June 27, 2012. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, whose administration has called solar power an economic "albatross," is expected to sign legislation that would increase the amount of solar energy state utilities must buy. The New Jersey (NJ) State Assembly approved a bill that requires utilities to obtain 2.05 percent of their power from solar projects in 2014, up from less than half of 1 percent of the state’s power. The vote was 68-4, with five abstentions, approving the same bill that passed in the state Senate on May 31.