Short Hills home to record-breaking solar array

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Did you know: New Jersey is home to the largest floating solar array in North America? 

That’s according to New Jersey American Water and NJR Clean Energy Ventures (CEV), the Wall-based renewable energy subsidiary of New Jersey Resources, which owns and operates the Canoe Brook reservoir solar array in Short Hills. 

On June 6, CEV and New Jersey American Water officials cut the ribbon on the floating solar array – an 8.9-megawatt (MW) project consisting of 16,510 solar panels and covering 17 acres of the reservoir. The facility began operation in January. 

The clean energy generated by the array is enough to power 1,400 homes annually and will provide approximately 95% of the power needs for New Jersey American Water’s Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant, which produces 14 million gallons of drinking water per day and serves 84,000 customers, according to the companies. 

The array uses a racking system that enables the panels to float on water. Building arrays on man-made lakes or reservoirs helps solve the problem of finding suitable locations to accommodate large-scale commercial solar installations in densely populated areas, such as New Jersey. 

“Floating solar technology creates new opportunities for underutilized bodies of water, allowing space that would otherwise sit vacant to enable large-scale renewable energy generation, which helps to bring the benefits of clean energy to even more customers,” CEV Vice President Robert Pohlman said in a statement, adding that projects such as this advance the state’s clean energy and climate goals. 

Mark McDonough, president of New Jersey American Water, said it was essential for the Camden-based water utility “to be good stewards of the environment by operating efficiently and in a manner that helps protect our natural resources.” 

CEV also noted that the solar power produced by the array is equal to removing 8,121 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere compared with traditional power sources. The panels can also help reduce evaporation, which protects the water source and benefits the environment. 

Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn LaTourette, who also attended the ribbon cutting, said the Canoe Brook project “is an example of innovative leadership by critical partners in business and industry working hard to ensure the Garden State reduces its climate risk,” which repeatedly harms New Jersey’s communities and economy. 

Yet another official at the event, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Commissioner Mary-Anna Holden said, “We are proud to see the largest floating solar facility in North America be built in New Jersey. It truly underscores the efforts that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities puts towards a diverse, clean, energy future.” 

Since 2009, CEV has invested more than $1 billion in commercial and residential solar projects, maintaining 65 commercial solar assets across four states and a portfolio of more than 440 MW of installed capacity. 

In March 2020, CEV installed its first floating solar project, a 4.4-MW photovoltaic system located in Sayreville.