New Jersey Has Some of the Most Aggressive Clean Energy Incentives in the Country
New Jersey is not short on clean energy ambition. The state has a Renewable Portfolio Standard requiring 50% clean energy by 2030, an offshore wind target of 11,000 megawatts by 2040, a statutory mandate for 2,000 megawatts of energy storage by 2030, and an array of solar incentive programs that have already helped double the state’s installed solar capacity. The money is real, the programs are active, and the opportunity is significant.
Here is what often catches companies off guard: accessing these programs is not simply a matter of submitting an application. New Jersey’s clean energy incentive landscape is a layered system of competitive solicitations, regulatory proceedings, legislative priorities, and agency-level relationships. Navigating it effectively requires a level of inside knowledge that most firms simply do not have.
GTB Partners does.
The Major NJ Clean Energy Incentive Programs Right Now
Understanding what is available is the first step. Here is a grounded overview of the programs that matter most for energy developers, investors, and businesses in New Jersey today.
Garden State Energy Storage Program (GSESP)
Launched by the NJBPU in June 2025, the GSESP replaced the earlier NJ SIP framework and established New Jersey’s primary incentive structure for grid-scale and distributed battery storage. Phase 1, Tranche 1 awarded incentives for 3555 megawatts of capacity in March 2026. Tranche 2, open as of May 2026, is seeking an additional 645 megawatts, bringing the program to its 1,000 MW Phase 1 target. Phase 2, which will cover residential behind-the-meter storage, is expected to launch later in 2026. Legislation signed by Governor Sherrill in March 2026 expanded the program’s eligibility and extended award deadlines through December 31, 2026.
Successor Solar Incentive (SuSI) Program
The SuSI program replaced the original SREC framework and established a two-part incentive structure for solar development. A fixed SREC-II payment of $85 per megawatt-hour for qualifying residential and commercial systems, locked in for 15 years, plus a competitive incentive for grid supply projects. The program was designed to support up to 3,750 MW of new solar generation and remains one of the foundational pillars of New Jersey’s clean energy incentive stack.
New Jersey Clean Energy Program (NJCEP)
The NJCEP is the broad umbrella program administered by the NJBPU that covers residential and commercial rebates for solar installations, energy efficiency upgrades, combined heat and power systems, and new construction incentives through the SmartStart Building Program. It also currently funds Phase 1 of the GSESP, meaning it sits at the center of both efficiency and generation incentive policy.
C-PACE (Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy)
Established by legislation in 2021, the Garden State C-PACE Program allows commercial, industrial, agricultural, and certain multi-family property owners to finance clean energy and energy efficiency improvements through property assessment. This can be a powerful tool for projects that do not fit neatly into the utility-scale incentive programs but still need a structured financing mechanism.
NJEDA Clean Energy Financing and Tax Credits
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority offers a range of financing vehicles and tax credits that intersect with clean energy development, including the NJ Clean Energy Loans revolving fund and the Offshore Wind Tax Credit, which can provide credits of up to 100% of qualified capital investments for businesses making substantial investments in wind energy facilities and creating a minimum of 150 new full-time jobs.
New Jersey Green Bank
The NJ Green Bank leverages public and private capital to finance clean energy and energy efficiency projects across the state, with a particular focus on projects serving underserved communities or filling market gaps that traditional financing will not reach.
Why Incentive Access Is a Government Relations Problem
Every one of these programs has rules, timelines, eligibility thresholds, and competitive scoring criteria. The companies that consistently win incentives share something in common: they are engaged in Trenton before the solicitation opens, not after.
That means participating in NJBPU proceedings when the rules are being written. It means maintaining relationships with the legislative committees that oversee energy policy. It means knowing when a program is about to change, when a new appropriation is moving through the budget, or when a regulatory decision is going to affect your project’s eligibility. It also means having the credibility to engage constructively, not just to file comments, but to actually influence outcomes.
This is the work that GTB Partners does every day. Our team includes former senior government officials who served at the Governor’s Office and across the Legislature. We understand how these programs are designed, how they are administered, and how they get changed. Over 25 years, we have secured tens of millions of dollars in state budget appropriations for our clients and led dozens of successful advocacy campaigns for solar, wind, and storage projects across New Jersey.
How GTB Partners Supports Clients Navigating NJ Clean Energy Incentives
Our work in this space is not limited to a single program or a single moment in the process. We help clients at every stage.
Before a program launches, we engage in the rulemaking process to ensure our clients’ interests are reflected in program design. This includes eligibility criteria, incentive structures, scoring methodologies, and timeline requirements. Oftentimes, this is where the most important work happens, and it is almost entirely invisible to companies that are not already in Trenton.
During a competitive solicitation, we help clients understand how to position their projects, what regulators are paying attention to, and how to navigate the compliance requirements that can make or break an application.
After an award, we stay engaged on implementation. We work through interconnection timelines, permit bottlenecks, and the continuing regulatory relationships that affect whether a project actually gets built.
Our lobbying and public affairs practice is the backbone of this work, and is backed by our deep expertise in the energy sector. Specifically, including years of experience with both the NJBPU and the Legislature on energy storage, solar, offshore wind, and efficiency programs.
The Incentive Landscape Is Changing Quickly
The repeal of the federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025 has shifted more pressure onto New Jersey’s state-level programs to carry the load for clean energy project economics. At the same time, Governor Sherrill’s administration has moved aggressively to expand and accelerate state incentives. From Executive Order 2, directing the NJBPU to open Tranche 2 of the GSESP within 45 days of taking office, to new legislation expanding program eligibility just months later.
This is a moment when having the right relationship in Trenton is often determinative.
Learn more about our team or explore the full range of industries we serve. If you are working to access NJ clean energy incentives or shape the programs that govern them, we would like to hear from you.
Contact GTB Partners – 162 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey.