Incorporating Alternative Energy into NJDOT’s Physical Plant

The objective of this research was to clarify the technical, financial, regulatory, and environmental feasibility of incorporating renewable, on-site energy infrastructure into three selected NJDOT facilities (the Ewing Headquarters campus, the Mt. Arlington Regional Headquarters, and the Newark Maintenance Yard). Seven site configurations were analyzed, with a crystalline silicon (panel) and thin film photovoltaic version for each – yielding fourteen total scenarios (10 of which involve facilities at the Ewing Headquarters campus). For each scenario, the Final Report presents potential first costs, yearly utility savings, years to payoff (discounted), estimated net present value (NPV) of each investment after 10 years, and greenhouse gas equivalent Car Years. Supporting documentation is included in three appendices, first created as technical memoranda. It was determined that any one of the scenarios analyzed may make sense for NJDOT, depending on circumstances and objectives. The Report recommends that NJDOT move forward by 1) establishing expectations for financial returns, electricity costs, greenhouse gas impacts, and/or other criteria, 2) coordinating with the New Jersey Office of Energy Savings (OES) in order to benefit from OES’s statewide renewable energy activities, and 3) seeking implementation assistance, which may mean soliciting competitive bids from third-party solar developers for a Power Purchase Agreement.