ENERGY
ENERGY
Energy Policies Will Be a Top Priority in 2025
By Commerce Staff
Whether you are home , working or traveling , one thing is for certain : energy is being used and it has become a focal point in the political and social debates around us . How we power our homes , vehicles , and our economy will be a contentious issue in the upcoming New Jersey gubernatorial elections in 2025 .
Governor Murphy ’ s 2019 Energy Master Plan ( EMP ), which set an ambitious goal for New Jersey to reach 100 % clean energy by 2050 ( and was later advanced to 2035 ), calls for less reliance on fossil fuels and more reliance on renewable energy sources like wind and solar . He later signed Executive Order No . 100 in 2020 , which directed the Department of Environmental Protection ( DEP ) to make sweeping regulatory reforms , branded as Protecting Against Climate Threats ( PACT ).
“ Successfully implementing the strategies outlined in the EMP will drastically reduce New Jersey ’ s demand for fossil fuels , reduce our carbon emissions , greatly improve local air quality , and related health impacts ,” Governor Murphy said in a statement at the time . “ The EMP , together with PACT – the most sweeping set of climate regulations in the country – represents a seismic shift in our energy policy .”
With the timeline set forth , how exactly to achieve clean energy goals has remained a debate for many NJ residents and businesses .
Offshore Wind Update While Governor Murphy supports offshore wind development , the future of development in the state remains in question . President-elect Donald Trump is recorded as being against offshore wind and the Ørsted proposal to bring wind energy to New Jersey ceased last year when Ørsted ended development of its U . S . offshore wind projects Ocean Wind 1 and 2 .
Looking ahead , all eyes are on Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind ( Atlantic Shores ), which recently received federal approval to start construction on its offshore wind projects set for southern New Jersey , dubbed Atlantic Shores Projects 1 and 2 . The two projects together represent 2,800 megawatts ( MW ) of renewable power . Atlantic Shores is a fifty-fifty partnership between Shell New Energies US LLC and EDF- RE Offshore Development , LLC ( a subsidiary of EDF Renewables North America ).
“ Securing these critical approvals enables New Jersey ’ s first offshore wind project to start construction next year and represents meaningful progress in New Jersey achieving 100 % clean energy by 2035 ,” Atlantic Shores CEO Joris Veldhoven said in a statement .
A recent Stockton University survey found just over half ( 52 %) of voters somewhat ( 24 %) or strongly ( 29 %) support the installation of offshore wind turbines off the coast of New Jersey , while 9 % somewhat oppose and 24 % strongly oppose . Surveyed voters who oppose wind turbines cited environmental concerns for marine life or the ocean ecosystem ( 51 %) as their top reason for opposition , followed by costs ( 8 %). However , the survey found a majority of NJ voters ( 54 %) felt expanding the production of renewable energy should take priority over expanding the production of fossil fuels .
NJ Energy Infrastructure New Jersey has also seen legislation , regulations , and incentive programs pushing for the electrification of buildings and vehicle fleets , but the question always comes up on whether the state has the infrastructure to support such mandates .
As of March , $ 10.7 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced and New Jersey has over 253 specific projects identified for funding from the investment in the nation ’ s infrastructure . In August , Congressman Frank Pallone , Jr . announced $ 2.4 million in federal funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to establish a new revolving loan fund that will advance energy efficiency and transform public buildings across the state .
In October , the U . S . Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) awarded $ 250 million to the Clean Corridor Coalition ( funded through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program ). The grant will fund the electric vehicle charging infrastructure for commercial zero-emission mediumand heavy-duty vehicles along the Interstate-95 freight corridor in NJ . The project will establish 24 freight truck charging sites , equipping them with 450 charging ports across four states .
Funding is flowing into the state and clean energy projects are underway , but the volume of infrastructure needs required to reach clean energy goals remains in question , and businesses and residents are concerned with costs associated with energy policies .
The debate will likely continue in the coming months , and it is important that all viewpoints are heard and that informed decisions are made based on what is best for New Jersey ’ s economy and residents .
The EPA recently awarded $ 250 million to the Clean Corridor Coalition to fund the electric vehicle charging infrastructure for commercial zero-emission vehicles along NJ ’ s Interstate-95 freight corridor .
Photo : Getty Images / iStockphoto / Scharfsinn86
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