In early July, the New Jersey Clean Energy Program launched a School Lighting Initiative providing incentives to the state’s private and public K-12 schools for replacing T-12 fluorescent lights with new T-8 energy-efficient lighting. The incentives covered up to the entire cost of the upgrades, including materials, labor, permitting and disposal of the T-12 fixtures. A total of $6 million was allocated for this initiative, available to participants on a first-come, first-served basis. All public and private K-12 schools were eligible for money, as long as their utility bill included a nearly universal surcharge for clean energy called the Societal Benefits Charge. Some schools served by municipal utilities or regional cooperatives would not qualify.
In mid-July, the Program posted the application form that had to be filled out on behalf of each school that wished to participate. By the end of the day on July 18, applications had already exceeded the $6 million in available funds. The Program immediately stopped accepting additional applications, but intends to discuss the release of additional funding when program managers meet with the Board of Public Utilities in September. It is obvious from the speed with which the first round of funding was snapped up that there are still many of those fat, energy-hungry T12 bulbs hanging from the ceilings of schools throughout the state.