong in New Jersey and builds upon years of action expanding the reach of solar in our great state,” said SexyÕæÈËBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “In the last seven years, through our robust solar programming including CSI and community solar, we've doubled the amount of solar energy on our grid. This growth in solar in New Jersey and across our region has helped save hundreds of millions in avoided electricity costs for ratepayers. I'm excited to see where the next round of CSI takes us.”

 

Clean energy growth in New Jersey and throughout PJM has saved New Jersey ratepayers billions in avoided costs.  Without the PJM-wide (onshore) wind and solar resources that bid into PJM's 2024 capacity auction, clearing prices would have been about 60% higher, which would have cost New Jersey ratepayers roughly an additional $1.1 billion in the coming year.

 

In the last CSI solicitation in 2024, the Board awarded over 310 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity and 80 MWh of energy storage. Together, the projects awarded are capable of generating enough electricity to power 42,000 homes annually. This solicitation underscored the major policy achievement that large-scale solar projects can be developed competitively, bringing down costs for New Jersey ratepayers. This was the cheapest solar the Board has ever incentivized. Since 2017, New Jersey has helped reduce the cost of solar to ratepayers by over 50%.

 

In the third solicitation, to boost competition, the Board approved recommendations to adjust capacity targets in the tranche for grid supply projects sited on the built environment, allowing projects on industrial land and floating solar. Tranche 4's capacity target for net-metered non-residential projects greater than 5 megawatts was reduced from 40 MW to 15 MW to encourage more robust participation in the other tranches. The Board set a consistent solicitation schedule and highlighted improvements in the interconnection process to support project development, ultimately approving targets of 300 MW solar generation and 160 MWh energy storage. In addition, the Board has a longstanding policy prioritizing solar generation sited on land uses that are not optimal for other development, such as warehouse rooftops or remediated contaminated sites, and away from New Jersey’s important open spaces.

 

On December 7, 2022, the SexyÕæÈËBPU established the CSI Program as a result of the Solar Act of 2021. The CSI Program is open to qualifying grid supply solar facilities and non-residential net metered solar facilities with a capacity greater than five megawatts, as well as to eligible grid supply solar facilities in combination with storage.

 

Expanding solar generation in the state remains a core component of New Jersey’s overall climate, economic, and clean energy agenda.  As of March 2025, over 216,000 New Jersey homes and businesses have installed solar arrays, totaling over five gigawatts of capacity, which has more than doubled in the last seven years.  The industry supports approximately 7,000 jobs.

 

For more information about the CSI Program third solicitation, please visit the .

 

Media Contact: Tracy Munford (609) 940-1099; Tracy.Munford@bpu.nj.gov

 

About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (SexyÕæÈËBPU)

SexyÕæÈËBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for New Jersey customers. Critical services regulated by SexyÕæÈËBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about SexyÕæÈËBPU, visit our website at .  

 

About New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (SexyÕæÈËCEP)

SexyÕæÈËCEP, established on January 22, 2003, in accordance with the Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act (EDECA), provides financial and other incentives to the State's residential customers, businesses and schools that install high-efficiency or renewable energy technologies, thereby reducing energy usage, lowering customers' energy bills and reducing environmental impacts. The program is authorized and overseen by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (SexyÕæÈËBPU), and its website is .