NJBPU Announces Funding to Support Creation and Implementation of Community Energy Plans

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) today announced awards in the third year of the Community Energy Plan Grant (CEPG) Program and the first year of the Community Energy Plan Implementation (CEPI) Program. Together, the CEPG and CEPI programs empower local communities to create and implement community energy plans that align with the State’s Energy Master Plan, the roadmap for achieving Governor Phil Murphy’s clean energy and emissions reductions goals.

“As the climate crisis intensifies, every New Jersey municipality must be equipped to face its wide-ranging effects and unique impacts on individual communities,” said NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “From Prospect Park to Atlantic City, the NJBPU continues to support communities across the state – including overburdened municipalities on the front lines of climate change – as they design and carry out community energy plans that best reflect their local needs and realities.”

Ninety-two projects will receive awards in year three of the CEPG Program, double the number of award recipients in the program’s second year, while 18 projects will receive awards in the CEPI program.

Projects awarded in the inaugural year of the new CEPI Program will generate significant economic and environmental benefits in communities across the state. Through CEPI funding, 25 electric vehicle charging stations will be installed for municipal and public use, including in high-traffic economic centers and municipal facilities. Additionally, CEPI funding will support the completion of energy efficiency upgrades in municipal buildings that are critical to the operations of participating municipalities. Collectively, these projects will yield thousands of dollars in energy cost savings, over 250 tons of greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and considerable savings in energy usage, including electric savings of over 350,000 kWh/per year and fuel savings of 1,500 MMBtus/year.

A total of nearly $8 million was available for CEPG and CEPI awards in FY24, with $4.5 million earmarked for the CEPG Program and $3.4 million earmarked for the CEPI Program. Funds were budgeted from the State’s Clean Energy Program and supplemented by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.

Created by the Board in 2019, in its first year the CEPG Program provided grants to three local governments, after which the program was redesigned to expand funding availability to overburdened municipalities in year two. While all municipalities are eligible for $10,000, those deemed overburdened are eligible for $25,000 CEPG awards. Established in 2023 to complement the existing CEPG Program, the CEPI Program is designed to support the implementation of projects identified within community energy plans.

In partnership with the NJBPU, Sustainable Jersey provides enhanced technical assistance to CEPG and CEPI applicants, with a particular focus on overburdened municipalities, including preparation of applications and development of community energy plans.

“Community Energy Plans are essential to implement our State’s Energy Master Plan at the local level. To lead this effort, municipalities are engaging in planning to collaboratively select the projects for implementation of local emissions-reducing initiatives,” said Randall Solomon, director of Sustainable Jersey. “We congratulate the municipalities that have received these grants and look forward to working with you to plan and implement your Community Energy Plan projects.”

The Board Order, which includes a full list of CEPG and CEPI awardees, is available here.

Additional details about the CEPG and CEPI programs are available here.