MEDIA

Op-Ed: Pick up the pace of electric vehicle rollouts

NJ Spotlight News – June 7, 2021

After years of being viewed as little more than a futuristic fantasy, electric vehicles (EVs) are here now and playing a major role in the world’s transition to clean, safe energy and away from dirty, unhealthy fossil fuels.

The present pulled into the fast lane recently, when President Joe Biden proposed the biggest boost ever for EVs in the form of electric car rebates that will save purchasers considerable money. Included in his $2.25 trillion infrastructure package, these point-of-sale incentives totaling $100 billion would represent a huge departure from current practices aimed at getting more people behind the wheel of electric vehicles.

ROI NJ – May 28, 2021

Emerging from the pandemic will require more than just a return to where we were before. New Jersey needs resilience: in its grid, in its economy and in its environment. Because it helps meet all three of these goals, solar power should be an element of that recovery.

Solar installer and technician jobs are among the fastest-growing occupations in the nation, with a total of 250,000 solar employees throughout the country. In 2019, a new solar project was installed every 84 seconds. Solar power is clean, affordable and plentiful, and the solar economy is growing quickly.

NorthJersey.com – May 26, 2021

New Jersey is poised to be a leader in supporting President Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan with its focus on offshore activities to support our clean energy transition and help our fight against the climate crisis. However, many of these offshore energy sources often lack the necessary tools to enable consistent power generation without being tethered to costly grid technologies, and gaps persist in the availability of data that would fully unlock the potential of the industry.

That’s why it’s critical for policymakers in the Garden State to incentivize and accelerate new solutions that can address this challenge — and tapping into the power of the ocean can be critical to these efforts.

RTO Insider LLC – May 19, 2021

NJ.com – May 11, 2021

Many of us fear the transition away from fossil fuels. We’re concerned it will kill jobs and harm our economy but the opposite is true. If we fail to transition, more jobs across many more sectors will be lost. In addition, the U.S. economy could lose as much as 10% by 2050 according to a new report from insurance giant Swiss Re. If we take action now, however, we can actually create more jobs and protect the broader economy. Let’s take a closer look.

NJ.com – February 18, 2021

Everything is bigger in Texas – including a frozen meltdown of the state’s electricity grid system.

The state – and its electric grid system – is built to withstand the punishing hot summer heat waves that blanket the state with growing regularity. Snow is traditionally an odd occurrence. But the last week has been punishing for the Midwest and Southwest as massive winter storms and historic cold snap have left more than 4 million Texans in the dark and other regional electric grids suffering. What went wrong?

ROI NJ – January 7, 2021

The escalating threats and risks associated with climate change to our health, environment and economy create an imperative to decarbonize our economy as quickly as possible. Simultaneously, the rapid increase in clean energy innovation, along with decreasing costs, represent a unique opportunity to address the climate crisis while creating a more vibrant, sustainable and equitable economy. Since the transportation sector accounts for 42% of New Jersey’s greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning from gasoline to electric vehicles is key to doing both. This won’t happen overnight, but we need to rev up the transition now.

This requires bold, forward-thinking policy leadership — the kind that New Jersey demonstrated by passing the omnibus EV Law in January 2020. While some may still have concerns about the price of EVs and their potential impact on the power grid, based on outdated or incomplete information, EVs will actually benefit New Jersey’s economy, environment and public health.

ROI NJ – January 7, 2021

In what figures to be another step toward clean energy and more energy conservation, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on Thursday gave approval to Public Service Electric & Gas to invest approximately $700 million during the next four years to provide its 2.3 million electric customers with smart meters.

PSE&G officials said smart meters are the foundation of its energy cloud-advanced metering infrastructure effort that will create an integrated, two-way communications network between electric customers and the utility. This network will enable automatic, near real-time meter reading — virtually eliminating estimated utility bills, providing more efficient response to outages and allowing customers to make more informed decisions about their energy usage.

Insider NJ – December 22, 2020

Governor Phil Murphy, alongside EEW, Ørsted, legislators, and members of the building trades, today announced a $250 million investment in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility to build steel components, known as monopiles, for offshore wind turbines that will serve the entire United States offshore wind industry. The facility, which will be located at the Paulsboro Marine Terminal in Gloucester County, is the largest industrial offshore wind investment in the United States to date and will create more than 500 high-paying jobs at full build out. Construction on the facility will break ground in January 2021, with production beginning in 2023.

In June 2020, Governor Murphy announced plans to develop the New Jersey Wind Port in Lower Alloways Creek, a first-in-the-nation infrastructure investment that will provide a location for essential staging, assembly, and manufacturing activities related to offshore wind projects on the East Coast. The development of the New Jersey Wind Port, together with the construction of the new manufacturing facility at the Paulsboro Marine Terminal, is a monumental step forward in solidifying New Jersey as the country’s leader in offshore wind and clean energy procurement.

NJ Spotlight – December 21, 2020

Gov. Phil Murphy has set a high bar for New Jersey: reducing carbon emissions from all sectors by 80% and achieving 100% clean energy by 2050. In order for a state like New Jersey to meet these ambitious goals, major shifts in how we produce and distribute electricity, heat our homes, and travel will be required.

In New Jersey, almost half of our yearly greenhouse gas emissions comes from transportation. Gas-powered cars, vans, trucks and buses dominate our roadways, even as the state implements new programs to electrify these modes of transportation. Gov. Murphy has helped lead the way with an effort to electrify trucks and buses by 2050 but even more needs to be done to actualize an 80% reduction in carbon pollution.

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Op-Ed: Smart energy is smart policy

NJ Spotlight – December 16, 2020

Gov. Phil Murphy’s Energy Master Plan (EMP) lays out an ambitious agenda for the future of energy in New Jersey. It’s a cliché, but meeting the goals as outlined in the plan will require outside-the-box, innovative thinking. Fortunately, that kind of thinking already exists in New Jersey through smart energy systems. These systems will not only help us meet the EMP’s goals, but also give customers relief on their energy bills and create jobs for the state’s economy.

Smart energy systems proposed for deployment by New Jersey’s investor-owned electric utility companies will bring the future to the Garden State — a future with more clean energy, improved energy efficiency, better service reliability and more choices for customers. That’s because smart energy systems will integrate advanced metering infrastructure, and that technology, according to the U.S. Department of Energy provides, “More customer control over electricity consumption, costs and bills from greater use of new customer tools (like web portals and smart thermostats),” will reduce “inconveniences for consumers due to faster restoration after major storm events or disruptions, and will lower customer costs through decreases in peak demand for electricity.”

Insider NJ – December 11, 2020

Aiming to encourage the use of electric vehicles (EVs) that are more environmentally-friendly than traditional vehicles that run on gas or diesel, the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee on Thursday advanced legislation to set regulations for and spur the installation of EV charging stations in New Jersey.

Under the measure (A-2108/5032), electric charging stations would be classified as a permitted accessory use and structure in all municipal zoning or use districts and would not require use variances to install. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) would be required to develop a model land use ordinance for the siting of electric vehicle charging stations and to post the ordinance on its website.

NJ Spotlight – December 10, 2020

We are all seeing and feeling the terrible effects of climate change, from frequent flooding in our shore communities, to a multitude of severe storms in the summer and fall, to wildfires in the West. While many of us can recover fairly quickly, the most damaging and long-lasting effects hit the poorest neighborhoods. For many years, those neighborhoods have been treated as “sacrifice zones,” places to cheaply dispose of anything harmful that industry and commerce produce.

It’s well known that New Jersey has a multitude of places where toxic substances poison the air and water of the people who live and work there. Our state has done some good work to address this. In particular, Gov. Phil Murphy recently signed a law to protect these “overburdened communities” — largely low-income communities and communities of color — from additional pollutants.

Patch – December 3, 2020

As an avid environmental advocate, I applaud the Murphy Administration’s bold plan to achieve 100 percent clean energy in New Jersey by 2050. With the largest source of greenhouse-gas emissions being the transportation sector, the commitment to having 330,000 electric vehicles (EV) on New Jersey roads by 2025 will no doubt move the state closer to this important goal.

