New Jersey Accelerates Energy Storage with Over 1 GW Expansion

The state of New Jersey is scaling up its energy storage capacity by more than 1 GW in upcoming years.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved three battery storage initiatives which are expected to improve grid reliability, clean energy resiliency and lower electricity costs.

The board awarded incentives to community solar and battery storage projects, opened a second round of storage solicitations, advanced the Competitive Solar Incentive (CSI) Program, and approved the country’s expansion of a Community Solar energy program.​

"Solar and battery storage are the fastest and most cost-effective ways to build new electricity generation,” said NJBPU President, Christine Guhl-Sadovy, in a statement. “Today’s actions advance Governor Sherrill's clean energy goals while continuing the Board’s commitment to balancing affordability and promoting clean, in-state energy resources."

The utility-scale battery projects which won the incentives award process are Woods Landing Storage, a 200-MW site in Middlesex County; Two Rivers Energy Storage, 150 MW in Bergen County; and North America Energy Storage, a 5-MW array in Burlington County.

The state expects to add another 600+ MW of battery storage capacity within this decade. 

Three community solar projects totaling 24.1 MW of capacity were also awarded by the Utility Board. Those are the 4.1-MW Court at Deptford Solar and 10-MW Deptford Landfill Solar, both in Gloucester County, and the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission project, which is floating solar totaling 10 MW in capacity.