In recent years, my electricity bills were some of the highest I’ve ever seen. And it wasn’t just me: New Jersey residents’ utility bills spiked higher than they did in most other states in 2025. This year, with the cost of gas skyrocketing, it can feel like New Jerseyans can’t catch a break.
Fortunately, my utility bills are starting to go down. Not because demand has decreased or because utility companies have lowered their rates. My utility bills have been dropping month after month as we move into summer because I subscribed to a local community solar project.
A simple way to save on energy costs
Many people don’t know what community solar is. I didn’t before it came to the Township of Union.
Community solar projects are installed on otherwise unused spaces, such as warehouse rooftops or fallow farmland. Local residents like me can benefit from solar power without installing panels on our own roofs.
We sign up with no fees, upfront costs or long-term commitments. We can cancel at any time. In return, we receive credits on our monthly utility bills for a portion of the energy generated, without taking on an additional bill from a third-party company.
Last year, Dimension Energy developed a rooftop solar installation on a large warehouse facility in Union, covering multiple acres of roof space. The project required township approval and went live in November. More than 400 Union residents enrolled as subscribers.
The township held several community meetings before the project went live. Representatives from the solar developer attended those meetings and met with seniors at the senior center to spread the word and make sure residents who needed bill relief knew about the program.
From skepticism to savings
I was skeptical at first because I had previously spoken with rooftop solar salespeople and learned that many systems required a 25-year lease and that any savings could take years to materialize.
With the community solar project, I appreciated that the company had worked with township staff before trying to enroll residents. That gave me confidence in the program.
Signing up was easy, and I was relieved that I didn’t receive a flood of follow-up calls. When I received my first bills after enrolling, I was confused because I didn’t see immediate savings.
By February, I was saving a few dollars a month. The savings continued in March. By April, I started seeing larger savings of more than $40.
I learned that credits are based on the number of kilowatt-hours produced and distributed among subscribers. Winter months produce less energy than summer months, which means my savings should continue to grow as the weather gets warmer. That’s especially helpful because it’s also when my family uses air conditioning the most.
A program worth expanding
It’s risk-free, and there’s nothing to lose.
I’ll admit I was skeptical at first. It seemed too good to be true. But the numbers are there, and they don’t lie.
And the projects, at least the one in my town, aren’t eyesores. The panels sit on a warehouse roof next to a highway toll plaza — out of sight and out of mind.
I hope more communities embrace programs like this one so more New Jersey residents can lower their utility bills and benefit from community solar.
Sherlene Green-Pinckney is a Union resident.
