Bill Text: NJ A3166 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Permits municipalities to require that new construction be solar ready.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-03-07 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Housing Committee [A3166 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A3166-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOHN F. MCKEON
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
SYNOPSIS
Permits municipalities to require that new construction be solar ready.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act permitting municipalities to require that new construction be solar ready and supplementing P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A municipality may by ordinance condition the issuance of a construction permit for any new structure or building on the requirement that the structure or building be solar ready.
b. An ordinance adopted pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall require a construction permit application for a new structure or building to contain plans for the structure or building to be solar ready before the application may be declared complete.
c. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to its rule-making authority under the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) in order to effectuate the purposes of this section.
d. As used in this section:
"Solar panel" means an elevated panel or plate, or a canopy or array thereof, that captures and converts solar radiation to produce power, and includes flat plate, focusing solar collectors, or photovoltaic solar cells and includes the base or foundation of the panel, plate, canopy, or array.
"Solar ready" means the incorporation of design elements in a structure or building that allow for the installation of rooftop solar panels and, if the structure or building is intended to use hot water, a solar water heating system.
"Solar water heating system" means a system which uses solar energy as the primary means of heating water.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would allow municipalities to require that all newly constructed buildings in the municipality be solar ready. Under the bill, a building is considered solar ready if rooftop solar panels and, if applicable, a solar water heating system may be installed thereon. This bill would give municipalities the flexibility to promote the expansion of solar power generation and usage by requiring that new buildings are designed to be easily equipped with rooftop solar panels and solar water heating systems.
