NJ Energy Report – March 2024
Actions and comments affecting the New Jersey energy supply.
Comments
The following actions were taken or proposed in March.
- The legislators debated a constitutional amendment to the state constitution to guarantee a clean environment for each resident. (1)
- Review and revise the 2019 Murphy directed Energy Master Plan to impose the energy transition. (2)
- Enact into law the Murphy executive order to have the state energy green by 2035 (3)
- Increasing spending for grid modification.(3)
- Ban construction of new fossil fuel power plants in the state.(4)
- Forbid state pension funds from investing in 200 fossil fuel related companies (4)
What does all this accomplish?
- The energy plan is failing because its goals are unrealistic and residents do not want its effects on lifestyle or costs. The plan must be implemented by the force of law on the residents
- The legislators do not want the responsibility of raising taxes, imposing the restrictions on lifestyle, and explaining why the detrimental economic effects are good for residents.
- Instead, by supporting a constitutional amendment and making the executive order a law the, legislators can claim they are just conforming to the law.
- The legislators ignore a constitutional amendment may sound good but what is the definition of a clean environment. It becomes an open ended financial obligation.
- The legislators ignore the lower investment returns from non-fossil fuel energy companies.
(1`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2024/03/nj-advocates-push-green-constitutional-amendment-opponents-say-it-would-damage-economic-growth/
(2`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2024/03/bpu-announces-review-nj-energy-master-plan/
(3`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2024/03/nj-lawmakers-advance-key-climate-bills-but-leading-senator-cautions/
(4`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2024/03/lawmakers-move-to-ban-new-fossil-fuel-power-plants/
Energy Supply
Offshore Wind Turbines
Offshore Wind Advocates
- Offshore wind is merely in a hiatus, it has not been abandoned.
- Advocates are promising massive job growth (1) and some studies of possible environmental effects.(2)
- They ignore that most wind turbine jobs will be in Europe and the effect of the higher green energy costs reduces jobs in many other industries (3)(4)
- Why are environmental effects suddenly being studied? Why wasn’t this done before the contracts were awarded?
(1`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/offshore-wind-supporters-pitch-prospect-of-major-jobs-boost/
(2`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/nj-commits-funds-to-study-offshore-wind-developments-ecological-impacts/
(3`) https://energytalkingpoints.com/green-energy-jobs/
(4`) https://energytalkingpoints.com/energy-poverty/
Off Shore Wind Opponents
Offshore wind opponents demand the BOEM perform its legal obligation to study environmental effects on marine life.
The opponents claim the BOEM ignores following issues are being ignored
- The noise effect on marine life due to multiple simultaneous sites being under construction.(1)
- The operation effect of varying water oxygen content on marine life.(2)
- The effect on air quality caused by construction trips of the wind turbine support ship. (2)
- The unknown ability of offshore wind turbines to withstand hurricanes. The BPU must provide the engineering studies. (3)
(1`) https://www.cfact.org/2024/03/06/cfact-blasts-offshore-wind-multiple-site-assessment-as-ridiculous/
(3`) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubAkcp0qYrU
Transportation
Electric Vehicles (Cars)
Battery Powered Car Issues
- Governor Murphy is determined to force the purchase battery powered vehicles and make everyone subsidize the buyers. However, he also seems to have an inkling of the developing cost issues.
- The governor proposes to extend buying subsidies and require battery powered car buyers to pay the state sales tax. Buyers are exempt from this requirement. (1)
- Battery power car owners currently do not pay any fees to maintain roads. The governor proposed to impose an annual $250 road use tax on the cars.(2)
- This is low but it is a start.
(1`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2024/03/is-nj-gov-phil-murphy-sending-mixed-messages-on-electric-vehicle-incentives-sales-tax-exemptions/
(2`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/higher-gas-tax-new-ev-fee-are-put-on-fast-track/
Grid Modification
- The grid must deliver and distribute electrical power.
- Historically the power provider paid for the transmission lines and connection point to the grid. They worked with the grid operator to develop the best connection location. This cost was part of the electricity cost.
- Wind and solar are different because they must be located wherever land or wind is available whether it is operationally possible to connect to the grid.
- Wind and solar developers do not want to pay for the connection point and transmission lines to the grid or the operational problems their connection may cause. They want to users to pay those costs.
- One of the first payment on this issue is $300 million the legislators approved under the disguise of grid modification.(1`)(2)
(2`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2024/03/electric-utilities-grid-modernization-fine-particulates-soot-contaminants-clean-energy-environmental-justice-garbage-incinerators-assemblyman-christian-barranco-r-morris-assemblyman-wayne-deangelo-d
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