Through its solar energy initiatives, the former NJMC established itself as a regional leader in the promotion of alternative power sources.
The Commission’s solar achievements include a 3-megawatt, groundbreaking, grid-connected solar farm built on a closed landfill in Kearny. The NJSEA 1A Landfill Solar Project is the first solar installation on a State-owned landfill. The array consists of 12,506 photovoltaic panels mounted on 13 acres atop the 35-acre landfill that supply electricity directly to the electric grid.
The NJSEA’s 120-kilowattsolar carport canopy constructed over part of the Commission’s administration building parking lot includes 504 solar panels that provide approximately 20 percent of the electricity needs of the facility.
In addition, the NJSEA Center for Environmental and Scientific Education (Science Center) includes 165 rooftop solar panels. The Science Center’s solar component was a factor in the facility becoming the first public building in New Jersey to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Certification – the highest rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The NJSEA also facilitated the formation of a solar power purchasing cooperative between the Borough of Little Ferry, the Town of Secaucus and their respective Boards of Education. This initiative resulted in the installation of rooftop solar systems in Little Ferry totaling 76.5 kilowatts and rooftop and ground-mounted systems in Secaucus totaling 770 kilowatts.