Before all those EVs can hit the road, however, the state must swiftly scale up its electric transportation infrastructure to handle the capacity. It is no secret that New Jersey falls far behind many other states in electrifying its transportation network. Thankfully, our state’s utilities have the expertise and capability to act fast and build EV charging stations on roadways and in homes and workplaces across the state. I encourage the state to partner with them to make it happen.

NJ Spotlight – November 24, 2020

Smart meters are widely viewed as a fundamental component in creating a modern electric grid equal to the task of helping transition to cleaner energy and eliminating carbon from the energy sector.

With three electric utilities seeking to invest more than $1 billion in installing smart meters, or AMI (advanced metering infrastructure) as it is often called, state officials on Monday heard it could also lower customers’ electric bills and speed up restoration times during widespread power outages.

Trentonian – November 21, 2020

I remember the day in high school, during AP Environmental Science at South Brunswick High School, when I first learned about climate change and it’s existential threat to human life on Earth. Thankfully, I also learned about the potential of renewable energy (then referred to as “alternative energy”) and knew from that moment on that I…

InvestorIdeas.com – November 19, 2020

Energy efficiency – which led U.S. energy-sector job growth in 2019, growing to employ nearly 2.4 million Americans before the pandemic-fueled crisis – is a best bet to drive the energy sector’s recovery in 2021, according to a new analysis released today by E4TheFuture and the national, nonpartisan business group E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs). Energy efficiency employed 28% of all U.S. energy workers in 2019.

2020 Energy Efficiency Jobs in America found energy efficiency jobs grew 2.3% in 2019 â€“ about twice the rate of nationwide employment growth (1.2%). Among the states, nine saw efficiency jobs increase by over 4%, led by New Mexico (8.2%), Nevada (7.5%), Colorado (5.1%), Louisiana (5.0%), and New Jersey (4.9%). California led efficiency employment with 323,500 jobs, followed by Texas (169,400), New York (126,700), Florida (123,600), and Illinois (91,000).

NJ.com- November 17, 2020

Anyone who has ever driven on the New Jersey Turnpike knows the overwhelming number of buses and trucks that drive throughout New Jersey and has seen the dark, billowing smoke belched from their diesel exhaust pipes. Not surprisingly, breathing that in on a daily basis is incredibly dangerous for human health.

In the same ways that electric vehicles (EVs) once seemed futuristic and are now on nearly every car lot and in our driveways, electric trucks have evolved from the engineers’ drafting tables to our nation’s roadways. This summer, Gov. Murphy joined 14 other governors across the region to commit to electrifying our medium- and heavy-duty diesel truck fleet. The goals are to electrify 30% of sales in the next decade, and 100% by 2050.

Insider NJ – November 16, 2020

To ensure that underserved communities have equitable access to clean energy, the Senate passed legislation today sponsored by Senators Troy Singleton and Ronald Rice, which would establish an Office of Clean Energy Equity within the Board of Public Utilities (BPU).

“Clean energy is an issue that positively impacts both our environment and economy,” said Senator Singleton (D-Burlington). “All New Jerseyans – regardless of income – should have access to clean energy and its many benefits, which include utility savings and career opportunities. The Office of Clean Energy Equity will make sure that clean energy programs are equitable, accessible and affordable for low-income families, and it aligns perfectly with our efforts to enact environmental justice reforms here in New Jersey.”

Insider NJ – October 26, 2020

By a margin of more than two to one, New Jersey voters support investing in renewable energy projects like wind and solar — rather than building gas pipelines — to promote recovery from the economic damage resulting from COVID-19, the latest ReThink Energy NJ poll finds.

Asked which form of infrastructure to invest in to spur economic recovery, 62% prefer to “create jobs, improve our health by reducing pollution, and ultimately save consumers money,” through renewable energy projects, while 30% prefer to create jobs through pipelines that “ensure a reliable supply of inexpensive natural gas.”

Hudson Reporter – October 23, 2020

Last week Governor Murphy extended the utility shutoff moratorium through March 15, 2021, allowing families across New Jersey to breathe some sigh of relief as we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID crisis.

So far over 440,000 residential customers in New Jersey have been reported as 90 days or more past due on their utility bills, clearly indicating a major public health risk should vitally important heat and electricity be cut off as we approach the winter months. I would like to thank Governor Murphy and the utility companies who voluntarily agreed to this extension, because without their action so many families would have been put in jeopardy come the winter.

E&E News – October 19, 2020

New Jersey officials called last week for a ban on gas car sales by 2035, a move that would make the state the first outside California to enact such a policy.

The proposal from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) came as part of an official road map that would allow the state to reach its goal of 80% carbon dioxide reductions by 2050.

NJ Spotlight – October 16, 2020

New Jersey has met a short-term goal of trimming carbon emissions but must make radical changes to transportation, electric generation, construction and industry if it is to achieve a much bigger reduction by the middle of the century, the Department of Environmental Protection said Thursday.

In a report on progress toward a legal requirement of cutting emissions by 80% from 2006 levels by 2050, the DEP called for “steep and permanent” reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions within the “next several years.”

Mass Transit – October 8, 2020

The lone diesel bus that passed the clean blue electric bus on Tuesday morning at Newark Airport is a rolling, stinking dinosaur.

The Port Authority has completed the deployment of its 36-bus electric fleet at its three metro area airports as part of what Executive Director Rick Cotton said on Tuesday is a broader environmental agenda for the agency.

NJ Spotlight – October 8, 2020

A new study recommends that New Jersey ramp up the number of electric medium- and heavy-duty diesel vehicles, a step that could curtail tailpipe air pollution, especially for vulnerable populations in urban areas; save businesses money; and potentially bring down electric rates for customers.

The analysis, prepared for ChargEVC by Gabel Associates, follows on the heels of a study done two-and-a-half years ago by the same consulting firm that led the state to adopt a comprehensive program to push consumers to buy light-duty electric cars.

NJ Spotlight – October 5, 2020

The state is looking to aggressively expand its community solar program, a policy aimed at bringing energy savings to the many low- and moderate-income customers who have yet to benefit from New Jersey’s transition to cleaner energy.

In a meeting Friday, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities opted to double the capacity of a pilot program designed to bring solar projects to those customers, while at the same time adopting changes to the program that reduce time and costs to developers looking to enroll customers in the program.

NJ.com – October 2, 2020

All across New Jersey, more than 1 million residents were left without power after Tropical Storm Isaias wreaked havoc in our communities. As the threat of climate change looms, extreme weather events like Isaias and Superstorm Sandy are becoming all too frequent in our state.

Thanks to Gov. Phil Murphy’s pivotal clean energy plan to combat climate change, our state is leading the national charge on electric vehicles, setting ambitious energy efficiency and renewable energy goals, and prioritizing equity for all New Jerseyans. To support these important clean energy innovations, our state must be equipped with technology that can help them thrive. A smart energy network of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), or smart meters, will modernize our grid, create more sustainable communities, and empower all our residents.

Yahoo News – October 1, 2020

PSEG Submits Application for Zero Emission Certificates to Continue to Preserve New Jersey’s Largest Source of Carbon-Free Electricity

Thanks to PSEG’s nuclear plants, nearly 40% of New Jersey’s energy supply is already carbon-free. Nuclear energy delivers more than 90% of all of the state’s carbon-free energy and is essential to New Jersey’s ability to successfully achieve its goal of a 100% carbon-free energy supply by 2050, as outlined in the state’s Energy Master Plan and documented by numerous independent studies.

NJ Spotlight – September 30, 2020

The state’s utilities want to ramp up spending by hundreds of millions of dollars over the next three years to convince their customers to reduce their electric and gas use, complying with a new mandate to invest in energy efficiency programs.

The filings last week by six of New Jersey’s utilities have the goal of advancing the Murphy administration’s clean-energy ambitions by reducing pollution, potentially creating thousands of new green energy jobs, and saving customers’ money, be it homeowners or businesses.

The Press of Atlantic City – September 28, 2020

Atlantic City Electric has proposed a collection of energy efficiency programs intended to provide customers with the tools they need to save money, according to a news release from the company.

In a proposal to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the company outlined plans to provide residential and business customers with no-cost energy assessments, an array of incentives for energy efficiency upgrades, rebates on energy-efficient products and other offerings to help them use less energy.

