The New Jersey Permanent Community Solar Program has officially opened its doors, offering a substantial 225 MW of solar capacity. At Ampion, we recognize the significance of this opportunity and are here to guide you through a seamless application process.
Beginning on November 15th, the application window is now live! Act quickly – those who submit within the initial 10 days stand a chance to secure capacity. After that, any remaining capacity will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. 

All Community Solar projects that apply under the Permanent Program will be enrolled in the Administratively Determined Incentive (ADI) program and receive the REC incentive of $90/MW. Ampion is here to help you meet all the program requirements and apply with confidence.

We’re here to help you navigate the application process. Partnering with Ampion means aligning with a seasoned team dedicated to ensuring your success in the New Jersey Permanent Community Solar Program. [Reach out to us today](https://ampion.net/energy-developers/contact-us?utm_source=website&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supp&utm_content=nj) to learn more! 

Here’s what you’ll need to apply for New Jersey capacity:

**Evidence of any partnerships with community-based organizations and/or a narrative of the developer’s experience with community engagement activities.**

Ampion has built expertise in running successful municipal opt-in partnerships. These campaigns are effective due to the proximity of the solar farm to the residents – and they help us put the “Community” in Community Solar. Ampion helps you gain trust from town residents and fill sites quickly with high-quality subscribers – including low-to-moderate income residents. Read more about our partnerships with the [City of Gloversville](https://ampion.net/about/blog/gloversville-community-solar-partnership-low-to-moderate-income?utm_source=website&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supp&utm_content=nj), New York and the [Town of Eliot](https://ampion.net/about/blog/eliot-maine-community-solar-success-story?utm_source=website&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supp&utm_content=nj), Maine. 

**Letter(s) of support from the municipal council or mayor of the municipality in which the project will be located.**

Our dedicated Community Partnerships team builds relationships with municipalities and community organizations. Ampion can conduct proactive outreach and build initial relationships with municipal leaders to give you the letters of support you need. [Our community partnerships](https://ampion.net/community-solar/partners?utm_source=website&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supp&utm_content=nj) are designed to provide tangible financial benefits to municipalities and their constituents.

**Subscriber acquisition plan with a registered subscriber organization. 51% of subscribers on a site must be low-to-moderate income.**

Ampion employs a wide array of strategies to reach LMI customers and verify their eligibility through participation in approved income assistance programs such as SNAP and LIHEAP. Our targeted channel partner and municipal acquisition campaigns are particularly effective for this market.

We’re proud to say that our customer base includes a number of housing authorities with low-income residents, including several housing authorities. Ampion’s strength with this market segment goes a long way in helping our developer clients streamline acquisition.

Ampion is excited about this program, and we’re looking forward to helping developers and asset owners win capacity in the Garden State. Interested in partnering with Ampion in New Jersey? [Reach out to us today](https://ampion.net/energy-developers/contact-us?utm_source=website&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supp&utm_content=nj) to set up a call. 

Unlocking New Jersey’s Permanent Community Solar Program

At Ampion, we take our commitment to environmental stewardship seriously. Our dedication to sustainability and community involvement goes beyond our core business of providing renewable energy solutions. As a Community Solar company dedicated to spreading renewable energy everywhere, for everyone, environmental stewardship is embedded in Ampion’s DNA. Naturally, dozens of Boston-area Ampionites jumped at the opportunity to volunteer to clean up the Charles River Esplanade. 

On a beautiful day in late October, Ampion employees in the Boston area, Western Massachusetts and New Hampshire came together to demonstrate this commitment by giving back to the city of Boston. In collaboration with the [Esplanade Association](https://esplanade.org/esplanade-association/), our team embarked on a day of volunteer work to make a positive impact on the local environment.

**Cleaning Up the Charles River Esplanade**

Our day of volunteering kicked off with a mission to clean up the Charles River Esplanade in Boston. The Charles River Esplanade is a beloved green space along a bike path that provides a serene escape for Bostonians. However, like any urban area, it faces its share of challenges, including litter and debris. Ampion employees took to the task with enthusiasm, armed with gloves, bags, trash pickers and a strong sense of purpose.

As we combed through the area, picking up litter and tidying up, our team not only contributed to the immediate cleanliness of the space but also played a role in preserving the natural beauty of the Charles River Esplanade. We believe that taking action at the grassroots level is an essential part of our commitment to environmental sustainability.

Some of the biggest culprits of this pollution were styrofoam, fishing nets, glass bottles, aluminum cans, and of course – plastics. Our team found some crazy pieces of trash along the river bank, including a vintage wooden bowling pin, an action figure, a fancy shoe and a full bottle of ranch dressing. 

