If you are going solar in New Jersey in 2026, the main incentive most homeowners need to understand is the ADI Program. ADI is part of New Jersey’s Successor Solar Incentive Program, usually called SuSI, and it pays eligible systems based on how much electricity they produce over time. For most new net-metered residential systems, ADI is the main state incentive path that matters.
What ADI, SuSI, and SREC-II mean
These terms sound more confusing than they need to be.
- SuSI is the overall New Jersey solar incentive program for newer projects.
- ADI is the part of SuSI that covers most new net-metered residential systems.
- SREC-II is the certificate the system earns based on solar production.
Under both ADI and CSI, one NJ SREC-II is created for every 1 megawatt-hour, or 1,000 kilowatt-hours, of electricity a qualifying solar system produces.
The short version of how it works
Once an eligible residential system is accepted into the ADI Program, it receives a fixed incentive rate for 15 years. For small residential systems, the current value is $85 per MWh. In simple terms, the more electricity your system produces, the more ADI value it can generate during that 15-year period.
That fixed-rate setup is a big part of why the current program is easier for homeowners to understand than the old SREC market. You are not trying to guess a changing market price every year.
What it may be worth for a typical New Jersey home
Actual output depends on roof angle, shading, orientation, weather, and system design. But for simple planning purposes, these rough examples are reasonable:
- 6 kW system producing about 7.5 MWh per year: about $637.50 per year, or about $9,562.50 over 15 years
- 8 kW system producing about 10 MWh per year: about $850 per year, or about $12,750 over 15 years
- 10 kW system producing about 12.5 MWh per year: about $1,062.50 per year, or about $15,937.50 over 15 years
- 12 kW system producing about 15 MWh per year: about $1,275 per year, or about $19,125 over 15 years
These are estimates, not guarantees. A better roof and better sun exposure can push production up. Shade and less favorable roof conditions can pull it down.
How registration and payments are handled
The payment process is more administrative than most homeowners expect.
After the system is certified through New Jersey’s program, it also has to be registered in PJM GATS, which is the tracking system used for these certificates. New Jersey’s own SREC-II registration page says participants also need to complete the state payment registration flow so the NJ SREC-IIs can be tracked and paid correctly.
A homeowner can either manage that process personally or have an aggregator manage it. So it is not accurate to say every homeowner must use an aggregator. Some do. Some do not. PJM’s transfer and account materials also make clear that owners can self-manage or assign an aggregator to act on their behalf.
Is ADI the same thing as net metering?
No. They are two different benefits.
- Net metering helps lower your electric bill by crediting excess solar production during the billing cycle.
- ADI is a separate production-based incentive tied to the NJ SREC-IIs your system earns.
That is why both can matter in the same project. One helps with your bill. The other adds separate incentive value tied to solar output.
What happens after 15 years?
The ADI incentive term lasts 15 years. After that, the system can still keep producing electricity and helping reduce utility purchases, but the ADI incentive itself ends. That is the cleanest way to think about it.
Common homeowner questions
Can the rate change after I am enrolled?
The current structure sets the incentive for the project once it is accepted under the applicable program terms. Later rate changes would affect later projects, not already accepted projects in good standing.
If I sell my home, do the ADI rights transfer automatically?
Not automatically in the casual sense. There is a formal transfer process for the system and related certificate records. PJM’s ownership-transfer sheet lays out required forms and steps for self-managed owners and for owners using an aggregator.
If I expand the system later, does the new part get the same rate?
Not necessarily. Expansion projects may be subject to the rules and incentive levels in place at the time the expansion is registered.
The practical takeaway
The big advantage of the current ADI setup is predictability. Homeowners are not trying to chase the kind of price swings that older SREC participants dealt with. Instead, the basic math is much easier: estimate annual production, apply the current incentive rate, and you get a much cleaner picture of what the incentive may be worth over time.
If you are comparing solar quotes, do not just look at electric-bill savings. Ask each installer to show you the system’s expected annual production and the projected ADI value based on that production. That makes it much easier to compare one proposal against another.
Get a clear look at your system’s ADI value
Solar Me can show you the estimated ADI value for your roof, shading, and expected solar production, so you can see how the program fits into the full picture before you sign anything.
