New Jersey Has a Plan to Shift to Clean Energy, but Questions Remain

Tom Johnson writes about New Jersey’s efforts to transition to clean energy and the state’s Energy Master Plan. "The plan’s core recommendations are well-known — shifting away from climate-changing fossil fuels by switching to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power; a program to electrify the transportation sector; and to require gas and electric utilities to curb energy use by their customers."

The plan has not been released to the public yet, and the state has not yet outlined what the cost of these initiatives will mean for ratepayers. In the coming year, many outstanding issues will need to be resolved for the move to renewable energy, an expensive but necessary shift, notes Johnson.

"New Jersey has a 12-year-old law mandating it cut global warming emissions within the state by 80% below 2006 levels by 2050. Without shifting to a clean energy economy, the state could never achieve those goals," says Johnson.