NJ Enacts 200-MW Dual-solar Pilot Program
Farmers, Developers See Opportunity in Farm-solar Partnerships
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities has approved a three-year pilot program to create 200 MW of dual-use solar capacity that puts solar panels on functioning farmland in a precursor to a permanent program.
Dual-use solar, also known as agrivoltaics, is meant to generate electricity and support farmers. | New Jersey Farm Bureau
“Developer Lightstar, a Boston-based solar developer with 45 MW of agrivoltaics projects in development that grow crops in between the solar equipment, welcomed the pilot’s approval.
Kelly Buchanan, policy manager, said she believes that “developers will jump into the pilot program.”
“There is pent-up demand for dual-use projects in New Jersey,” Buchanan said, noting the three-year wait for the pilot. “The process design ensures that the developers with mature and meaningful agrivoltaics projects can participate in the pilot program, while keeping costs to ratepayers low.”
“We hope that the first 200 MWs will further confirm the cost-effectiveness and multi-faceted benefits of agrivoltaics and will lead to a permanent dual-use program in New Jersey with more flexibility for farmers and lower costs in project design,” she said. The pilot, she added, can provide a “wealth of knowledge” about dual-use solar techniques to help shape future projects and offer “an opportunity for farmer education and training that will be useful examples of successful agrivoltaics projects for the public to see.”
See Kelly’s press kit for speaking topics and credentials: https://www.lightstar.com/press-kits
Contact Meghan Welborn, Director of Marketing & PR for press inquires and speaking enagagements for Brianna and the Lightstar team.