Navisun, a solar independent power producer, announced that its Linden Hawk Rise 4.5-MW community solar project in Union County, New Jersey, is nearing completion. Built on the city of Linden’s former landfill, this project is converting a previously unusable site into a productive solar farm that will provide more affordable clean energy access to about 800 residents in PSE&G utility territory, over half of whom are low- and moderate-income (LMI).

The Linden Hawk Rise project is one of 45 solar projects, totaling 78 MW, that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) rigorously reviewed, scored and awarded in Program Year 1 of New Jersey’s Community Solar Energy Pilot Program. To expand equitable access to clean electricity, the program also provides guaranteed savings of 10 to 15% for all customers.

“We are pleased to support both the City of Linden as well as the State of New Jersey in leading the way forward to our collective carbon-free future by providing clean energy access, and associated savings, to local residents,” said Carl Engelbourg, marketing consultant at Navisun. “As a long-term owner and operator of community solar facilities, we are proud to work with the community and be a part of New Jersey’s community solar pilot program.”

Clean energy equity is a critical goal of New Jersey Governor Murphy’s push to 100% clean energy by 2050. It is estimated that only half of U.S. residents have rooftops suitable for solar energy installations, as nearly 80% of U.S. states now have community solar projects in place to overcome this clean energy access disparity. With over 135,000 solar installations, New Jersey is the number one state in the country for installed solar capacity per sq. mile, and has the most planned community solar capacity serving LMI households. Due to the success of Program Year 1 of the state’s community solar pilot program thus far, the NJBPU doubled the size of Program Year 2 projects awards, all of which include LMI requirements.

News item from Navisun