New Jersey · Net metering · Deep-stack program

NJ Net Metering

Sets the billing terms for excess solar generation sent back to the grid by residential customers in New Jersey -- see the credit rate and how it shapes payback below.

Retail rate credit
stated benefit
Residential
eligible customers
12.8 yr
New Jersey baseline payback
4
other New Jersey programs
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Deep-stack program · early directory

New Jersey runs a 5-program DSIRE stack; this net metering is one layer on a 12.8-year modeled baseline, not the whole story.

  • Stack5 programs
  • In-state #1/4
  • Type #28/46
  • Baseline12.8 yr

In-state directory place #1 of 4 (early alphabet). National net metering directory #28 of 46. Amounts and eligibility change; verify with the official program page before relying on a dollar figure. Informational only - not financial advice. See our disclaimer.

Program description

New Jersey provides full retail net metering for systems up to 2 MW.

Program at a glance

Program type
Net metering
Eligible customers
Residential
Stated benefit
Retail rate credit
State electricity rate
18.5¢/kWh
New Jersey solar score
34/100

Solar's trajectory in New Jersey

The market this incentive operates in: total installed solar capacity in New Jersey reported to the EIA.

0 MW500 MW1.0 GW1.5 GW 2007201020132016201920222024 1.2 GW
New Jersey now has about 1.2 GW of installed solar, the backdrop programs like this one are built on.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, installed solar nameplate capacity As of 2024

New Jersey's solar incentive stack

How this net metering sits among New Jersey's 4 tracked programs, by type

programs

What this shows New Jersey tracks 3 incentive types; net metering (1 program) governs the billing side, while the state's other tracked types handle upfront cost or ongoing payments.

Source DSIRE incentives registry As of 2024

How this net metering layers inside New Jersey's deep stack

The NJ Net Metering governs how New Jersey credits excess solar generation sent back to the grid, one of the state's DSIRE-tracked solar policies. Eligibility is scoped to residential customers, with a stated benefit of Retail rate credit. DSIRE lists no scheduled sunset, though enabling legislation and appropriations can still be revised year to year.

That baseline is slower than most states, which raises the stakes for every incentive on the table. New Jersey averages 4.5 kWh/m²/day of usable sunlight and residential rates of 18.5¢/kWh, producing an estimated 7,884 kWh/year and $1,459 of annual utility offset on a typical 6 kW system costing $18,600. That baseline already implies a 12.8-year simple payback and a 25-year modeled net of roughly $17,875 before this incentive - every dollar this net metering delivers compresses that payback further.

New Jersey bundles a deep incentive stack, so this program rarely stands alone. New Jersey has 5 solar incentive programs indexed in DSIRE, including adjacent options like NJ Renewable Energy Property Tax Exemption, NJ Solar Sales Tax Exemption, NJ Transition Renewable Energy Certificate (TREC/SREC-II). The state's net-metering policy is classified as full, which governs how excess generation is credited and often decides whether a given program is worth claiming for a specific household.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the NJ Net Metering sit in New Jersey's deep program stack?
The NJ Net Metering is a net metering available to residential solar customers in New Jersey. The stated benefit is Retail rate credit.
How does this net metering work beside New Jersey's other programs?
New Jersey provides full retail net metering for systems up to 2 MW.
Who qualifies, and why is this an early in-state directory row?
The program is available to residential customers in New Jersey. Check the official program page for current eligibility requirements and deadlines. In-state directory place #1 of 4 (early alphabet).
How does this incentive affect solar ROI in New Jersey?
New Jersey has an estimated 12.8-year payback for a 6 kW system before incentives, with about $1,459/year in modeled savings. A net metering like this lowers upfront cost or raises annual return, shortening that payback. Run the calculator for a figure based on your own bill.
Which other New Jersey programs stack with this one?
New Jersey has 5 solar incentive programs tracked in DSIRE, including NJ Renewable Energy Property Tax Exemption, NJ Solar Sales Tax Exemption, NJ Transition Renewable Energy Certificate (TREC/SREC-II). State programs are designed to stack on top of any available federal solar tax credit rather than replace it.

Incentive data from the DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency); state solar economics from NREL and the U.S. EIA. See our methodology · New Jersey solar data · ROI calculator · All incentives.