Two States Renew Leadership Role In Renewable Energy

Recently New Jersey and California took monumental steps to remain nationwide leaders in clean energy. New Jersey increased its Renewable Energy Standard to make it one of the most aggressive standards in the nation while at the same time supporting its nuclear industry and seeking to diversify its energy sources. California implemented a first of its kind rule, requiring all newly built residences to have solar energy. Both of the states continue their track record of being leaders in clean energy.

New Jersey

On May 23, 2018, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law Assembly Bill 3723 (the "Renewable Energy Law"). This law reaffirms New Jersey's commitment to being a leader in clean energy. The Renewable Energy Law increases New Jersey's renewable portfolio standard from 20.38% by 2021 to 50% by 2030 aligning with the standards in California and New York (and only surpassed by the 75% standard in Vermont and the 100% standard in Hawaii). Further, the Renewable Energy Law provides for a wind down of the New Jersey Solar Renewable Energy Credit program ("SREC Program") by 2021 and requires the Board of Public Utilities to study how best to replace the SREC Program. Additionally, the Renewable Energy Law reduces the amount of energy required to come from solar technologies from 5.1% at the solar carve out's peak in 2023 down to 1.1% by 2033.

In addition to the changes to the renewable portfolio standard, the Renewable Energy Law seeks to further diversify the state's energy portfolio. To accomplish this, the Renewable Energy Law targets offshore wind and storage capacity as areas of growth over the next decade by increasing the state's offshore wind requirement from 1,100 megawatts to 3,500 megawatts and setting, for the first time, an energy storage goal of 2,000 megawatts by 2030. The renewed commitment to offshore wind can already be seen in the Fisherman's Energy wind project, which is a 24-megawatt project off the coast of Atlantic City that has been stalled for years, but New Jersey Assembly Bill 2485 is currently working its way through the legislative process, which would allow construction to begin on the project. Finally, the Renewable Energy Law allows for additional avenues for individuals and communities to access renewable resources by creating a community solar program and doubling the state's net metering cap.

In conjunction with the Renewable Energy Law, Governor Murphy also signed into law Senate Bill 2313 (the...