NJB Magazine – September 24, 2020

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved an order setting parameters for the build-out of publicly accessible, light-duty electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the state and the role of private and public investment in developing the infrastructure. The order establishes minimum filing requirements for light-duty EV infrastructure proposals from New Jersey’s electric utilities and requires them, if they have not done so already, to submit these filings by Feb. 28, 2021.

As the state’s Energy Master Plan makes clear, transportation accounts for 42% of the state’s emissions, disproportionately impacting overburdened communities. Transitioning to EVs will help achieve Governor Phil Murphy’s goals of 100% clean energy by 2050 and 80% reduction in emissions relative to 2006 levels. The Board’s order is a key step in laying the groundwork for light-duty EV infrastructure and coincides with the international recognition of Climate Week 2020.

NJ Spotlight – September 24, 2020

The state sought to advance its clean-energy agenda in ways big and small Wednesday, adopting measures dealing with reducing customer energy use, promoting the electrification of the transportation sector and spurring the installation of smart meters.

In its bimonthly meeting, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved a nearly $1 billion plan to allow Public Service Electric & Gas to invest in curbing its customers’ electric and gas use — the state’s largest commitment ever to spending on energy efficiency.

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PSE&G Gains Approval for Landmark Clean Energy Future-Energy Efficiency Program

Yahoo News – September 23, 2020

The centerpiece of Public Service Electric and Gas Co.’s (PSE&G) landmark Clean Energy Future proposal was approved today by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU). This decision clears the way for the state’s largest utility to commit $1 billion toward energy efficiency investments over the next three years, the largest commitment ever in New Jersey, which is expected to provide environmental benefits and reduce customer bills while creating jobs and boosting the state’s economy. Today’s action is a vital step toward achieving Gov. Phil Murphy’s clean energy vision, propelling New Jersey’s economic and environmental sustainability policies to a new level.

“This is a great day for New Jersey and all of us who care about addressing climate change,” PSEG Chairman, President and CEO Ralph Izzo said. “Today’s decision will allow us to bring the benefits of energy efficiency to every customer and give them options to reduce their energy use, save money and shrink their carbon footprint. New Jersey now has the opportunity to be at the forefront of clean energy policy and be a role model for the nation.”

Department of Environmental Protection – September 18, 2020

As part of the international promotion of Climate Week 2020, the Administration of Governor Phil Murphy will promote “Jersey Strong on Climate,” a weeklong virtual public education campaign led by the Department of Environmental Protection intended to help inform the public about the current and future climate threats New Jersey faces and the Administration’s actions to reduce and respond to climate change.

Each day from Monday, Sept. 21 through Friday, Sept. 25, DEP will share content that examines one of five core areas: sea-level rise and resilience, changing landscapes, temperature change, clean air, and flooding and water quality. Social media content will be presented on the DEP Twitter and Facebook pages, with scientific and educational material available at: www.nj.gov/dep/climatechange/.

ROI NJ – September 17, 2020

The possibilities for energy efficiency are everywhere. That’s how Karen Reif sees it. The lighting in a retail store … the HVAC system in a hospital … the thermostat in a single-family residence.

Reif, Public Service Electric & Gas’ vice president for renewables and energy solutions, said the company’s proposed Clean Energy Future – Energy Efficiency Program has something that works for nearly every type of business and every type of residence.

NJ.com- September 15, 2020

Switching to electric cars will save lives and a lot of money in the Garden State, according to a new report released on Tuesday.

The American Lung Association’s “The Road to Clean Air” details public health and environmental benefits that would be expected if gas and diesel cars and trucks were replaced with electric alternatives.

ROI NJ – September 11, 2020

All across New Jersey, our communities are experiencing the dire effects of climate change, with extreme weather like Tropical Storm Isaias causing multiday power outages and rising energy costs adding economic strain. That’s why I applaud New Jersey’s recent clean energy initiatives to prioritize energy efficiency, electric vehicle infrastructure and a green economy.

Now, in order to maximize the success of our state’s efforts, we must invest in the right technology to support New Jersey’s clean energy future. Advanced Metering Infrastructure, or smart meters, will boost energy efficiency, ensure that we have the right technology to support electric vehicles and renewable energy, and improve New Jersey’s quality of life.

NJB Magazine – September 2nd, 2020

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind hosted Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr., President Joseph Fiordaliso and Commissioner Upendra Chivukula of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, and other local stakeholders at a ribbon cutting to signify the opening of their new Educational and Community Outreach (ECO) Center.

The facility on Stockton University’s campus in Atlantic City will serve as Atlantic Shores’ primary location to host informational events for the community. Atlantic Shores plans to partner with Stockton University to make the ECO Center available to local school groups or as a resource center for university students.

NJB Magazine – August 27, 2020

To meet the evolving energy needs of its customers and advance a clean energy future, Atlantic City Electric has proposed a major project to modernize and enhance the energy grid across its service area in southern New Jersey. In a filing with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU), the company outlined its plans to build a Smart Energy Network across the company’s entire service area, including installing smart meters, also referred to as advanced metering infrastructure, and upgrading the local energy grid with specialized networking equipment.

These proposed upgrades will enhance the system’s reliability and resiliency, improve customer service, and support new tools and programs to help customers save money and energy. The Smart Energy Network is seen as a critical step in the company’s efforts to create a smarter energy infrastructure that can serve as a common platform, connecting customers and communities to smart technologies and new energy services.

NJ Spotlight – August 28, 2020

As we start to rebuild our economy after (and during) the COVID-19 crisis, we must invest in a clean and equitable energy economy that advances innovation, job creation and environmental and public health protections. COVID-19 has made it very clear that the current models for economic growth are just not supporting everyone. Putting investments into the clean-energy economy is not only desirable, but infinitely more doable and manageable than many might believe.

The U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released a report late June entitled “The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy and Just America.” It outlines hundreds of policy recommendations for addressing and adapting to impacts due to climate change and is centered on 12 key pillars ranging from transportation and telecommunications to flooding and decarbonization. Sounds high tech, which it is, and it will require skilled and unskilled workers to be successful.

Press of Atlantic City – August 25, 2020

Atlantic City Electric is asking the state Board of Public Utilities for approval to spend $220 million to install a network of smart meters across its territory, saying it will hasten power restoration and help customers conserve energy.

The company wants to replace analog meters with digital meters that send and receive information about energy use instantaneously, and wants permission from the BPU to recoup costs from customers. ACE has estimated the meters would save $220 million in company costs and $195 million in customer energy costs over 15 years.

The Philadelphia Inquirer – August 13, 2020

New Jersey has received 1,800 applications for its new electric vehicle rebate program even amid a slow rollout and car sales that crashed for months because of COVID-19, according to the state Board of Public Utilities.

More than 1,000 applications have been approved for a total of about $5.8 million. The BPU runs the program and is reviewing the remaining applications. It expects that most will receive approval. The program has been underway in earnest for about two months.

NJ Spotlight – August 13, 2020

With 1.4 million households left without power after last week’s Tropical Storm Isaias, the state may speed up its efforts to install smart meters and other technologies to aid utilities in restoring electricity to customers during widespread outages.

“What are we getting for our money when we see disruptions like this?’’ asked Bob Gordon, a commissioner of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, as the agency discussed the performance of the four utilities in responding to the storm.

Solar Power World – August 11, 2020

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) today released the draft Capstone Report for the State’s next-generation Solar Successor program. The draft report, developed by consultants Cadmus Group, presents preliminary findings regarding the incentive levels necessary to support continued robust solar development in New Jersey while lowering costs to the State’s four million ratepayers.

“The solar transition is being conducted in an extremely collaborative manner with significant stakeholder input, which is a true reflection of how important the solar industry is — and will continue to be — to the Garden State,” said Joseph L. Fiordaliso, NJBPU president. “The abundant renewable energy and thousands of jobs created by our solar partners throughout the state are critical to reaching Governor Murphy’s vision of 100% clean energy in New Jersey. I’m confident that the rigorous approach we’ve applied, and will continue to apply throughout this process, will provide the best possible outcome for a healthy and vibrant industry to those in the business community while ensuring its affordability for New Jersey consumers.”

NJ.com – August 10, 2020

As we continue to address the COVID-19 public health crisis, we need to plan an economic recovery that tackles the climate crisis by creating jobs and speeding up our ongoing transition from dirty fossil fuels to a clean energy future. New Jersey, led by Gov. Phil Murphy, provides a good model for restarting our stalled economy, creating jobs, and lowering carbon emissions and pollution as we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis.

