EMP Delay Hurts NJ’s Clean Energy Future

The release of New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan will be delayed until at least June 1, with adoption now not expected until December. That announcement came last week from the Board of Public Utilities. While the EMP is delayed the state continues to move forward on projects that run counter to the state’s 100% clean energy goals.

“The delay of the EMP means that fossil fuel projects are moving forward and greenhouse gases are increasing while we wait. BPU will be approving first and then planning later. They have major rate cases before them before a plan is adopted. Key decisions will be made on fixing solar and offshore wind, on energy efficiency programs and electric vehicles before the EMP is even finished,” said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “These delays in the EMP will continue to stall our clean energy future.”

As the BPU announced the EMP delay last week, it also approved $300 million in annual nuclear subsidies from ratepayers. That decision also commits New Jersey to buying 40 percent of its energy from nuclear indefinitely. The subsidies investing in nuclear will block the state from reaching its clean energy goals that are supposed to be laid out in the EMP.

“The $300 million a year nuclear subsidy will determine New Jersey’s energy policy for a generation, and it will affect the EMP that we are still waiting for. We are concerned this will prevent the state from moving forward with our 100% renewable goals by 2050. We will have to buy 40% from nuclear from now on and the subsidy will take money away from wind and solar. The big fight over this subsidy has delayed the EMP and slowed movement on renewable energy, energy storage, and electric vehicles,” said TIttel.

New Jersey has major decisions looming in wind and solar. The solar energy sector is on the verge of collapse without an immediate fix to the program. Solar Renewable Energy Certificates are running out and we are approaching the cost cap. The solicitation for 1,100 MW in offshore wind is coming in June.

“While we are waiting for the EMP plan to come out we need an immediate solution on solar energy. BPU must avoid the one-two punch of SRECs running out and then reaching the cost cap or the whole system could collapse. BPU will have to come up with a fix while we still do not even have an energy plan. They just keep pushing everything off, including the EMP,” said Tittel.  “Offshore wind can be the engine that drives our state to reach 100% clean energy goals A solicitation for the 1,100 MW offshore wind program is coming in June. It is important that we bring our offshore wind to our shores.”

New Jersey now has 8 proposed pipelines and 5 proposed power plants. If all of those projects are built, the state’s greenhouse gases will increase 32 percent. Important decisions on those projects continue to be made without an Energy Master Plan in place to help guide the process. The Empower NJ coalition, including the New Jersey Sierra Club, has called on Gov. Murphy to place a moratorium on all fossil-fuel infrastructure projects in the state.

“Pipelines and power plants continue to move forward while we wait for the EMP. Key decisions are being made on permits. The fact that these decision will be made without an EMP in place proves the need for a moratorium on all fossil-fuel projects. The BPU must tackle climate change and reductions in GHGs in the EMP. The plan must also move us forward on electric vehicles and offshore wind, and even more importantly fix solar and the cost cap,” said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Unless we deal with climate change and move forward with a moratorium on fossil-fuel infrastructure, the EMP will never reach the goal of getting to 100% clean energy. The EMP will be EMP-T-Y with a hollow goal that will never be fulfilled.”