A subsidiary of Lightstar Renewables, NJ Solar 2000 LLC is among only three developers selected in the first solicitation of New Jersey's dual-use solar pilot program, earning eight conditional awards totaling 27.3 MW.

Lightstar Renewables, through its subsidiary NJ Solar 2000 LLC, is among the three developers selected in the first solicitation of New Jersey's dual-use solar pilot program. The company received eight conditional awards totaling approximately 27.3 megawatts (MW) of planned solar capacity, spread across Monmouth, Salem, Warren, and Cumberland counties, at a time when the US solar market continues to see a wave of transactions, illustrated by PowerBank's acquisition of 13.9 MW of community solar in New York State. The result places Lightstar among the very first developers chosen under this landmark state program, even as negative electricity prices reshape Europe's solar PPA market.

A landmark pilot program for New Jersey agriculture

Administered by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU, the state's public utilities regulator), the program operates under the Dual-Use Solar Energy Act of 2021. It aims to demonstrate that renewable power generation and active farming can coexist on the same parcel of land. In this inaugural solicitation, the NJBPU conditionally approved 16 projects statewide, representing 52.06 MW of solar capacity. The projects combine solar installations with a range of agricultural activities, including soybeans, hay, grains, vegetables, fruits, and livestock grazing.

The solicitation drew strong early interest, with 33 preliminary proposals submitted for a combined total of roughly 140 MW. Lessons learned from this pilot are expected to shape a permanent agrivoltaics program in the state, with total deployment potentially reaching 200 MW over the next three years. According to Kelly Buchanan, Senior Manager of Policy Strategy at Lightstar, being named one of only three developers selected reflects both the strength of the company's approach and the trust placed in it by farmers, communities, and regulators. New Jersey Senator Bob Smith praised the program's ability to reconcile food production and clean power generation on the same acre of farmland, while NJBPU President Ben Hertz-Shargel noted that the pilot helps make farm operations more profitable while adding capacity to the grid.

Regulatory milestones still to come

Lightstar emphasizes that these awards remain conditional and represent only an early milestone in a multi-stage state program. The projects must still complete regulatory filings and coordinate with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, within a 36-month development window. According to Kelly Buchanan, the company prefers not to set a timeline for construction or operations at this stage, committing instead to seeing each step of the process through alongside its farming partners and local communities.