Dive Brief:

Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) is awaiting approval from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) for its plans to develop 33 MW of solar projects at existing landfill and brownfield locations.

PSEG subsidiary Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) in May asked BPU to expand its “Solar 4 All” program to allow it to invest $275 million to install 100 MW of solar capacity on landfill and brownfield sites by 2022.

PSEG reached a proposed settlement over its May proposal, under which it won approval to invest $80 million for 33 MW of solar capacity. A final decision is expected by year's end, according to Renewable Energy World.

Dive Insight:

New Jersey is one of the leading states in solar power, but it is also one of the most densely populated states. One way of keeping the state’s solar momentum going while not encroaching on farmland and open spaces is to use brownfield industrial sites.

Under a previous program, PSE&G has installed nine solar farms totaling 53 MW on brownfield sites.

PSE&G’s newest solar program is scaled back to 33 MW from 100 MW under a proposed settlement agreement with BPU staff, the state’s office of Rate Counsel, and other parties after months of negotiations.

PSE&G’s original solar plans were contested by a variety of groups that argued that the build-out would disadvantage independent solar developers and rate payers by sanctioning ratebased solar projects.

The proposed settlement must still be approved by the full BPU.