Administratively Determined Incentive (ADI) Program
Per Board Order dated March 6, 2023, IN THE MATTER OF A SUCCESSOR SOLAR INCENTIVE PROGRAM PURSUANT TO P.L. 2021, C. 169, ORDER REGARDING THE ONE YEAR REVIEW OF THE ADMINISTRATIVELY DETERMINED INCENTIVE, the Board established new incentive levels for eligible solar facilities seeking to participate in the ADI Program. The SREC-II incentive level adjustments in the table below will be implemented on March 13, 2023, the effective date of the Board Order. Cadmus Performance-Based Incentive Modeling Report can be found at the Solar Proceedings page.
Per Board Order dated December 7, 2022, IN THE MATTER OF A SUCCESSOR SOLAR INCENTIVE PROGRAM PURSUANT TO P.L. 2021, C.169, ORDER REALLOCATING CAPACITY IN THE ADI PROGRAM; the Competitive Solicitation Incentive (CSI) Program has been established with the first solicitation to occur in approximately three months and the Interim Subsection (t) application window has now been closed in accordance with the directive of the SuSI Program established in the Board Order dated 7/28/2021. Furthermore, the Board finds that the ADI residential market segment is on track to fully subscribe its allocated 150 MW (dc) of capacity well in advance of the end of Energy Year 2023. The non-residential market segment has subscribed less that one quarter of its allocated 287.836 MW of capacity. The Board directs staff to reallocate the remaining 69.81 MW of capacity from the closed Interim Subsection (t) market segment and 30.19 MW of capacity from the 287.836 non-residential capacity block to the residential market segment. The table below reflects these changes.
Per Board Order dated May 18, 2022, the Board set the Administratively Determined Incentive (“ADI”) Program megawatt (“MW”) block allocations for Energy Year (“EY”) 2023, which runs from June 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023. The EY2022 MW block allocations expire on May 31, 2022, and will immediately be replaced by the EY2023 allocations. The ADI Program will therefore carry forward without interruption; the Board has made no change to the ADI Program incentive values at this time.
Per Board Order dated July 28, 2021, IN THE MATTER OF A SOLAR SUCCESSOR INCENTIVE PROGRAM PURSUANT TO P.L. 2018, C.17, the ADI Program would be open to net metered residential projects; net metered non-residential projects at or below 5 MW; and all community solar projects. On an interim basis, the ADI Program would be open to registrations from projects that qualify as eligible for subsection (t) conditional certification, consistent with the previous SREC and TI Programs. This interim eligibility would remain open until approximately 3 months prior to the start of the Competitive Solar Incentive Program, or until the 75 MW (dc) capacity block assigned to this market segment is fully subscribed, whichever occurs first.
Per Board Order dated July 28, 2021, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has established a process for opening the Administratively Determined Incentive (ADI) Program to new registrations.
The ADI Program registration portal is open to new registrations.
ADI Program Solar Installer Trainings:
Date of Training | Presentation | Webinar Recording | Q&A |
Dec 6, 2024 | Coming Soon | Coming Soon | Coming Soon |
May 2, 2024 | Presentation | Recording | - |
Dec 13, 2023 | Presentation | Recording | - |
Feb 24, 2023 | Presentation | Recording | Q&A |
Energy Year 2025 ADI Capacity Blocks by Market Segments
Market Segments | System Size | MW (dc) Capacity Blocks |
Net-Metered Residential | All Sizes | 200 |
Net Metered Non-Residential | All sizes at or below 5 MW (dc) |
200 |
Community Solar | All sizes at or below 5 MW (dc) | Unused EY24 Capacity |
*Remote Net Metering (RNM) | All sizes at or below 5 MW (dc) | 50 |
* N.J.S.A. 48:3-116 has been amended to add a market segment megawatt block of 50MW per year for qualifying RNM projects. Board Staff is currently developing recommendations on the design of the RNM component of ADI.
- The ADI Program will accept new registrations for each market segment on a first-come, first-served basis until the MW block for that market segment is fully subscribed.
- A MW block would be defined as being fully subscribed when the last registration received in the ADI registration portal causes the total capacity of all registrations in that block to exceed the capacity allocation for said block (the last project allowed to register in a given MW block could lead to the slight exceedance of said MW block).
- When the MW block for a given market segment is fully subscribed as defined above, the ADI Program registration manager will close the registration portal for that market segment and stop accepting new registrations in that market segment until the next capacity block is opened.
- There will not be a waiting list for projects seeking to enter a capacity block for a particular market segment that is already fully subscribed.
- Current available capacity for each market segment will be posted on the homepage of the ADI online portal.