**Enhancing a Local Mural**

In addition to the cleanup efforts, a group of Ampion team members with artistic inclinations took on a special project – touching up a mural by the Esplanade Association. Murals are an integral part of our urban landscape, and they often reflect the identity and history of a place. By adding our touch to this mural, we aimed to rejuvenate and preserve a piece of Boston's cultural heritage.

Ampion’s dedication to environmental sustainability doesn't just manifest in the form of Community Solar and renewable energy solutions; it extends to the artistic and cultural aspects of our community as well. We recognize the importance of preserving and enhancing the beauty of our surroundings in all its forms.

**Ampion's Goal: Bridging Community Solar and Community Action**

As a Boston-based company founded in Bar Harbor, Maine, Ampion employees have a profound love of the New England landscape and nature. Our mission goes beyond providing green energy solutions; it's about making a meaningful and positive impact on the environment and the lives of those around us. We are proud to support the Esplanade Association and look forward to continuing our partnership and engagement in future initiatives.

Ampion's employee volunteer day was a testament to our core values, as well as our passion for environmental stewardship and community involvement. By cleaning up the Charles River Esplanade and enhancing a local mural, we hope to have contributed to the preservation of Boston's natural and cultural beauty. We remain steadfast in our goal  to bridge Community Solar and community participation, making the world a cleaner, more beautiful place, one volunteer day at a time.


Ampion Volunteers: Charles River Esplanade Cleanup

The Anacostia Community Solar project is now live! Located at the WMATA Metro station in [Washington D.C.](https://ampion.net/where-is-community-solar/dc?utm_source=web_site&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=dc&utm_content=anacostia), this Community Solar site will now produce clean energy on behalf of commercial and residential subscribers in the greater D.C. area. This 1.46 MW project will produce 1.83 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean energy annually, a greenhouse gas emissions savings equivalent to taking 290 cars off the road. 

Ampion is proud to bring Community Solar to D.C.-area subscribers and manage their subscriptions throughout the lifecycle of the project. Ampion team member Brian Kick attended the WMATA's "Flip the Switch" ceremony at the Anacostia Metro Station. 

![](https://www.datocms-assets.com/50319/1698760188-anacosta_buffer.jpg)


Attendees celebrated the Anacostia project going live, in addition to the Southern Ave solar project, located at the Southern Ave Metro station in [Maryland](https://ampion.net/where-is-community-solar/maryland?utm_source=web_site&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=md&utm_content=anacostia). Both solar sites serve as carport canopies that provide a shady place for metro users to park. 

Read more [here](https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Anacostia-solar-project-turned-on.cfm)!


The Anacostia Community Solar Farm Goes Live

* Ampion's Green-e® Energy Certified product, Ampion+, enables community solar subscribers to access Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) that meet the highest standards.
* Ampion brings developers foundational support for community solar expansion by providing corporations with an innovative way to achieve ESG objectives.
* Ampion+’s Green-e® Energy certification demonstrates Ampion’s commitment to transparency and precision with its products.

[Ampion Renewable Energy](https://ampion.net/), a leading provider of community solar solutions, is proud to announce the launch of its new [Green-e® Energy](https://www.green-e.org/programs/energy) certified product, Ampion+. Ampion is the first organization to build a product combining community solar subscriptions with Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), enabling [enterprise subscribers](https://ampion.net/community-solar/enterprises?utm_source=pr&utm_medium=release&utm_campaign=ampion-plus) to reduce energy costs and substantiate environmental claims for their environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) mandates. (Read about Ampion+ [Solar Power World](https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2023/09/ampion-now-bundling-community-solar-subscriptions-recs-businesses/)!)

“Many large organizations struggle to balance energy cost savings and Scope 1 emissions objectives with broader ESG initiatives. Ampion+ simplifies one important aspect of the ESG reporting puzzle,” said Vihann Kong, Senior Executive Director at Ampion. “They acquire Green-e® Energy certified RECs without having to incur the administrative cost of procurement or the financial cost of additional out-of-pocket expenditures. With just one agreement, companies get the savings and renewable energy benefits of community solar along with RECs that can help satisfy Scope 1, 2 and 3 requirements.”

Purchasing and budgeting for RECs can create challenges and delays for companies that do not specialize in renewable energy. With Ampion+, Ampion takes the lead by retiring RECs on behalf of the subscriber. The RECs are bundled with the subscriber’s community solar subscription, so companies do not need to manage separate processes for energy savings and ESG efforts. Ampion has already implemented Ampion+ with some of its large corporate subscribers, including [Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG)](https://www.ihgplc.com/en/news-and-media/news-releases/2023/ihg-hotels-and-resorts-provides-community-solar-offering-for-hotel-owners).

