Ray Cantor – VP, Government Affairs
On Tuesday, NJBIA attended a press event in which Gov. Phil Murphy increased New Jersey’s offshore wind goal to 7,500 MW. Former Vice-President Al Gore was in attendance and was very supportive of the Governor’s wind energy and climate initiatives.
The Governor said the 7,500 MW of wind turbines will be constructed by 2035. The former goal was 3,500 MW by 2030. The Board of Public Utilities has already awarded its first approval of 1,100 MW to Ocean Wind, a company founded by Orsted in partnership with PSEG. A second solicitation for the next round of approvals is scheduled for next year.
Governor Murphy emphasized the need to bring more clean energy production into New Jersey as he seeks to have 100% clean energy by 2050. The Governor also spoke of the jobs and manufacturing that the increase in offshore wind energy will bring.
NJBIA understands the need for clean energy sources, such as wind and solar, and is supportive of these initiatives, including the increased goals. However, we want to remain cautious to ensure that energy remains affordable and reliable, which are real concerns as New Jersey increases its reliance on intermittent sources of energy production.
NJBIA has stated that given current technologies, we will need continued use of firm capacity from energy sources, such as nuclear and natural gas. Issues of transmission also need to be addressed, especially as states such as New York, which has a goal of 9,000 MW, begin to build out their projects. We also must make sure as we build out these huge wind fields that we do not unnecessarily interfere with fishing or maritime industries. A careful and well-thought-out approach will be essential.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Ray Cantor at rcantor@njbia.org.
