Governor sets road map to clean energy future

A third of our electricity to come from clean sources

Last April, Gov. John Corzine released a draft of a ten-year energy plan for New Jersey. Environment New Jersey and a coalition of environmental and clean energy advocates criticized the governor’s plan for falling short of the state’s full clean energy potential.

Using a clean energy scorecard to assess the governor’s initial draft, Environment New Jersey and coalition members gave the plan a “D” for failing to set new goals for solar, wind or energy efficiency, and instead supporting exploration of new coal and nuclear power plants.

Public  pressure

Upon releasing his draft plan, the governor opened a three-month public comment period to gauge the public’s reaction. Over two months, more than 10,000 Environment New Jersey members called on the governor to revise his plan and chart a more visionary course for energy policy in the state.

And at a series of public hearings, Environment New Jersey staff and our coalition partners detailed an alternate plan that embraces renewable energy and energy efficiency while eliminating the need to build more traditional power plants.

Clean energy victory

This fall, following the close of the public comment period, Gov. Corzine revised his plan. The final Energy Master Plan for New Jersey represents a dramatic shift toward clean energy and away from fossil fuel and nuclear power plants. It aims to generate 30 percent of the state’s electricity from clean, renewable sources.

The plan establishes the strongest offshore wind goal in the nation and increases the state’s solar power goals. As a result, by 2020 the equivalent of 1.3 million households—one-third of all households in the state—will be powered by wind or solar. In addition, the plan promotes energy efficiency in homes and business. And it supports new research and development into emerging clean energy technologies.

In the coming months and years, Environment New Jersey will be working to ensure Gov. Corzine’s plan becomes a reality.

Gov. John Corzine’s ten-year energy plan aims to generate 30 percent of the state’s electricity from clean sources, including wind power.