To view Frequently Asked Questions about the Hoboken Community Solar Program, visit here. A Spanish version of the FAQ can be found here.
The City of Hoboken has launched a new solar energy assistance program to reduce select residents’ electricity costs by 25%. The Hoboken Community Solar Program (“Community Solar”) was authorized by the City Council and provides qualifying residents of the City with the ability to buy solar energy from a solar energy supplier at a price lower than that offered by PSE&G. Through its’ participation the City will provide access to low-to-moderately incomed (LMI) residents who cannot install solar panels on their own roofs to achieve the savings and environmental benefits of solar energy from an offsite solar project. Rooftop solar in cities is usually limited due to space constraints but offsite solar opens opportunities to city dwellers despite this constraint. Community Solar also comes at no cost to the City or taxpayers.
Community Solar would provide affordable renewable energy to LMI residents of Hoboken, which is a key component of Hoboken’s Climate Action Plan and Executive Order on Climate Action.
Community Solar expands access to:
Community Solar provides participants significant savings on energy costs. Rooftop solar in cities is limit due to space constraints – offsite solar opens opportunities to city dwellers despite this constraint.
These disqualifying conditions disproportionally apply to lower-income residents, effectively preventing those most in need of energy bill savings from saving through solar energy. In pursuit of environmental justice, Hoboken's Community Solar Program is only open to low-moderate income Hoboken residents who pay their own energy bills. You qualify for the Hoboken Community Solar Program if you:
Community Solar expands access to solar energy for residents who are limited in accessing solar (and associated savings) due to physical, financial, and rental factors. According to the New Jersey Board of Utilities (BPU):
Community solar projects enable greater access to solar energy. Electric utility customers 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. It will enable low- and 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.
Visit the New Jersey's Clean Energy Program Community Solar website
Interested in learning more about solar energy? Review a Glossary of Solar Energy Terms.
To view Frequently Asked Questions about the Hoboken Community Solar Program, visit here. A Spanish version of the FAQ can be found here.
The City of Hoboken has launched a new solar energy assistance program to reduce select residents’ electricity costs by 25%. The Hoboken Community Solar Program (“Community Solar”) was authorized by the City Council and provides qualifying residents of the City with the ability to buy solar energy from a solar energy supplier at a price lower than that offered by PSE&G. Through its’ participation the City will provide access to low-to-moderately incomed (LMI) residents who cannot install solar panels on their own roofs to achieve the savings and environmental benefits of solar energy from an offsite solar project. Rooftop solar in cities is usually limited due to space constraints but offsite solar opens opportunities to city dwellers despite this constraint. Community Solar also comes at no cost to the City or taxpayers.
Community Solar would provide affordable renewable energy to LMI residents of Hoboken, which is a key component of Hoboken’s Climate Action Plan and Executive Order on Climate Action.
Community Solar expands access to:
Community Solar provides participants significant savings on energy costs. Rooftop solar in cities is limit due to space constraints – offsite solar opens opportunities to city dwellers despite this constraint.
These disqualifying conditions disproportionally apply to lower-income residents, effectively preventing those most in need of energy bill savings from saving through solar energy. In pursuit of environmental justice, Hoboken's Community Solar Program is only open to low-moderate income Hoboken residents who pay their own energy bills. You qualify for the Hoboken Community Solar Program if you:
Community Solar expands access to solar energy for residents who are limited in accessing solar (and associated savings) due to physical, financial, and rental factors. According to the New Jersey Board of Utilities (BPU):
Community solar projects enable greater access to solar energy. Electric utility customers 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. It will enable low- and 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.
Visit the New Jersey's Clean Energy Program Community Solar website
Interested in learning more about solar energy? Review a Glossary of Solar Energy Terms.
In January 2024 the Hoboken Community Solar Facility, located in Elizabeth, NJ completed construction and become operational. The electrical power flowing through PSE&G's power grid to the Hoboken Housing Authority (HHA) will benefit from monthly credits on PSE&G electric bills.
The Community Solar Pilot Program, which was established as part of New Jersey’s 2018 Clean Energy Act, enables utility customers to participate in a solar energy project that is remotely located from their property. Historically, solar energy projects have only been feasible for customers who have the physical and financial capability to host solar on-site.
The benefits of on-site solar energy have not been accessible to residential customers who are renters, have an older roof, live in an apartment, or have low credit. Due to these and other disqualifying factors, the majority of residential customers in New Jersey have been blocked from direct access to solar benefits. These disqualifying conditions disproportionally apply to LMI customers, effectively preventing those most in need of energy bill savings from saving through solar energy.
New Jersey’s Community Solar Pilot Program establishes a pilot program that as a matter of policy and in line with the Governor’s environmental justice priorities purposely favors providing LMI customers with access to low-cost solar energy produced at a remote site to residential customers.
The City and Hoboken Housing Authority entered into a Shared Services Agreement for the Community Solar Program to benefit HHA residents. Community Solar savings will be placed into an HHA Community Solar Fund that will go toward an energy/sustainability project with direct community benefit. The City's energy agent from Gabel Associates will provide a “menu” of possible projects to fund based on feasibility, economic analysis, and HHA input. Residents will be key in the decision-making process to utilize the fund. The City and Gabel Associated presented to the Hoboken Housing Authority in February 2022.
Solar One, a non-profit organization, will offer “Green Workforce Training Program” to Hoboken residents through collaboration with local community organizations and HHA. The Green Workforce Training Program includes two weeks of classroom and hands-on training in construction safety, electrical basics, and solar installation. The Green Workforce Training Program will be available to 20+ participants. After training, all students will have the opportunity to interview for a position with Solar Energy Systems (the project’s solar installer).
The City issued an RFP to identify a solar vendor to develop the solar project at the developer’s site, enter into a Master Performance Agreement (MPA), and be a co-applicant on the BPU’s Year 2 application process. To evaluate proposals, the City organized an evaluation team which produced an evaluation report dated January 4, 2020. Based on the considerations as detailed in this Report, the Evaluation Team recommended designating Hartz as the Successful Respondent. Hartz and the City entered into a 15-year MPA under which the City would select and aggregate LMI customers, who will purchase solar energy from the Project.
Hartz Solar will build and maintain a 3.9 MW solar project on a warehouse roof in Elizabeth, NJ to serve low-and-moderate income (LMI) residents of Hoboken.
Pursuant to the Community Solar Pilot Program Rules, the City will serve as the “Community Solar Subscriber Organization”. The City’s consultant, Gabel Associates, will act as the Administrator of the Program on behalf of the City and manage all activities that apply to a Subscriber Organization. Hartz will own the solar project and be responsible for maintaining the solar project and for producing solar energy to the Subscriber Organization.
