News & Insights

Governor Christie Signs Solar Bill Designed to Assist SREC Market

Earlier this week, New Jersey Governor Christie signed into law S1925, designed to revise solar renewable energy programs and requirements in the State of New Jersey and to provide for energy aggregation under net metering for properties owned by many governmental entities in New Jersey. ...read more

Solar Still Makes Fiscal, Environmental Sense

Reprinted from the Jan. 2, 2012, edition of The Review, the Newsletter of the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey. By: David A. Weinstein. ...read more

Updates to Pay-to-Play Legislation,

A Professional Perspective, a publication of the Affordable Housing Professionals of New Jersey, Volume 3, Issue 3. By: David A. Weinstein, Esq. ...read more

NJBPU Announces Public Stakeholder Series for Grid Modernization

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) recently published notice for a series of public meetings to collect stakeholder input on Grid Modernization and improving the Interconnection Process in New Jersey. We at Archer Law & Archer Public Affairs have been anticipating that the NJBPU would be undertaking such a process to address regulatory issues that could lead to comprehensive grid modernization proposals. ...read more

Governor Christie Signs Solar Bill Designed to Assist SREC Market

Earlier this week, New Jersey Governor Christie signed into law S1925, designed to revise solar renewable energy programs and requirements in the State of New Jersey and to provide for energy aggregation under net metering for properties owned by many governmental entities in New Jersey. The changes provide needed relief to the limping Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SREC) market in New Jersey, by requiring utilities in the State to obtain 2.05% of their electricity from solar by 2014, up from less than 0.5% now, and increasing the requirement to 4.1% by 2028. The new law also provides for a reduction in the Solar Alternative Compliance Payment (SACP) to $339 for energy year 2014, and dropping to $239 by 2028. The SACP is payable by utilities in the event that they fail to meet the purchasing requirements from solar, and it serves to create an effective ceiling on the price of SRECs. The law further provides for utilities to accelerate solar energy purchases by about four years, thus increasing SREC purchases from developers, and at the same time permits solar developers to hold onto their SRECS for five years instead of the prior three years. ...read more

Federal Legislation Extends Renewable Energy Grant Program

Recently the President signed an extension to the widely popular Section 1603 Grant program.  The Section 1603 Grant program for renewable energy projects administered by the U.S. Treasury ("Treasury") was set to expire at the end of 2010, but was extended for one additional year until December 31, 2011.  The Section 1603 Grant program permits the owner of a renewable energy project to recover 30% of the qualified cost of the energy system in a one-time cash payment from the Treasury upon completion and commissioning of the project, in lieu of tax credits which would otherwise be available for the project.  Solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas, microturbines, combined heat and power, and geothermal are all eligible projects for the 1603 Grant program. ...read more

James A. Boyd Jr. Joins Archer

Archer is pleased to announce that James A. Boyd Jr. has joined the firm as a partner in the Alternative & Renewable Energy Group where he counsels clients on a variety of alternative and renewable energy projects, including, among others, offshore wind energy development, electric vehicle infrastructure, energy storage, solar energy generation, energy transmission and interconnection, and utility filings, in addition to the land use and permitting aspects of energy project development. ...read more

Richard Mroz Joins Archer, Brings Distinguished Record of Service

Robert W. Bucknam Jr. Featured in Philadelphia Inquirer Alternative Energy Article

Robert W. Bucknam Jr., Co-Chair of Archer's Alternative & Renewable Energy Group, was featured in this September 2009 Philadlephia Inquirer article about an innovative project he worked on for a client. ...read more

NJ Energy & Utilities Webinar: BPU Updates, Current Issues and More

Join the Archer & Greiner P.C. and Archer Public Affairs Energy and Utilities Groups for a webinar series covering the latest developments and current energy utility regulatory issues following each of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities ("BPU") monthly meetings.  The first webinar will be hosted by Richard Mroz, Senior Director of Archer Public Affairs and former BPU President, and James Boyd, Archer Law Energy and Utilities Group attorney and former counsel to the BPU. ...read more