REVISED ADI Incentives (NJ-SREC-IIs) Per Market Segment - Effective March 13, 2023
Market Segments | System Size MW (dc) | Incentive Values ($/SREC-II) | REVISED SREC-II Value | *Public Entities (($20 Adder) |
Net-Metered Residential | All Sizes | $90 | $85 | N/A |
Small Net-Metered Non-Residential located on Rooftop, Carport, Canopy and Floating Solar | Projects smaller than 1 MW (dc) | $100 | $110 | $130 |
Small Net Metered Non-Residential Ground Mount | Projects smaller than 1 MW (dc) | $85 | $90 | $110 |
Large Net Metered Non- Residential located on Rooftop, Carport, Canopy and Floating Solar | Projects 1 MW to 5 MW (dc) | $90 | $100 | $120 |
Large Net Metered Non-Residential Ground Mount | Projects 1 MW to 5 MW (dc) | $80 | $85 | $105 |
Community Solar LMI | Up to 5 MW (dc) | $90 | No Change | N/A |
*“Public Entity” is defined as a customer that is a State entity, school district, county, county agency, county authority, municipality, municipal agency, municipal authority, New Jersey public college, or New Jersey public university.
Eligibility for Revised ADI Incentive (SREC-IIs) Values Per Market Segment:
- Announcement: SREC II Incentive Level Adjustment March 2023
- Net Metered Residential Market Segment, the reduced incentive level will apply to solar facilities that have submitted a complete registration in the ADI Program on or after the effective date of the Board Order, March 13, 2023. Net-Metered Residential registration packets that are submitted prior to March 13, 2023, that are rejected due to a major deficiency or are deemed to have a minor deficiency that do not comply within the sevel business days set out in the rules, will be required to resubmit a new ADI registration. The new ADI registration will have no reference to the previous registration and will be eligible for the lower incentive level.
- Non-Residential Market Segment, the incentive level increase will apply to solar facilities that submit new registrations and for registrations that have previously been registered in the ADI Program but have not yet been issued permission to operate from the Electric Distribution Company (EDC), as of the effective date of the Board Order, March 13, 2023.
ADI Program Key Eligibility Requirements:
- Net-metered residential, non-residential solar facilities 5 MW (dc) or less, and community solar projects.
- Solar facilities that have not yet reached commercial operation (defined as permission to operate) prior to the opening of the ADI Program.
- Solar facilities that reached commercial operation before August 28, 2021, must be granted special dispensation by NJBPU to participate in the ADI Program.
- All solar equipment must be new.
- Solar facilities connected to a distribution or transmission system owned or operated by a New Jersey public utility or local government unit.
- Solar facilities receiving incentives that are 1 MW (dc) or greater in size are subject to the Prevailing Wage Act N.J.S.A. 34:11-56.25, et seq.
ADI solar facilities are prohibited in the ADI Program from “Commencing Construction” (defined as obtaining permission to operate or PTO), prior to receipt of acceptance into the ADI program. Solar facilities that obtain PTO prior to the issuance of the ADI acceptance letter will be required to petition the Board for eligibility in the ADI Program.
Clarifying ADI Eligibility Requirements:
- Clarifying ADI Eligibility Requirements Memo January 2023
ADI Program Online Registration Portal
Registrants must submit an ADI Initial Registration packet with all required documents through the ADI online registration portal. The ADI Initial Registration packet must include all the documents listed on the ADI Initial Application Checklist(s) below:
ADI Initial Registration Checklists and Forms:
- ADI Initial Registration Checklist for Behind the Meter Projects (PDF) July 2024
- ADI Registration Certification Form (PDF) August 2021
- ADI Disclosure Form for Purchase (EXCEL) August 2023
- ADI Disclosure Form for Purchase (PDF) **this form is currently under construction - please use the Excel version until further notice**
- ADI Disclosure Form for Lease (EXCEL) August 2023
- ADI Disclosure Form for Lease (PDF) August 2023
- ADI Disclosure Form for PPA (EXCEL) August 2023
- ADI Disclosure Form for PPA (PDF) August 2023
Milestone Reporting Forms
The Milestone Reporting Form is required for net metered and community solar facilities greater than 1 MW (dc) and all grid supply projects. This form must be submitted with the initial TI Application Packet and quarterly thereafter, up until the submission of the Final As-Built (Post Construction Certification) Package.
- Milestone Reporting Form-Net Metered Projects 1 MW (dc) to 5 MW (dc) (EXCEL) August 2023
- Milestone Reporting Form-Interim Subsection (t) Grid (EXCEL) August 2022
Understanding Solar Ownership and Financing Options
Learn more about solar ownership and financing options.
Identifying Minor and Major Deficiencies for Incomplete ADI Registration Packets
ADI Initial Registration Checklists and Forms:
As the ADI Registration is reviewed, it will either be accepted or deemed incomplete. This document explains how the ADI Program Team identifies minor and major deficiencies within your registration packet.