No single action could help our economy more than aggressively moving to adopt zero-carbon energy. Governor Murphy has instituted a goal to decarbonize New Jersey’s energy supply by 2050. Roughly 40% of New Jersey’s electricity is already carbon-free and New Jersey has built upon its fleet of carbon-free nuclear power plants to become a leader in installed solar capacity. Governor Murphy has also charted a course for the state to become a national leader in offshore wind. PSEG, New Jersey’s largest energy provider – which recently announced it was selling its fossil fuel power plants – has been a key part of these successes and has helped lead the way with a bold net-zero emissions commitment.

NJ Spotlight – July 30, 2020

In these difficult times, New Jersey’s inclusive clean-energy agenda offers residents a much-needed glimmer of hope for the future. The leadership our state has shown in energy efficiency and clean energy this year can bring new jobs and financial gains to New Jersey, particularly our urban centers, and help us recover from the economic and public health challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To truly strengthen our state, New Jersey’s leaders recognize that a clean-energy future must prioritize our most vulnerable citizens. Urban and low- and moderate-income communities are more likely to experience negative health consequences from air pollution, like asthma and respiratory complications, and spend a higher percentage of their income on energy bills than wealthier households. Cities have been historically overlooked by past leadership, and often lack the opportunities and funding to really benefit from energy efficiency and electric-vehicle initiatives that can improve air quality and reduce energy bills.

Engineering News Report – July 30, 2020

New York and New Jersey made big moves last month toward becoming the hub of East Coast offshore wind-energy development, announcing solicitations for thousands of added megawatt capacity and new infrastructure.

Virginia also wants to be a player, completed construction of a prototype wind farm to propel its plan to add 2,600 MW of offshore wind power to its electricity supply.

NJ Spotlight – July 29, 2020

The Murphy administration is ramping up the state’s efforts to build offshore wind farms by possibly doubling the amount of capacity it wants developers to build off the Jersey coast.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities recently issued draft guidance for a formal solicitation seeking developer interest in a project which the administration originally had targeted for up to 1,200 megawatts of offshore wind capacity, but now could involve up to 2,400 MW of new wind farms.

Insider NJ – July 20, 2020

In order to ensure that underserved communities have equitable access to clean energy, the Senate Environment Committee passed legislation today that would establish an Office of Clean Energy Equity within the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). The bill is sponsored by Senator Troy Singleton and Senator Ronald Rice.

“Clean energy is an issue that positively impacts out environment and our economy,” said Senator Singleton (D-Burlington). “All New Jerseyans – regardless of income – should have access to clean energy and its many benefits, which include utility savings and career opportunities. The Office of Clean Energy Equity will make sure that clean energy programs are equitable, accessible and affordable for low-income families.”

NJ Spotlight – July 15, 2020

In a significant step aimed at expediting the electrification of the transportation sector, 15 states, including New Jersey, have agreed to work together to deploy far more electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles on their roads.The joint memorandum of understanding among the states and the District of Columbia envisions developing a plan with the goal of ensuring 100% of new medium- and heavy-duty trucks — including large pickup trucks, box trucks, school and transit buses, and long-haul delivery rigs — be zero-emission vehicles by 2050.

New Jersey, and many of the other states involved in the agreement, already has pledged to abide by California’s clean-car program that mandates a shift to electric light-duty cars. But their announcement Tuesday marks the first collaborative effort to transition to zero-emission trucks and buses. Only 4% of the vehicles on the road, trucks and buses account for one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.

App.com – July 13, 2020

If we learned anything from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic it’s that our health and economic security are inextricably linked.

Gov. Phil Murphy, his Restart and Recovery Commission, and the Legislature need to put that lesson to work as they consider how best to allocate scarce financial resources, so we don’t just “recover” from this crisis, but come back healthier and more resilient than before. That means weighing the best use of every dollar and prioritizing investments to achieve a more prosperous, equitable and sustainable future. This is an opportunity to stop doing the same old things.

Green Biz – July 9, 2020

If you want to know what state-level clean energy leadership looks like, look no further than New Jersey.

Since the beginning of the year, the Garden State has made headlines for three initiatives: its plans to transition to 100 percent clean energy by 2050; its investment in offshore wind; and its proposal to create an Office of Clean Energy and Equity.

NRDC – July 7, 2020

New Jersey’s transportation sector is responsible for 42% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it the state’s largest source of climate pollution; achieving the state’s climate goals will only be possible if New Jersey aggressively tackles transportation emissions head on. While the state has made significant progress on several transportation initiatives around vehicle rebates and make-ready infrastructure, New Jersey needs a comprehensive plan to electrify the state’s own fleet vehicles if it is going to achieve the targets laid out in SB 2252 (“EV Law”).

The EV Law, passed in January 2020, signaled New Jersey’s commitment to reducing emissions from transportation. Among other requirements that support transportation electrification, the EV Law mandates aggressive action by the state to electrify 25 percent of its non-emergency light-duty state fleet by 2025, with that target increasing to 100 percent by 2035. The Energy Master Plan (EMP), New Jersey’s roadmap to meet its climate and clean energy goals, reiterates New Jersey’s commitment to rolling-over the state light-duty fleet to electric vehicles to help meet their climate goals.

Insider NJ – July 6, 2020

New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) President Joseph Fiordaliso has appointed Christine Guhl Sadovy as Chief of Staff, succeeding Grace Power, to help advance New Jersey’s clean energy goals and implement the Murphy Administration’s energy policy.

Sadovy has been serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for over a year, overseeing the Board’s day-to-day operations and spearheading major Murphy administration initiatives including the launch of the State’s Electric Vehicle incentive program. As Chief of Staff, Sadovy will now spearhead the team of BPU senior staff working with President Fiordaliso to move offshore wind forward, transform energy efficiency, and implement some of the nation’s strongest clean energy goals through the Energy Master Plan.

Philadelphia Inquirer – July 1, 2020

New Jersey is warming faster than other Northeastern states, with average temperatures rising 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit since the fossil fuel era began in the 1880s, and heatwaves will get more numerous and frequent, according to the state’s first assessment of climate change.

NJ.com – June 29, 2020

Earlier this month, Gov. Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) unveiled an exciting, new plan to build a “wind port” in southern New Jersey.

Once completed, the port would be the nation’s first purpose-built port to manufacture and ship offshore wind-energy components. This would position the state, and specifically its location in Salem County, to become the East Coast hub of the wind power industry, one of the fastest growing in the United States.

NJ Alliance for Action – June 25, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged New Jersey into a public health emergency and economic unrest. As we recover and deal with these challenges, it is imperative that the State invest in capital projects and environmental infrastructure to create new jobs and protect our environment. Accordingly, prioritizing electric vehicles and charging infrastructure will drastically cut down on air pollutants while helping our residents and our economy at this critical time.

Natural Resources Defense Council – June 22, 2020

It’s no secret that New Jersey has ambitious climate goals. With a mandate to achieve 100 percent carbon neutral energy generation and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, New Jersey has its work cut out. While emissions reductions are necessary across the board, transportation—which makes up 42 percent of the state’s emissions, the number one source of climate pollution in the state—will need to undergo a rapid transformation. During the Murphy administration, several initiatives and policies have been developed to help New Jersey achieve its goals, mostly focused on light-duty passenger vehicles. Understanding these initiatives is key to analyzing the opportunities New Jersey has to make even greater progress in decarbonizing its transportation system.

NJ Spotlight – June 17, 2020

New Jersey residents are feeling the weight of the public health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As we deal with the impacts of these new challenges, we need to prioritize actions that can help our residents and our economy recover quickly.

All New Jerseyans, especially in low-income communities, are directly impacted by the urgent need for reduced energy bills. Establishing strong energy efficiency practices has the potential to save all New Jerseyans money and create thousands of good local green jobs, especially for those who pay most of their income on energy costs.

The Washington Post – June 16, 2020

New Jersey wants to be known for more than just its shores and casinos.

It aims to be the hub of the nation’s nascent offshore wind energy industry.

