- Legislative Priority: Develop and adopt Clean Electricity Standard (CES) legislation requiring 100% clean electricity by 2035 and net negative emissions by 2050, with strong commitments to reduce pollution in overburdened communities through complementary policies like addressing pollution from peaker plants and strong commitments to air quality monitoring and creation of family-sustaining jobs.
- Budget Priority: End diversions 100% from the Clean Energy Fund.
Why is this on our agenda?
A commitment to 100% clean energy by 2035 would be one of the most ambitious state climate goals in the nation. New Jersey policy makers recognize the critical need to mitigate the climate crisis by decarbonizing the economy through catalyzing clean energy production. New policy tools and regional approaches to dramatically expand the development of renewable resources within the regional electric grid, extending from Illinois to Virginia, have been explored and require finalization. New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan of 2019 called for a 100% clean electricity standard to augment or replace the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). After more than two years of policy exploration and development, technical conferences with national experts, and stakeholder input, it is time to adopt a Clean Electricity Standard.
The current RPS and Renewable Energy Credit market were important policy tools to begin the buildout of solar and wind resources, but lack key features needed to reduce emissions at higher levels of renewable deployment. Implementing a CES would greenlight more aggressive clean energy requirements in order to generate additional greenhouse gas emission reductions in the state and in the wider regional grid. Based on the most recent International Panel on Climate Change findings, the new CES should require 100% of all electricity sold to be from clean electricity by 2035. At the same time, the CES should be structured to provide strong ratepayer protections against excessive costs, and paired with significant complementary policies to reduce pollution in overburdened communities, such a plan to close out peaker plants - the dirtiest and most expensive power plants that only run when demand is highest, codifying New Jersey’s laudable offshore wind goals, improvements in county air monitoring programs, and programs to help electrify the most inefficient households. We must also ensure that the transition to the clean energy future provides good, family-sustaining local jobs, especially for those transitioning away from the fossil fuel industry and those who have been overburdened with the effects of pollution.