Global Warming News

As the new home of NJPIRG's environmental work, Environment New Jersey can be contacted regarding this news release.

The United States could dramatically reduce global warming emissions from power plants while saving consumers money by adopting a "balanced" energy plan that emphasizes efficiency and the use of clean, local sources of power, according to a new study released today by NJPIRG.

The release of the study came as New Jersey advocates urge the McGreevey administration to limit global warming pollution from power plants.

"With a West Nile Virus case found in New York City and sea levels measurably higher, the effects of global climate change are too close to home to ignore. New Jersey should take action to demand reductions from global warming pollution released from power plants," said Emily Rusch, Energy Advocate for NJPIRG.

The study, A Responsible Electricity Future, found that a "balanced" plan that takes advantage of all cost-effective opportunities for energy efficiency, increases renewable energy to account for 15 percent of electricity generation, and doubles the amount of local generation of combined heat and power would, by 2025:

- Provide an annual cost savings of $36 billion versus a "business as usual" scenario that relies primarily on fossil fuel-powered electricity;

- Reduce power-sector carbon dioxide emissions by 21 percent versus current levels (as opposed to the 50 percent increase forecast under "business as usual"); and

- Slash fossil fuel use in the electric sector by 19 percent below current levels.

"People usually assume that a cleaner, more efficient electric system that reduces global warming emissions is too expensive to achieve," said Bruce Biewald, president of Synapse Energy Economics, Inc. and principal author of the study. "Our findings show exactly the opposite."

According to Biewald, the increased costs of energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy sources such as wind power are more than outweighed over time by the reduced need to invest in large, centralized power plants, new transmission lines, and increasingly expensive fossil fuels.

The study, which relied on information from the U.S. Department of Energy and numerous analyses of efficiency and renewable energy potential, did not include many other environmental, economic and social benefits that a cleaner electric system would bring - such as reduced medical costs from power plant-related pollution - which would add to the overall cost savings under the "balanced" plan.

The release of the study comes as New Jersey is participating in meetings of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an effort among the Northeast States to create a regional cap and trade program to reduce global warming pollution from fossil fuel power plants.

"The Synapse Energy Economics, Inc.report for NJPIRG - entitled "A Responsible Energy Future" again demonstrates that we have not been making the best choices both environmentally and financially in our use of energy. Richard Stockton College of NJ has demonstrated that off-the-shelf current energy conservation and alternative energy generation technologies more than pay for themselves (approximately a reduction of $1 million in energy costs annually) can benefit the environment (with more than a 25% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions). And Stockton is moving ahead with other similar projects that will reduce these emissions and energy costs further. Stockton's experience shows that the Synapse Energy Report is realistic and its projections achievable," said Dr. Lynn Stiles, professor of physics and coordinator of energy studies at the Richard Stockton College of NJ.