On Tuesday, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is set to announce the construction of what he calls the country’s first port dedicated to constructing the colossal turbines that may one day dot the East Coast horizon as Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states rush to build more renewable energy.

Utility Dive – June 11, 2020

State energy savings targets vary widely, and according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) New Jersey’s new targets set it in strong company.

“Once you get above 2% you’re in that top tier,” said Miller.

New Jersey Business – June 10, 2020

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved the next generation of energy efficiency and peak demand reduction programs, which is expected to transition the state to some of the highest energy savings in the country, according to the Board.

Specifically, the BPU has set year five targets for energy reduction at 2.15% for electric distribution companies and 1.10% for gas distribution companies. In addition, the Board looked specifically to increase access to equity in energy efficiency, and laid out a series of requirements to that end, many of them derived from stakeholder input.

NJ.com – June 5, 2020

They say real leaders are forged in a crisis. As New Jersey faces its greatest test in living memory, I’ve never been more proud of the way her people are stepping up and standing together to set us on the path to recovery.

As a real leader should, Gov. Phil Murphy shared a bold vision to get our economy back on its feet, planted firmly in the notion that worker health is the key to our future financial well-being.

Daily Energy Insider – June 03, 2020

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) issued a proposal that sets a framework for how energy efficiency will help meet the state’s clean energy goals, but stakeholders say the plan should go further to incentivize utilities to make investments in energy efficiency programs that will lower the utility bills of low-income residents.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed the Clean Energy Act into law in May 2018, setting goals to build sustainable energy infrastructure, grow the energy economy, create well-paying jobs, and reduce carbon emissions. The state hopes to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2050.

Washington Post – May 28, 2020

In 2009, the owners of the Empire State Building made a bet that they could cut carbon emissions from the decades-old, 102-story behemoth and save money at the same time.

Their gamble paid off: Ten years later, the building’s emissions are 40 percent lower, its annual electric bill is $4.4 million smaller, and the entire retrofit project is well on its way to paying for itself more than twice over. And the owners want other buildings to do the same.

ROI NJ – May 26, 2020

In today’s COVID-19 environment, it has become clear that we need to renew our dedication to making New Jersey a healthier and more equitable state.

The pandemic is showing us how much harder a disaster hits those with already compromised health and a lack of economic security. People with such preexisting conditions as lung and heart disease, people of color and those in our cities are proving to be more likely to get sick from the coronavirus and more likely to die from it, too. For example, a recent analysis by Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that people living in areas with high levels of air pollution had higher death rates from the disease.

The Link News – May 22, 2020

The coronavirus hit hard, infecting over 1.5 million residents in the U.S. and triggering the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. New Jersey is at the epicenter of the pandemic, with more COVID-19 cases than any state except New York.

Thanks to difficult but essential social distancing and reduced travel, the coronavirus is hopefully loosening its grip – at least for the time being – and the public health emergency is slowly improving. Our state and nation must now rebuild the economy while protecting health and safety at the same time.

ROI NJ – May 22, 2020

The latest report from E4TheFuture and Environmental Entrepreneurs paints a bleak picture: The nation lost more than 400,000 clean energy jobs since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, with the bulk of these — a commanding 70% — in the energy efficiency industry. For New Jersey, which is poised to launch expansive energy efficiency programs, this is the worst possible moment to sustain such staggering energy efficiency losses.

The energy efficiency industry is the foundation of New Jersey’s clean energy transformation. Energy efficiency workers complete everyday jobs — construction, manufacturing, engineering, architecture and customer service — that work to lower energy use. Lower energy usage reduces bills, lessens dependency on fossil fuels and provides a stronger foundation for a clean energy and resilient future for New Jersey.

NJ Spotlight – May 21, 2020

With COVID-19 continuing to spread across the country, we are facing unprecedented economic and societal challenges as we make efforts to protect public health and save lives. But while the future impacts of the coronavirus are still uncertain, our leaders are rightly thinking about how we can recover once the worst is over. Even amid great hardship, there is opportunity to rebuild in innovative ways and once again bring about economic prosperity.

When it comes to New Jersey’s recovery, the clean-energy industry can play a crucial role as it has the potential to not only create jobs and but also more broadly stimulate the economy beyond the energy sector. In particular, exciting opportunities are emerging for renewable- energy firms to work with the agriculture community to find ways to financially support farms while creating a clean-energy future.

Insider NJ – May 20, 2020

Trenton – On behalf of the Legislative Latino Caucus, Chairwoman Nellie Pou issued the following statement urging the Board of Public Utilities to prioritize minority and underserved communities as they move forward in building a greener, more efficient energy grid in New Jersey:

“There is no question New Jersey needs to invest in transforming our energy grid. We need to take all reasonable steps towards clean, renewable power. We urgently need to upgrade everything from the source it comes from to the light bulbs it emanates from because our state is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

As today’s energy landscape transforms and advanced technologies become part of the new energy economy, we at the Latino Action Network (LAN) are extremely concerned with the adverse impact of the energy divide in New Jersey. Such divide can potentially result in low-income families paying more in energy costs due to their inability to afford efficient and cleaner energy related services.

If we do not act now, as New Jersey plans to adopt cleaner energy resources and invests billions in energy efficiency, the end result will be a low-income economy entrenched in old energy technology, and paying more for energy services.

ACT News – May 15, 2020

The New Jersey Clean Cities Coalition (NJCCC) is pleased to report major new initiatives, with available funding, designed to stimulate the electrification of New Jersey’s transportation sector.

New Jersey saw its first major payout from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in March 2020, receiving $20 million in proceeds from its first quarterly carbon dioxide allowance auction since rejoining the initiative. RGGI proceeds, besides signaling a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions statewide, will help pave the way for new infrastructure, financing mechanisms, carbon recapture technologies, ecological restoration, and advanced vehicle technologies.

Politico Pro – May 15, 2020

Low-income households and communities with high rates of pollution would be more likely to reap the benefits of clean energy under a newly introduced state Senate proposal.

The bill, NJ S2484 (20R), introduced on Thursday by Sen. Troy Singleton (D-Burlington), would create an Office of Clean Energy Equity within the Board of Public Utilities. The office would be tasked with creating community solar programs that would benefit 250,000 or 35 percent of low-income households in the state by 2030 — whichever number is greater. The office would also need to make sure least 400 megawatts of energy storage went to communities with high rates of pollution and emissions.

NJ Spotlight – May 11, 2020

April 22 marked the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Amid the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and its extraordinary impact on the health, economic and social well-being of our state, Earth Day is a historic milestone deserving of celebration and sustained action. It also is an appropriate time to recognize New Jersey’s progress in meeting the challenge of climate change, particularly as we plan for the state’s economic recovery due to the coronavirus.

Gov. Phil Murphy recently stated, “As our state responds to COVID-19, we see up close the vital link between public health and economic development, the same relationship that drives our administration’s efforts to reduce health risks from pollution and climate change through initiatives that also grow our clean-energy economy.” The 2018 Clean Energy Act and update of the state’s Energy Master Plan have helped put New Jersey on a path to sharply reduce harmful greenhouse-gas emissions that threaten our planet. As we take the next steps toward a greener future, we must ensure that disadvantaged communities share in the progress that is made, particularly as we think about the importance of energy efficiency.

NJ Spotlight – May 1, 2020

Earlier this year, Gov. Murphy released an ambitious plan to transition New Jersey to 100% clean energy by 2050. In order to achieve this ambitious goal, the Energy Master Plan outlines strategies that will accelerate the use of renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, deploy energy storage technologies and modernize our energy system.

Achieving this bold vision will require significant investments to modernize New Jersey’s energy infrastructure. One essential step has been initiated by the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) in its recently released “Energy Efficiency and Peak Demand Program Administration Straw Proposal.” That straw proposal provides a preliminary outline to cutting energy use through efficiency programs, which can lead to lower bills for customers and create tens of thousands of jobs across New Jersey.

WHYY – April 30, 2020

Ocean floor surveying will be getting underway off the southern New Jersey coast as part of a second major offshore wind project planned for the Garden State.

The geophysical surveying off the coast of Ocean and Atlantic counties is for the Atlantic Shores wind farm and within a 183,000-acre lease area on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf that extends between nine to 20 miles in an area between Barnegat Light and Atlantic City. Water depth in the area ranges from 60 to 100 feet.

