New Jersey Approves 16 Agrivoltaic Projects Totaling 52.06 MW

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has approved 16 agrivoltaic pilot projects with a combined capacity of 52.06 megawatts, marking the results of the first solicitation under the state's dual-use solar pilot program.

Agrivoltaics, also known as dual-use solar, involves installing photovoltaic panels above or between crops, grazing areas, or other agricultural operations, rather than removing farmland from production entirely. The 16 approved projects are located on farms across Atlantic, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth, Salem, and Warren counties, and will combine solar power generation with the cultivation of soybeans, hay, grains, vegetables, and fruits, as well as livestock production.

NJBPU President Ben Hertz-Shargel stated that the pilot program will support New Jersey farmers in enhancing operational profitability while adding capacity to the grid. He emphasized that this model ensures farmland remains in active agricultural or horticultural production and enhances the value of existing farming practices, combining with new clean electricity supply to create a win-win for the state's agriculture and power systems.

The pilot program was established under the Dual-Use Solar Energy Act of 2021 and is implemented by NJBPU in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environmental Protection, the State Agriculture Development Committee, and Rutgers University's Agrivoltaics Program.

Senator Bob Smith stated that the progress anticipated when the legislation was drafted is now being realized—farmers can simultaneously produce food and clean electricity on the same acre of land. He believes these 16 projects demonstrate that maintaining active farmland production and building power generation capacity are not mutually exclusive, allowing farmers to continue stewarding their land while participating in New Jersey's clean energy transition and improving their profitability.

Under the pilot arrangement, the program can support up to 200 megawatts of installed capacity over three years, with individual projects typically capped at 10 megawatts. Projects must be sited on unprotected farmland already used for active agricultural or horticultural production, and applicant teams must include a landowner, a farmer, and a solar operator, with the farmer required to actively participate in project planning and operations.

The program has drawn significant early interest, with NJBPU's first solicitation receiving 33 initial proposals totaling approximately 140 megawatts. Operating experience from the pilot phase will inform the establishment of a permanent agrivoltaic program in New Jersey in the future.