NEW SOLAR TRADE ALLY CATEGORIES:

Per Board Order of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) dated February 14, 2024,  the NJBPU and TRC, the NJCEP Program Administrator, are revising NJCEP’s Trade Ally list to include two new categories:

1. Assistance for Distressed Customers

Assistance for Distressed Customers was created to help distressed customers with projects that were abandoned by their solar installer. It will do so by providing a resource to facilitate the customers’ search for a new solar installer. NJCEP records reflect that such projects are at various stages of maturity, ranging from those for which only an initial registration has been submitted to those that have received Permission to Operate (PTO) and require only completion and submission of their post-construction certification packages. NJBPU and TRC are encouraging such distressed customers to seriously consider hiring a new installer to assist them in completing their projects and registrations.

1. Operations and Maintenance

Operations and Maintenance was created to help customers who are interested in engaging a contractor to maintain and/or repair their systems post-installation. This interest can arise from, among other things, the initial installer ceasing operations or one party or the other choosing not to continue their relationship on an ongoing basis.

Solar Installers wishing to be listed in either of the new categories should submit the Trade Ally Application for the new categories. Successful applicants must meet the standards and criteria set forth in the application. The application and required supporting documents should be submitted to njreinfo@njcleanenergy.com.

For Solar Installers:

N.J.S.A. 45:5A-2(d) states that solar PV systems are by definition electrical work and requires any person engaged in installing, erecting, or repairing such equipment to be an electrical contractor under the provisions of the statute. The Program Manager will collect the name of the New Jersey electrical license holder and New Jersey license number on the SRP application in order to demonstrate that the contractor has a valid business permit and holds a non-expired license from the New Jersey Board of Electrical Contractors. 

Participate as a Vendor in the NJCEP Trade Ally Database
New Jersey's Clean Energy Program (NJCEP) invites installers and manufacturers to be a part of the program's trade ally database. Requirements to be listed on the trade ally database include:

• If you have never been scheduled for a SRP inspection, please include a cover letter with your next SRP Registration submission requesting a program inspection. Once you have passed an inspection by a NJCEP representative you will be eligible to be approved to be listed in the NJCEP Trade Ally Database. Please include the NJCEP SRP project number in the comment sections of the trade ally request form.
• Become a legal entity recognized by the State of New Jersey to conduct business in the state.
• Meet insurance requirements set by the State of New Jersey.
• Comply with all tax and licensing requirements for doing business in the state.
• Review the programs within the NJCEP website, forms, guidebook and all relevant program updates.
• Hold a non-expired New Jersey electrical contractor license and include the name of the NJ electrical license holder, NJ license number and expiration date on each SRP registration that they submit.

Additional requirements for solar equipment manufacturers:

• Solar Equipment Manufacturers - Modules must be UL listed or UL certified through a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
• Solar Inverter Manufacturers - Inverters must be certified as compliant with the requirements of IEEE 929 for small photovoltaic systems and with UL 1741 (for Level 1 and 2 interconnections only) or UL certified through a nationally recognized testing laboratory.

Trade Ally Registration Process
If your company fulfills all of the requirements as listed above, you may begin the trade ally registration process. Please include the NJCEP project number in the comments section when you submit your listing.

In the event that an employee or group of employees from a company on the trade ally database leaves to start their own company, the new company will not be listed on the trade ally database until the new company completes all of the requirements needed to become a trade ally.

The registration process can take up to four weeks. Please do not contact the program team until the appropriate amount of time has elapsed. Send an e-mail to njreinfo@njcleanenergy.com.

Sign up for the Renewable Energy Listserv
To keep up with NJCEP renewable energy programs, join our listserv.

Contractor Remediation Procedures
The Board of Public Utilities approved procedures related to remediation of NJCEP contractor issues. The Contractor Remediation Procedure sets out the policy.