New Jersey may see its share of unflattering environmental stereotypes, but it is also quickly becoming one of the nation's leaders in solar energy initiatives to reduce carbon emissions by homes and businesses throughout the state.

One Block Off The Grid, one of the nation's largest solar consumer advocates in the country, announced on Monday that it would be implementing its first solar group purchasing program on the East Coast in the Northern part of New Jersey.

The program will run through April 12 and will allow individuals to purchase residential solar power at a group discounted rate of $5.45 per watt through stat-based solar installer The Solar Center.

"We are excited to work with The Solar Center to use the power of group purchasing to lower the cost of solar for New Jersey's homeowners," said 1BOG Co-Founder and General Manager, Dave Llorens. "New Jersey is one of the most solar-friendly states in the US, so it's a natural location for 1BOG's flagship East Coast campaign."

1BOG is able to achieve group rates by negotiating with local solar installers and settling on a group discounted rate to offer for its customers, eliminating the difficulty and high prices that can face homeowners looking to invest in solar energy on their own.

This month New Jersey has also become the home of largest solar energy facility at a university in the U.S. at William Paterson University, while also seeing another company - SunRun - begin offering residential solar energy within the state as well.