Tap Into Jersey City – April 21, 2020

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (Board) will soon implement its Energy Efficiency Proposal as required by the Clean Energy Act (CEA) and Energy Master Plan (EMP). Final Board action is anticipated in May of this year, with energy efficiency programs scheduled to commence in June 2021. According to the Proposal, the Board will ensure energy efficiency access for low-income communities; decrease energy burden; expand job opportunities; and increase economic development.

As chambers of commerce representing New Jersey’s African American and Hispanic-owned businesses— while we support the goals of the state’s energy efficiency transition, we urge the Board to increase investments in minority contractors— to ensure minority inclusion and to expand participation. Although energy efficiency is the fastest growing sector in the energy industry, few African Americans and Hispanics are included in the workforce, and few own businesses participating in the industry.

NJ.com – April 20, 2020

This is a frightening time for the African American community in New Jersey. We are pastors in Paterson and Newark. In our communities, the coronavirus, job losses, the collapse of small businesses and the forced shutdown of many support organizations are hitting hard. The impact of the virus is made worse by the already serious health and economic problems that our communities face.

During this pandemic and economic shutdown, something has surprised us: The air in our urban neighborhoods – usually the unhealthiest air in the state — is cleaner.

Utility Dive – April 9, 2020

New Jersey has enacted legislation that will prepare the state for the next generation of transportation infrastructure.

Governor Phil Murphy committed to Senate Bill #2252 this past January, thereby initiating one of the largest rebates for EV buyers in the country — up to $5,000 per vehicle over the next ten years.

Green Biz – April 9, 2020

Before the COVID-19 pandemic adjourned state legislative sessions, several states took significant climate action this year by leaning on local utilities to ramp up programs that help customers save energy. Their tool of choice? The energy efficiency resource standard (EERS), a policy that requires utilities or statewide administrators to hit long-term energy savings targets by ramping up energy efficiency programs for homes and businesses.

Insider NJ – April 6, 2020

Senator Ronald L. Rice Senator, Chair of the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus, today issued the following statement on the proposed Board of Public Utilities’ Straw Proposal for New Jersey’s Energy Efficiency and Peak Demand Reduction Programs with his conditional support based on seizing the opportunity to harness real benefits for minority and marginalized residents: “As Chairman of the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus, I have written to New Jersey Board of Public Utilities President Joseph Fiordaliso to commend the Board’s attention to the important issues of energy efficiency access, decreased ratepayer burden and expanded economic opportunities to already burdened urban communities. Any public utility measure that demonstrates a reverence for our planet and conserves its resources in this time of ecological imbalance, is noble and laudable, and New Jersey stands at the national vanguard in its efforts. “That said, I have strong concerns over the absence of Straw Proposal specifics that would safeguard and ensure positive outcomes for low- and moderate-income families and individuals. Without a concentrated focus on marginalized residents and the particulars of their housing structure and home economics, the working poor, urban and minority homeowners will be excluded from the Straw Proposals important energy and cost saving provisions. Similarly, People of Color, women, and the under- and unemployed must be prioritized as potential employees and as integral contributors to industry growth.

NJ Biz – April 2, 2020

Danish solar and wind company Orsted was approved to purchase capacity interconnection rights for its offshore wind project Ocean Wind, off the coast of Atlantic City.

Ocean Wind is a 1,100-megawatt offshore wind project that will supply more than 500,000 New Jersey homes with clean power. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved the Ocean Wind project in June 2019.

Forbes – March 31, 2020

A noticeable pattern is emerging on the East Coast: In the first quarter of this year, states and cities are enacting laws that codify dramatic emissions reductions and accelerate the clean energy transformation.

New Jersey updated its Energy Master Plan, passed decarbonization legislation, and announced an executive order that altogether is transforming the state to a low-carbon economy. Virginia passed the Clean Economy Act, which incorporates many key strategies to economy-wide decarbonization. New York State passed groundbreaking climate legislation last year, and now New York City is upping the ante by working hard to prevent fossil fuel infrastructure build-out.

NJ.Com – March 31, 2020

Salvation and Social Justice is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with the Black faith, civil rights, and urban communities to advocate for racial justice in Trenton. In these extraordinary times, we are determined to efficiently and effectively work in the community to achieve shared goals and equity. It has been that determination that put us in the midst of various serious conversations with our constituency.

The rising concern is that in the midst of this pandemic, not only will the most pressing racial justice issues take a back seat but that even more problematic racial justice issues will emerge. The paramount question is, “What will be the racial impact of the pandemic?” Racial justice advocates must be present to force the state to deal with even more difficult questions in the midst of the ones they are already facing.

Daily Energy Insider – March 31, 2020

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) is evaluating alternatives to participating in the regional capacity market administered by PJM Interconnection so that it can best achieve its clean energy goals while keeping consumer costs as low as possible.

The investigation follows a December 2019 decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that expanded the Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) in the regional capacity market that will support fossil fuel generation. That will make it more expensive for New Jersey to achieve its clean energy goals.

NJ Spotlight – March 27, 2020

In these challenging times, we cannot help but think about the impact of this pandemic on those who already struggle to make ends meet. Those who had challenges paying their utilities bills will struggle further as those bills will likely increase beyond their means due to the governor’s appropriate stay-at-home order. And though we hope there are relief programs in place to help these families, we also recognize that for low-income households, these programs do not address the need to bring down their utility bills in the long term. We must work to reduce energy consumption in low and moderate-income households and develop programs such as training for green jobs that address long-term systemic issues. The new clean energy plan needs to address these issues.

Gov. Phil Murphy’s Energy Master Plan is a road map to making the Clean Energy Act of 2018 a reality and shows a renewed commitment to making the Garden State a national clean energy leader. It’s critical that the governor maximize the potential of energy efficiency to reduce energy demand, lower energy bills for vulnerable customers, and spread the cleaner energy — and its economic benefits — to all New Jerseyans.

NJ Spotlight – March 25, 2020

The state is circulating its latest proposal on how to spur gas and electric utilities to curb energy use by their customers, a top priority of the Murphy administration’s clean energy plan and efforts to fight climate change.

The 93-page straw proposal by staff of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities is viewed as a possible framework for establishing a more comprehensive statewide energy efficiency program, one that aims to chart a course toward achieving some of the highest energy savings in the country.

NorthJersey.com – March 24, 2020

What a surprise: Companies that profit from selling natural gas say switching to clean, affordable, renewable energy sources like wind and solar isn’t a good idea.

The author of a recent commentary that appeared on the Opinion pages of The Record and NorthJersey.com — a former utility company spokesperson who now heads the business-dominated Affordable Energy for New Jersey organization — claimed the new state energy Master Plan’s goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050 is unrealistic.

Politico Pro – March 23, 2020

The state Board of Public Utilities has released a final straw proposal on energy efficiency and peak demand reduction programs, in line with the goals under the state’s Clean Energy Act.

The act requires utilities to achieve an annual 2 percent reduction in electricity use and an annual 0.75 percent reduction in gas use, compared with the average annual usage of three years prior. The state also wants to curb the energy use of customers, particularly during periods of peak demand.

Solar Industry Magazine – March 20, 2020

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) says 2019 was a record-breaking year for New Jersey’s solar energy program, with the most solar capacity installed in a single year.

The most recent report from New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program shows that 447 MW DC of solar capacity commenced commercial operations in the state between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2019. That brings the state’s total capacity up to 3,190 MW DC through the end of the year, serving 5% of the state’s energy needs, up from 2,743 MW DC from the beginning of last year.

NJ Biz – March 16, 2020

Given the massive changes that may result from Gov. Phil Murphy’s Energy Master Plan, which calls for New Jersey to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2050, some savvy small- and medium-sized companies may be positioned for a spike in customers.

New Jersey League of Conservation Voters – March 13, 2020

TRENTON, NJ- Ed Potosnak, Executive Director of New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, released the following statement today regarding establishment of the New Jersey Campaign for a Clean Energy Future (CCEF), a statewide coalition of community organizations and leaders committed to advancing New Jersey’s clean energy future.