To offer Ampion+ to businesses, Ampion went through a certification process with the [Center for Resources Solutions](https://resource-solutions.org/), allowing Ampion+ to earn a Green-e® Energy certification, the industry standard for renewable energy verification. (Ampion+ is a Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) product and does not contain electricity. For more information, see [green-e.org/certified-resources](https://www.green-e.org/certified-resources/).) The certification confirms that the renewable energy is generated from new facilities, marketed transparently and accurately, and delivered to the purchaser, who maintains sole title. By meeting these standards, Ampion is able to sell Green-e® Energy Certified RECs, which are retired on behalf of the corporate subscriber. Once a subscriber claims the renewable energy associated with the REC, the REC comes out of circulation and can no longer be sold. This gives Ampion+ customers the evidence required for ESG reporting. 

Community solar allows electric utility customers to subscribe to a share of solar energy from nearby solar farms and save on their electricity costs. By participating in state community solar programs through Ampion, residential and corporate subscribers contribute to the energy grid’s transition to clean energy sources. The development of community solar projects is often dependent upon enterprise subscribers. These large entities serve as an anchor for the project developer, increasing the financial attractiveness of the project and improving its chance of being built, benefiting low-to-moderate income and other residential subscribers. 

“Ampion is proud to bring this innovative offering to the community solar market,” said Nate Owen, CEO of Ampion. “By bundling Green-e® Energy certified RECs with traditional community solar savings, Ampion is helping businesses streamline their renewable energy efforts. Ampion+ provides a huge benefit to corporate subscribers, and also to solar developers, who can rely on the stability of additional anchor subscribers for their community solar sites. We look forward to helping more top organizations save money on energy, reduce their carbon footprint, and simplify their ESG reporting initiatives.”

Ampion+

Ampion+ Bundles Green-e® Energy Certified RECs with Community Solar

*Portland Concert Venue Enrolls in Ampion Community Solar, Refers Patrons*

**PORTLAND, MAINE, August 28, 2023** – [The State Theatre](https://statetheatreportland.com/) is launching a sustainability partnership with [Ampion Renewable Energy](https://ampion.net?utm_source=pr&utm_campaign=statetheatre&utm_content=blog) to refer residents and businesses in the Portland area to Community Solar subscriptions. The historic concert venue subscribed to Community Solar with Ampion, supporting the generation of clean energy from local solar farms and saving up to 15% on its annual electricity costs. The State Theatre will save approximately $1,225 on electricity costs each year with Community Solar.

“We discovered that installing solar panels on top of the State Theatre was impossible due to the age of the building and weight restrictions. We are thrilled to have found an alternative way to support renewable energy and climate solutions for our community,” said Lauren Wayne, General Manager at the State Theatre. “The touring industry as a whole can be harsh on the environment, so it is important to us that we do our part in decreasing our carbon footprint. This is a great way to do it while taking advantage of the savings that renewable energy provides.”

Central Maine Power utility customers who enroll in Community Solar at [ampion.net/statetheatre](https://ampion.net/statetheatre?utm_source=pr&utm_campaign=statetheatre&&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=blog) will receive a $50 Visa gift card and Ampion will make a $50 donation to [Portland Downtown](https://portlandmaine.com/) on their behalf. The State Theatre chose Portland Downtown as its community partner due to its important advocacy work on combating climate change locally, the need for public restrooms in Portland and mental health awareness.

Ampion is subscribing Maine residents and businesses to clean energy from solar farms in Gray, Topsham, Boothbay, Maine. The State Theatre is assigned to the Pulk Solar Farm in Sabattus, Maine. 

“Ampion is proud to help the State Theatre and local residents and businesses support clean energy and save on electricity,” said Ely Spencer, Portland resident and Community Sales Executive at Ampion. “Through Ampion, the State Theatre will save on their annual electricity costs, make its operations more sustainable and spread this opportunity to the local community.”

[Community Solar](https://ampion.net/where-is-community-solar/maine?utm_source=pr&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=statetheatre) is a Maine program enabling Central Maine Power customers to support clean energy without purchasing or installing solar panels. Utility customers can subscribe to a share of clean energy generated from an offsite solar farm. That energy appears as renewable energy credits on their utility bills each month at a 15% discount. Community Solar enables utility customers an alternative way to support solar energy without putting panels on their roof. Visit [ampion.net/statetheatre](https://ampion.net/statetheatre?utm_source=pr&utm_campaign=statetheatre&&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=blog) to learn more.

State Theatre

The State Theatre Partners with Ampion to Support Clean Energy

**EL MIRAGE, CA - August 2, 2023** -- With a nationwide push to construct up to 20 GW of community solar by 2025 and drive $1 billion in electricity bills savings, a goal set forth by the Department of Energy’s National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP), California's entry into the community solar market is proving essential. Moreover, as utility rates have increased more than 50 percent since 2020, there is a growing appetite for renewable energy. Now, the state’s renewable energy capacity is growing with the addition of the first community solar power plant in the Southern California Edison (SCE) service territory. 

