Program Overview
The Non-residential Renewable Energy Solutions (NRES) Program is a statewide program that provides renewable energy tariffs to compensate non-residential owners of distributed energy resources like solar for the power their systems produce and provide to the electric grid. Launched in 2022, the NRES Program is a successor program to the Low Emission Renewable Energy Credit and Zero Emission Renewable Energy Credit (LREC/ZREC) and Virtual Net Metering (VNM) programs.
In June 2021, PURA issued a final decision that established the program objectives to foster the sustained, orderly development of the state’s Class I renewable energy industry and to encourage participation by customers in underserved and environmental justice communities, among others. The program is statutorily authorized to run for six (6) years and to select up to 110 MW of clean energy annually.
*NEW* Recent Changes (2024 only)
In the latest NRES annual program review, PURA authorized several changes to the program, including:
- Public Act No. 24-31 permits the NRES Program to exceed the total cap on available MW beginning in 2025, provided that the aggregate project compensation does not exceed the compensation for projects selected in 2024; any excess capacity available for an EDC to award in Program Year 4 will be allocated to the lowest-priced bid within the respective EDC’s service territory, such that the respective project’s annual compensation does not exceed the EDC’s available excess compensation;
- Public Act No. 24-151 § 173 required the Authority to initiate a docket by January 1, 2025, to develop a program to encourage the installation of solar photovoltaic systems and energy storage systems at public schools; Program Year 4 offers a new ‘School Category’ with a 25 MW cap reserved exclusively for school solar projects;
- Project bidders must affirmatively acknowledge their understanding of the requirements set forth in Public Act No. 21-43, specifically as they relate to promoting a workforce that is fairly compensated and adequately trained, and achieving community support for projects; and
- Program Year 4 provides a revised definition of ‘brownfield’ and establishes ‘parcel’ as a defined term.
Learn More About the Program
Program Websites and Contact Information
| Program Administrators | Website | |
| Eversource Energy | ctcommrenewables@eversource.com | Visit Eversource's website |
| United Illuminating (UI) | Visit UI's website |
For additional inquiries, please contact PURA's customer affairs team at PURA.information@ct.gov.
PURA Decisions
Program Year 4 Decision (2024): Docket No. 24-08-03, 11/06/24Program Year 3 Decision (2023): Docket No. 23-08-03, 11/08/23
Program Year 2 Decision (2023): Docket No. 22-08-03, 11/09/22
Program Year 1 Decision (2022): Docket No. 21-08-03, 11/03/21
Program Authorization Decision: Docket No. 20-07-01, 06/30/21
The PURA Clean Energy Ombudsperson
The ombudsperson provides support to the NRES Program by mediating disputes between program participants and the electric distribution companies (EDCs) that do not require a ruling from the Authority, and reviewing and approving project extension requests beyond program in-service time period requirements.
The PURA Clean Energy Ombudsperson acts as an independent mediator to resolve program disputes for three renewable energy programs – the NRES Program, the Shared Clean Energy Facility (SCEF) Program, and Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (RRES) Program.
For information on how to contact the ombudsperson, please click here.
Background
The Authority authorized the creation of an independent ombudsperson in 2023, in Docket No. 23-08-03, Annual Non-Residential Renewable Energy Solutions Program Review – Year 3. The Authority subsequently held a solicitation for a consultant to serve as the ombudsperson and selected Sustainable Energy Advantage, LLC (SEA) to serve as the ombudsperson for the three programs, effective April 1, 2024.