“We welcome business leaders coming together to fight for our 100% clean energy future and support the bold Energy Master Plan (EMP), which outlines this framework in a pragmatic, responsible, and affordable way to create good local jobs in the clean energy economy,” said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director, New Jersey League of Conservation Voters. “We look forward to working with the newly established Campaign for a Clean Energy Future (CCEF) to help grow New Jersey’s clean energy economy, ensure reliability and affordability for all customers. Most importantly, we look forward to working with these important voices to push back on the increasing pressures from fossil fuel companies like PennEast and WilliamsTransco, who continue to put their profits over people’s health by building unneeded and dangerous projects in our state. The expansion of oil and natural gas infrastructure today burdens our families with dirty air for generations.”

New Jersey 101.5 – March 8, 2020

How light or dark are the streets where you live?

Towns across New Jersey are calling on the state Board of Public Utilities to adopt new regulations and guideline to encourage the use of LED lighting.

The BPU is currently reviewing cost options for modernizing municipal lighting systems, trying to figure out much of the cost should be covered by ratepayers, what utilities should be able to charge their customers, and how much, if any, of these costs should be included in the state’s energy master plan.

Insider NJ – February 29, 2020

Governor Phil Murphy today announced the offshore wind solicitation schedule to meet the 7,500 megawatt (MW) offshore wind goal by 2035 and called upon the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to take all necessary actions to implement the schedule. These projects will deliver the clean, renewable energy generation needed to meet the State’s goals of 50 percent renewable energy by 2030 and a 100 percent clean energy economy by 2050. Reaching 7,500 MW will generate enough electricity to power more than 3.2 million homes and meet fifty percent of the state’s electric power need, while supporting an offshore wind industry that will generate billions of dollars in investments in New Jersey’s future and create thousands of jobs.

North Jersey – February 27, 2020

New Jersey’s two major electric utilities, PSE&G and JCP&L, are among the worst in the nation fortaking action to help customers cut energy use, according to a report released this month by the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

The report scored the nation’s top 52 energy utilities on the depth and breadth of efficiency programs they offer to customers and on steps they take that enhance energy efficiency, such as savings targets and access to efficiency data.

NJ Spotlight – February 24, 2020

The nation’s 52 largest electric utilities have dramatically increased energy savings, a trend, in part, driven by a push to curb greenhouse-gas emissions, according to a new scorecard by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

But New Jersey’s two biggest electric utilities lagged far behind many of their peers, finishing in the bottom 10 based on metrics used by the ACEEE. Public Service Electric & Gas, the state’s largest utility with roughly 2 million customers, ranked 42nd while Jersey Central Power & Light finished 48th.

NJ Spotlight – February 20, 2020

It took a while, but New Jersey is finally ready to embrace smart meters and other technology that helps customers better manage their energy use and pushes utilities to respond faster to power outages after extreme weather.

The state Board of Public Utilities yesterday lifted a more-than-two-year moratorium on utilities moving to smart meters and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), a technology that already is in place in more than 92 million homes across the country.

Tap Into – February 14, 2020

On Jan. 28, 2020, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law new legislation designed to encourage the electrification of the transportation sector in a significant way. This new law establishes several new state goals: to have 330,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2025, 2 million EVs by 2035, and to have 85% of all vehicles sold or leased by 2040 be electric vehicles. Reaching these goals would go a very long way towards helping New Jersey meet the ambitious targets for reducing carbon emission in the existing Global Warming Response Act and will go a long way towards implementing the new State Energy Master Plan.

PV Magazine – February 14, 2020

New Jersey has released an Energy Master Plan in which the least-cost generation mix to meet its clean energy goals would include 17 GW of solar by 2035. Given the state’s existing 3 GW of solar, that target could be met by adding 950 MW of solar each year through 2035, including 400 MW of distributed solar every year through 2030, says the plan.

New Jersey’s Administration has a goal to reach 100% carbon-neutral electricity generation by 2050, and the state has a 2007 law that mandates reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 2006 levels by 2050.

NJ Spotlight – February 9, 2020

What’s not to like about LED lights? Hardly anything, according to local officials, utility executives, and industry folks who urged the state yesterday to step up efforts to convert municipal streetlights to the more efficient bulbs.

In a hearing at Thomas Edison State University, the staff of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities heard virtually unanimous support for adopting LED lighting — short for low-emitting diode — across the state, and doing it sooner, rather than later.

Microgrid Knowledge – January 31, 2020

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy this week unveiled the state’s energy master plan, which includes provisions to facilitate the proliferation of microgrids in the state.

The plan is intended to move the state toward a goal of 100% clean energy by 2050. To bolster the plan, Murphy also signed Executive Order No. 100, which directs the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to develop the regulations needed to implement the plan.

Yahoo! Finance – January 27, 2020

A diverse group of 14 public interest and business groups jointly expressed their support for the final New Jersey Energy Master Plan released today by the state Board of Public Utilities. The organizations are:

ATNJ Education Fund
Environmental Defense Fund
ISLES
National Wildlife Federation
Natural Resources Defense Council
New Jersey Audubon
New Jersey Conservation Foundation
NJ League of Conservation Voters
NJ Sustainable Business Council
Pinelands Preservation Alliance
ReThink Energy NJ
The Nature Conservancy, NJ Chapter
Tri-State Transportation Campaign

National Law Review – January 27, 2020

Today, New Jersey announced the release of the final 2019 Energy Master Plan (“EMP”), which includes sweeping policy goals aimed at fighting climate change that are likely to have significant impacts on New Jersey’s building industry. Alongside the EMP, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order 100 (2020) (“E.O. 100”) directing the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“NJDEP”) to develop new regulations to be implemented by 2022 which will require builders to take a number of climate-related issues into account while designing and building new construction in New Jersey. Pursuant to E.O. 100, NJDEP is to draft and propose regulations to “integrate climate change considerations, such as sea level rise, into its regulatory and permitting programs, including…land use permitting.” E.O. 100 also directs the Commissioner of NJDEP to identify which regulations the Department will update, but does not include specifics as to how those regulations will be updated.

The New York Times – January 27, 2020

New Jersey will become the first state to require that builders take into account the impact of climate change, including rising sea levels, in order to win government approval for projects, Gov. Philip D. Murphy announced on Monday.

Insider NJ – January 27, 2020

Governor Phil Murphy today unveiled the state’s Energy Master Plan, which outlines key strategies to reach the Administration’s goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050. In May 2018, Governor Murphy’s Executive Order No. 28 directed the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, in partnership with other state agencies, to develop this statewide clean energy plan and shift away from energy production that contributes to climate change.

NewJersey.com – January 27, 2020

New Jersey will become the first state in the nation to require builders to consider the impact of climate change if they want their projects approved, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday as he unveiled the final version of the state’s new energy master plan.

Insider NJ – January 27, 2020

“New Jersey’s investor-owned utilities continue to lead investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives. As such, NJUA’s members support many aspects of Governor Murphy’s Energy Master Plan (EMP) and we thank the Governor for his leadership. NJUA’s member companies have already proposed significant investment in important initiatives such as energy efficiency, electric vehicles, and deployment of Advanced Metering Infrastructure. With the BPU’s support, our members will implement these key initiatives that are critical to meeting the stated goals of the EMP.

Insider NJ – January 17, 2020

The long-awaited bill to jump start the market for electric vehicles (S2252/A4819) landed on Governor Murphy’s desk which he enthusiastically signed into law this afternoon. The new law, which saw bipartisan support in the legislature, will establish New Jersey as a leading state in the nation for clean transportation.

Utility Drive – January 15, 2020

“New Jersey sets a really high bar by passing this bill yesterday,” Bill Holland, senior director of state policy and advocacy at the League of Conservation Voters, told Utility Dive.

It’s a strong set of tax incentives at the state level, matching a couple of other states, “and I think really demonstrate Murphy’s continued leadership on climate,” he added. The consumer incentives include up to $5,000 in rebates for purchasing an EV.

Insider NJ – January 14, 2020

New Jersey is closer to becoming a national leader in the growing electric vehicle market. Today, the bill (S2252/A4819) cleared vote on the floors of the Senate and Assembly with strong bipartisan support. Next, the bill will be sent to the Governor’s desk where it is expected to be signed.