The 3.9 MW Sheep Creek Community Solar Farm is owned and operated by Catalyze, and its subscriber base was acquired by Ampion, a leading community solar subscription and revenue management company. The farm is now producing 9.5 million kWh of clean energy annually for local businesses, enterprises, and Southern California residents.

"Community solar’s debut in the Southern California Edison territory marks a watershed moment for the state and the movement,” said Nate Owen, CEO of Ampion. “Since community solar projects have no upfront cost or installation needed for users, they are an excellent way for states to give their citizens access to renewable energy. With Ampion’s successful acquisition of both enterprise and residential customers, all energy generated from the site will be used by the community. We are thrilled to partner with Catalyze to expand community solar’s reach in California and look forward to continuing to help grow this critical market."

Catalyze is a leading clean energy transition company. It builds, owns and operates solar, battery storage and electric vehicle (EV) charging systems for commercial and industrial customers. The Sheep Creek Community Solar Farm is situated on a 20-acre parcel of desert land in El Mirage, San Bernardino County. Local commercial entities, including [ECOS](https://ampion.net/about/blog/ecos-moves-to-100-renewable-energy-with-community-solar?utm_source=website&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supp&utm_content=sce) and [Clean Energy Fuels](https://cleanenergyfuels.com/), are able to move their operations to 100 percent renewable energy by participating in the community solar farm. 

“Community solar plays a key role in ensuring that participation in the clean energy transition is accessible to all,” said Jared Haines, CEO of Catalyze. “We couldn’t be prouder to develop the first front-of-the-meter community solar project that supports California’s ECR program. It is our hope that Sheep Creek can act as an example for other projects to follow statewide, and we can accelerate the execution of more community solar projects to help reach the goal of ensuring widespread availability of renewable energy.”

The Sheep Creek Solar Community Solar Farm is the first for SCE’s Community Renewables program. (**[Read about it in SolarBuilder!](https://solarbuildermag.com/projects/new-community-solar-farm-a-first-for-socal-edison-under-ecr-program/)**) The utility company services about 15 million people in Southern California and provides residential and commercial subscribers with access to solar energy without the effort and expense of rooftop solar. Those who subscribe receive a Community Renewables monetary credit on their electric bill for the energy generated by their allocation of the community solar farm. The energy generated on their behalf offsets up to 100 percent of their property’s energy generation charges. This offer is Green-e® Energy certified and meets the environmental and consumer-protection standards set forth by the nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions. 

Ampion works with solar farm developers, utilities, and end-users to connect community solar projects with subscribers and manage those operations. Currently, Ampion has over 1 GW of community solar projects under management across nine states, and anticipates managing more capacity in SCE territory as the California market expands.

To learn more about how Catalyze serves as an Energy Transition Partner that enables customers to participate in clean energy, visit [catalyze.com](https://catalyze.com/). 

For more information on how Ampion simplifies Community Distributed Generation (CDG) to accelerate the energy transition, visit [ampion.net](https://ampion.nethttps://ampion.net?utm_source=website&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supp). 

**About Ampion:**
Ampion provides turnkey subscription and revenue management solutions for renewable energy developers nationwide, simplifying the complex world of distributed generation. From prospect to payment, we maximize investor returns in a holistic way, optimizing revenue with a customer management platform purpose-built for community distributed generation. We’re industry veterans with the people, platform, and processes required to help developers and asset owners get the most out of their portfolios. Our clients choose us because we make their projects more predictable and more profitable, with better data insights, happier subscribers, and less risk. Learn more at [ampion.net](https://ampion.net?utm_source=website&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supp&utm_content=sce). 

**About Catalyze:**
Catalyze is a national Energy Transition Partner that develops, finances, owns, and operates integrated renewable assets, and combines its proprietary technology, financial strength, and battery and electric vehicle savvy to deliver standardized, yet configurable systems that meet their partners’ unique needs. These offerings enable commercial and industrial property owners, operating companies, and their customers to extract greater value from their assets, take increased responsibility and ownership of their energy profile, and ultimately become part of the clean energy transition. Catalyze owns two proprietary technologies – REenergyzeⓇ, an origination-to-operations software integration platform that helps accelerate and scale the nationwide adoption of commercial and industrial solar and storage, and SolarStrapⓇ, a proprietary mounting technology to install rooftop panels. To learn more, visit [catalyze.com](https://catalyze.com).

News & Updates

Unlocking New Jersey’s Permanent Community Solar Program