The Final As-Built (Post Construction Certification) Packet
- ADI Final As-Built Checklist (July 2024)
- ADI Final As-Built Solar Technical Worksheet (Aug 2023)
- Post Construction NJCEP Compliance Form Solar Act Subsection (t) N.J.S.A. 48:3-87
Tools needed to complete the Final As- Built Forms and Equipment Information
NJCEP reserves the right to request a complete copy of production estimates, a full shade analysis, or any relevant documentation from the installer at any time. Save a copy of the “Results” pages for permanent record with the project file.
PV Watts/System Advisor Model (SAM)
Commonly Used Shading Analysis Tools
NJCEP permits the use of other tools as long as the tool can provide a full summary report, in case the ADI Program Manager requests copies.
To Verify the Solar Azimuth Orientation
- Solmetric Roof Azimuth Measurement Tool
- NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (formerly the National Geophysical Data Center)
Instructions on ADI Requirements for Decreases and Increases to the Solar System
Per Board Order below, dated April 26, 2023, the 10% or 25 kW limit for increasing the size of the solar facility referenced in your initial ADI registration packet has been increased to 20% or 25 kW, whichever is less. Solar facilities that submit their post construction packet prior to May 3, 2023, (effective date of the Board Order) and move their ADI registration status to Final As-Built Received, will be subject to the 10% or 25% increase requirements.
The ADI Program allows solar systems to be increased in size by up to 10% or 25 kW (dc), whichever is smaller, from the original system size proposed in the initial ADI Registration Packet. Solar facilities cannot increase their system more than 10% or 25kW (dc) and cannot increase the system capacity by any amount that would expand the project beyond 5 MW (dc). Solar facilities can decrease in size from the initial registration submitted with no restrictions.
- Board Order: Waiving ADI Projects May 2023
Understanding Co-Location as Defined in the Proposed Rules
Co-location is not permitted in the ADI Program, unless the Board grants a waiver in response to a petition.” N.J.A.C. 14:8-11.4(f). Co-location is defined as “siting two or more SuSI-eligible solar facilities on the same property or on contiguous properties, such that the individual facilities are eligible for a higher incentive value than they would be if they were combined into one single facility.” An exception is made for certain net metering projects: “In the case of net metered projects, SuSI-Eligible solar facilities shall not be deemed co-located if they serve separate net metering customers as defined at N.J.A.C. 14:8-4.” N.J.A.C. 14:8-11.2. A single customer with facilities connected to multiple utility accounts on one property would be considered co-located. An ADI-eligible facility that, in its entirety, could be eligible for two or more market segments shall be assigned to the market segment with the lower incentive value.
- An entity may file a petition with the Board for special dispensation to engage in co-location of facilities.
- Co-located projects are allowed if the project's registrant voluntarily agrees to accept the lowest incentive that would apply if the projects combined into a single project located on the site.
- Developers or owners cannot site multiple projects on the same property or contiguous properties in order to access a higher incentive level assigned to a smaller project (example: two 1 MW dc projects would receive a higher incentive than one project just under 2 MW dc.)
- Co-location is prohibited if the combined capacity of systems on a single site or contiguous site exceeds 5 MW dc.
- If the review of the Post Construction Certification (Final As-Built) Packet or project inspection reveal that the registrant failed to disclose co-located solar facilities, the Board may take enforcement action, including but not limited to adjusting the incentive downward by multiplying the aggregated project size by the lowest incentive level among the projects’ qualifying market segments.
Extension Policy
ADI solar facilities accepted in the ADI Program may be eligible for one 6-month extension. The registrant may apply for an extension for any solar installation that cannot complete the installation and submit a complete Final As-Built (Post Construction Certification) Packet with permission to operate from the Electric Distribution Company in the ADI online registration portal by the expiration date noted in the ADI Acceptance Letter.
Extension Requests will be reviewed and considered on a case-by-case basis and should include supporting documentation of extenuating circumstances for the delay in completing the facility, evidence that the facility has made progress towards completion, and demonstrations of the likelihood of timely and successful completion of the solar facility. For facilities 1 MW (dc) or greater, the ADI Program Team will consider whether the registrant has submitted timely quarterly milestone reporting forms. If the extension is granted, the ADI Program will provide a new registration expiration date six months from the expiration on the original conditional ADI Acceptance Letter.
Any ADI solar facility that would like to submit a request for a second extension must submit a petition to the NJBPU, for consideration.
Program Contacts
Correspondence and inquiries should be directed to:
New Jersey's Clean Energy Program
Successor Solar incentive (SuSI) Program
Administratively Determined Incentive (ADI) Program
NJREINFO@NJCleanEnergy.com
Phone: 866-NJSMART (866-657-6278)