This bill provides ambitious nation-leading goals for putting electric cars on the road and for developing the electric charging infrastructure needed to fuel them. Electric vehicles are proven and needed to clean the air and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Insider NJ – January 8, 2020

Governor Phil Murphy earned positive ratings from the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters for the second year running in 2019, owing to a strong series of pro-environment policies that strengthened renewables and the offshore wind industry, protected sensitive environmental areas by curbing dangerous fossil fuel pipelines, preserved precious open spaces, and held polluters accountable.

NJ Spotlight – December 10, 2019

New Jersey now has impressive plans to take bold climate action. Last year’s Clean Energy Act set a new path for clean energy in the state, and more recent discussions in Trenton around the Draft Energy Master Plan demonstrate a commitment to reduce carbon emissions in the energy, buildings and transportation sectors.

A major expansion of energy efficiency programs for residents and business owners has been presented as central to the state’s environmental and economic future — and this is the right thing to do. Despite our state leaders’ good intentions and their improved engagement of stakeholders around clean energy of late, we need to move much more rapidly — act now — to truly scale energy efficiency in our communities, homes and businesses.

Tap Into Plainfield – November 10, 2019

TRENTON, NJ – A bill encouraging municipalities to plan for the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure was signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy. The law goes into effect immediately.

NJ Spotlight – November 4, 2019

The state unveiled its most explicit road map yet for how New Jersey will achieve a 100% clean-energy future, a projection its consultant says can be achieved with only a modest rise in overall energy spending.

Those projections, offered in modeling by the Rocky Mountain Institute for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, aim to detail how the state can transition from an economy largely driven by fossil fuels to one that relies on cleaner, less polluting technologies, and sharply curbs emissions contributing to global climate change.

SROI-NJ – October 8, 2019

As CEO of a manufacturing facility in Newark, I not only care about making a profit, I also care about making a positive difference.

Over the years, we have made a number of investments that have not only paid off financially, they’ve also been good for the environment, our employees and our community. We’ve installed solar panels, implemented waste reduction policies, including waste separation for recycling, stainless steel recycling, oil reclamation and recycling, and purchased hybrid vehicles for company transport.

Next-Gen Transportation News – September 30, 2019

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has approved a request for quotation (RFQ) to hire a consultant to develop and administer an electric vehicle (EV) program. The RFQ is a first step in developing a program to achieve Gov. Phil Murphy’s pledge to achieve 330,000 EVs on the road by 2025.

Environmental Defense Fund – August 19, 2019

There is no summer slowdown for New Jersey. State lawmakers are working hard to meet the state’s clean energy goals. Shortly before releasing the state’s Draft Energy Master Plan, Gov. Phil Murphy introduced the New Jersey Partnership to Plug-In, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the Board of Public Utilities, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Economic Development Authority to build the necessary infrastructure to support electric vehicle ownership statewide, cut pollution and clean up the air.

NJ.com – July 15, 2019

Every generation has its defining challenge. Scientists worldwide agree that we must act now to curb the worst effects of climate change, and I believe addressing this issue is our greatest challenge, as well as the most compelling moral obligation of our time.

Microgrid Knowledge – July 9, 2019

The most recent iteration of the New Jersey Energy Master Plan (EMP) includes provisions that could boost the development of microgrids in the state.

The draft plan also calls for a microgrid feasibility study to determine if microgrid projects should be expanded.

NJTV – June 13, 2019

With the state already starting to weather the effects of climate change — more intense storms, higher temperatures and rising seas — Gov. Phil Murphy’s landmark clean energy bill puts the state on a path to achieving the highest standard for renewable energy in the country by requiring 50% of the state’s power to come from clean renewables like wind and solar by the year 2050.

Daily Energy Insider – June 12, 2019

The State of New Jersey released the Draft 2019 Energy Master Plan (EMP), which sets the goal of having 100 percent clean energy by 2050.

The plan was developed by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), in collaboration with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA).

World Nuclear News – June 12, 2019

New Jersey’s state agencies were directed to prepare the Draft 2019 Energy Master Plan (EMP) under an executive order signed by Governor Phil Murphy in May 2018 alongside legislation establishing the state’s Zero Emissions Certificate (ZEC) programme. The plan has been drawn up under the leadership of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), in collaboration with the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Transportation, Economic Development Authority and Department of Community Affairs.

PV Magazine – June 11, 2019

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities has released its Draft 2019 Energy Master Plan, a rare mix of ambitious policy with an immediate guideline on how to hit those high marks.

As it seems we’ve been doing every couple of weeks all year long, it’s time to update the list of states with 100% renewable mandates, or at least proposals, as the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has released its Draft 2019 Energy Master Plan, a plan which outlines the process to get the state to 100% clean energy by 2050.

Green Car Congress – June 4, 2019

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced the New Jersey Partnership to Plug-In, a statewide partnership to build out the necessary infrastructure to support electric vehicle ownership.

The partnership, which will be co-led by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, will create a strategic and streamlined framework to support New Jersey’s electric vehicle ecosystem, with the goal of registering 330,000 Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) by 2025. The New Jersey Partnership to Plug-In will be ratified under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Solar Industry Magazine – May 31, 2019

On May 23, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed the sweeping clean energy bill S.2314, enacting a law that will transform the renewable energy landscape in New Jersey.

The law will provide New Jersey’s solar program with a much-needed boost by increasing the state’s solar renewable energy portfolio standards (SRPS) – which dictate the number of solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) that New Jersey’s electric suppliers must retire – to 5.1% of retail sales in energy year 2021. (An energy year runs from June 1 to the following May 31.)

NJ Spotlight – May 24, 2019

When advocates talk about the benefits of moving the state away from fossil fuels, they tout the jobs that could be generated from a green economy, one powered by offshore wind, solar, cleaner vehicles, and most of all, energy efficiency.

Now, a new study by a nonpartisan business group found clean energy is already a growing part of the state’s economy and is well-positioned to expand beyond the more than 50,000 jobs already in the sector with its aggressive targets set by legislators and the Murphy administration.

New Jersey 101.5 – May 23, 2019

The number of “clean energy” jobs in New Jersey has been increasing steadily the last few years and advocates say could grow faster soon due to a law enacted a year ago Thursday. To mark the anniversary of Gov. Phil Murphy signing a bill designed to promote the use of renewable energy sources and increase statewide energy efficiency, the nonpartisan business group E2 issued a report that finds there were 51,582 clean-energy jobs in New Jersey in 2017. That was up from 49,936 in 2016, E2 said. A portion of the data for 2018 was released in March, indicating that the number of clean-energy jobs in New Jersey grew by around 2,800 last year, not including jobs related to clean vehicles and other small categories.

NorthJersey.com – May 3, 2019

Last year was a breakthrough for New Jersey’s push toward a clean energy future. In May, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the Clean Energy Act that promoted zero carbon electricity and an executive order launching New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan. The executive order provides the state with a roadmap to draw 100 percent of its electricity from clean sources by 2050 and meet 50 percent of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030.

Environment America – January 24, 2019

BOSTON — In the wake of Environment California’s successful campaign to commit the Golden State to 100 percent clean electricity generation by 2045, Environment America is launching a multi-year campaign to convince governors and legislators in other states to set similar goals to transition to clean energy. Environment America, a national network of state environmental groups, announced it will push bills promoting 100 percent clean energy in at least nine states: Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico and Washington.

NJ Spotlight – October 29, 2018

The story goes that when he was building automobiles amid great public skepticism about new-fangled, gas-powered machines, Henry Ford said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

Today, though, when it comes to heating, cooling, and powering their lives, New Jerseyans have no such doubts about the need for a shift in our energy sources that will be just as transformative as going from horses to cars.

NJ Spotlight – September 25, 2019

The state yesterday began soliciting input on how to modernize an aging electric and gas grid, a step some view as perhaps the most important barrier to achieving a clean-energy future. New Jersey may have a long way to go, especially when it comes to integrating renewable energy and other more localized energy resources into the grid, according to those who spoke at a hearing on a new energy master plan.

Utility Dive – May 24, 2018

New Jersey on Wednesday became the most recent state to embrace the idea of 100% zero-emission energy. In addition to bills increasing the state’s RPS and establishing a ZEC, Gov. Murphy also signed Executive Order No. 28, directing state agencies to develop an updated Energy Master Plan that provides a path to 100% clean energy by 2050. But reaching that goal comes with trade-offs — namely, nuclear power.

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