New Jersey is one of the fastest growing solar markets in the country, second only to California in overall installations. In the first quarter of 2012, New Jersey installed more solar PV than any other state; this was the first time any state other than California ranked first in overall quarterly installations. In late 2011, Governor Chris Christie issued the New Jersey Energy Master Plan, which set the parameters for policies going forward.

Facts on New Jersey's Solar Industry

New Jersey’s strong solar policies are helping to build a stronger, more resilient grid post-Sandy. In fact, there are so many solar businesses that they even outnumber tanning salons! Share this

• There are currently more than 433 solar companies at work throughout the value chain in New Jersey, employing 5,700.
• In 2012, New Jersey installed 419 MW of solar electric capacity, ranking it 3rd nationally. See more solar state rankings.
• The 1,051 MW of solar energy currently installed in New Jersey ranks the state 3rd in the country in installed solar capacity.  There is enough solar energy installed in the state to power 150,400 homes.
• In 2012, $1.3 billion was invested in New Jersey to install solar on homes and businesses.  This represents a 8% increase over the previous year, and is expected to grow again this year.
• Average installed residential and commercial photovoltaic system prices in New Jersey fell by 20% last year.  National prices have also dropped steadily— by 13% from last year and 34% from 2010.

View more solar industry data.

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Notable Solar Installations in New Jersey

• The largest rooftop solar array in North America was installed in spring 2012 by Holt Logistics, on the roof of its Gloucester Marine Terminal warehouse facility.  The 9 MW project features more 27,000 panels spread out over 1.1 million square feet.  The installation will provide 80% of the facilities energy needs, displacing the carbon dioxide equivalent of the emissions from 1,200 cars.
• McGraw-Hill has installed a 14 MW ground-mounted photovoltaic system near two of its corporate buildings in East Windsor.  The project led to 294 jobs at peak construction and is expected to cut the company’s global carbon emissions by 10 percent.

See our solar installations maps.

SEIA New Jersey State Solar Policy Priorities

• To address the imbalance of solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) in the state, the legislature passed a bill that would accelerate the solar requirement in the renewable portfolio standard (RPS) by almost four years, allowing New Jersey's solar market to continue growing consistently over the next several years. Governor Christie signed this solar legislation into law on July 23rd, 2012.
• In the spring of 2012, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved a new 3-year, 180 MW Electricity Distribution Company SREC finance program. This program will help to reduce the volatility of SREC prices in the New Jersey marketplace, providing incentives for businesses and homeowners to add solar energy to their properties.
• The largest rooftop solar array in North America was installed in spring 2012 by Holt Logistics, on the roof of its Gloucester Marine Terminal warehouse facility. The 9 MW project features more 27,000 panels spread out over 1.1 million square feet. The installation will provide 80% of the facilities energy needs, displacing the carbon dioxide equivalent of the emissions from 1,200 cars.

Solar Companies in New Jersey

There are currently more than 433 solar companies at work throughout the value chain in New Jersey.  These companies provide a wide variety of solar products and services ranging from solar system installations to the manufacturing of components used in photovoltaic panels.  These companies can be broken down across the following categories: 69 manufacturers, 17 manufacturing facilities, 261 contractor/installers, 33 project developers, 28 distributors and 42 engaged in other solar activities including financing, engineering and legal support.

Don't see your company listed? Complete our National Solar Database Survey!

New Jersey State Solar Policy Resources

New Jersey Board of Public Utilities - Learn about the governing body that regulates the electricity rates and services of New Jersey public utilities

New Jersey State Legislature - Track pending legislation affecting solar energy, locate and contact individual legislators, and stay up to date on current legislative issues in

New Jersey's Clean Energy Program - Find a wide variety of information on state government energy programs, policy, projects, energy-saving strategies and energy-related statistics

DSIRE incentives database - New Jersey - Search a public clearinghouse for specific solar energy incentives in New Jersey and across the United States

U.S. Energy Information Administration - New Jersey State Profile - Explore official energy statistics, including data on electricity supply and demand, from the U.S. government