Comments on New Jersey's Virtual Power Plant Straw Proposal
On August 17, 2026, we filed comments with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on the state's proposed Virtual Power Plant ("VPP") program, Docket No. QO26030099. We're sharing the letter here because it's a clear example of the focus and values that guide our firm.
Syntropic Capital exists to structure private capital so it can flow into environmental and energy infrastructure and to make sure that capital creates benefits in an equitable way. The VPP proceeding presented an opportunity for us to advocate for those principles. Left unaddressed, the upfront cost of home battery equipment and electrical upgrades would limit the program to wealthier households, while every ratepayer, including those left out, helped fund the incentives. That's the kind of regressive outcome we work to design against.
Our comments recommend that the Board explicitly authorize well-regulated third-party financing, with strong consumer protections against predatory terms, on-bill repayment, and clear regulatory boundaries for lenders. Taken together, these changes are meant to encourage private capital to close the affordability gap for low- and moderate-income households, broadening participation without asking ratepayers to fund a program that only reaches the wealthy.
We think this letter speaks for itself as an illustration of how we approach our work: identifying where a well-designed financing structure can turn good policy intent into equitable, real-world outcomes.