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Clean Energy & Renewables Roundup
Dockets:
EO18080899
,QO20080555
,QO21050824
,QO21101186
,QO23070426
Category: New Jersey
- On December 20 the Board granted Atlantic Shores’ motion to dismiss the petition from Save Long Beach Island regarding the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1 and the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Motion to Dismiss the Petition. Save Long Beach Island’s petition seeks a formal hearing for a reduction in the OREC pricing for the Atlantic Shores project. Save Long Beach Island attached an expert report that asserts the OREC prices set by the Board were based on a flawed cost-benefit analysis. The Board agreed with Atlantic Shores argument that Save Long Beach Island should have filed an appeal of the OREC order with the Appellate Division in 2021. (BPU Docket Nos. QO20080555, and QO21050824)
- On December 6, the Board awarded a contract to a consultant to assist with the development of the 2024 Energy Master Plan (EMP). BPU President Guhl-Sadovy said this is not just going to be a refresh of the 2019 EMP. Catherine Klinger, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy, recently said she expects the consultant not to finish the draft EMP until 2025. (BPU Docket No. QO23070426)
- On November 22 PSEG Nuclear withdrew its Notice of Intent (“NOI”) to apply for Zero Emission Credits (“ZECs) for its three nuclear generation units. PSEG expects the Production Tax Credits (“PTC”) for nuclear units contained in the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) to obviate the need to apply for ZECs. (BPU Docket No. EO18080899)
- On December 6, the Board approved an RFQ for a contractor to assist with net metering policy planning upon the state reaching the 5.8% of retail sales solar net metering threshold. BPU President Guhl-Sadovy said this is a two-year study. Since the state is already at the 5.8% threshold this will likely mean no changes to the next metering for the next two years. (BPU Docket No. QO23100740)
- The BPU held a technical conference on December 13 to discuss the design of the program to implement the federal Inflation Reduction Act Home Efficiency Rebate (HOMES) and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEEHR) formula funding. More information is available in the Notice.
- Federal officials from NOAA issued an opinion recently indicating that the Atlantic Shores offshore wind project will likely have adverse effects on whales and other marine mammals but won’t seriously harm or kill them. Full article here.
- The Ocean Wind 1 and 2 projects could be salvaged if the rights are sold by Orsted, the sole owners of the lease areas. The company said that it will consider “value-creating options” but has not elaborated on what the options would include. The company has also said that it was likely too optimistic in some areas when planning the two projects.
- On December 8 the BPU announced that it has received over 300 applications for the Community Solar Energy Program (CSEP), which total over 300 MW of new solar capacity. The application window for the new, permanent community solar program opened on November 15, 2023, with a 225 MW capacity block available for development for EY 2024, representing the first opportunity for developers to participate since establishing the CSEP.
- On December 14 the BPU held a Stakeholder Meeting on the second solicitation of the Competitive Solar Incentive (“CSI”) Program. The CSI Program will solicit for solar generation totaling 300 MW per year through 2026. The solicitation portal for the second bid into the CSI Program opened for pre-qualification on November 27 and remains open for bid submission until February 29. (BPU Docket No. QO21101186)
- On December 19 the BPU opened the application windows for the third year of the Community Energy Plan Grant (CEPG) Program and the first year of the new Community Energy Plan Implementation (CEPI) Program. The programs empower local communities to create and implement community energy plans that align with the State’s Energy Master Plan, $4.5M is earmarked for the CEPG Program and $3.4M is earmarked for the CEPI Program in FY24. Funds have been budgeted from the State’s Clean Energy Program and are supplemented by the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.
- On December 21 the BPU issued a request for comments regarding Staff’s revenue review of the nuclear power plants that received ZECs during EY 2023 of the Second Eligibility Period (June 1, 2022, through May 31, 2023). Comments will be accepted through January 22 and more information is available in the Board’s Notice.
- BPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy said that the end of Ocean Wind 1 and 2 does not mean the end of offshore wind in the state and reinforced the Board’s commitment to offshore wind. The BPU plans to announce approval for the next round of offshore wind projects by the end of the year.
- With reauthorization of the state’s Transportation Trust Fund due in June 30 of next year, we believe there will be legislative discussions for EV owners to pay an equivalent amount to the gas tax which they currently don’t pay. Full article here.
- On December 20 Governor Murphy announced a nearly $13 million investment to increase the number of electric trucks and buses in overburdened communities. The investment will use RGGI proceeds to fund 45 electric garbage trucks, dump trucks and shuttle buses in addition to 22 charging stations in overburdened municipalities in the state.
- The November Solar Build Rate Report issued on December 28 shows the residential block is slightly oversubscribed for 2023 (by 15 MW) at 165 MWs, the commercial sector is still struggling in the ADI program at 55 MWs almost 100 MWs short. Community Solar is now picking up at 92 MWs for 2023. The Report indicates about 100 MWs short on the ADI goal and with no CSI project for 2023 the overall solar market is about 345 MWs for the first 11 months of 2023.
