The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board has approved modifications to two of its flagship clean energy initiatives—the Take Charge Program and the NJ Cool Program.
Designed to bolster building decarbonization and expand electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, the updates aim to reduce energy bills for businesses and institutions, lessen strain on the state’s electrical grid, and drive down greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with Governor Mikie Sherrill’s energy affordability agenda.
Key program enhancements
- Take Charge Program Updates: Utilizing Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) funds to support EV charging infrastructure for private fleets, the program will raise its minimum grant award size from $50,000 to $100,000. Additionally, projects will now be required to integrate on-site renewable energy generation or battery storage, better aligning the initiative with New Jersey’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) framework.
- NJ Cool Program Phase 2: Providing grants of up to $1 million (covering up to 50 percent of eligible costs) for building retrofits, the next phase mandates updates to existing heating or cooling systems alongside the inclusion of on-site solar or energy storage solutions.
The adjustments complement the NJEDA’s broader clean energy suite, including the RETROFIT NJ Program, which recently committed $79 million across ten large-scale decarbonization projects, and the New Jersey Zero-Emission Incentive (ZIP) Program, which has approved over $53 million in vouchers in 2026 alone for clean commercial vehicles.
Collectively, the NJEDA has invested more than $180 million in clean energy projects across the Garden State so far this year.
“Governor Sherrill understands that supporting business growth in New Jersey requires meaningful action on energy affordability,” NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Evan Weiss, said. “The changes to Take Charge and NJ Cool will align the NJEDA’s clean energy toolkit to Governor Sherrill’s energy affordability agenda, unlocking capital for business owners to continue growing their enterprises.”
