NJBIA Chief Government Affairs Officer Chrissy Buteas offered comments today at a public hearing for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities’ Offshore Wind Strategic Plan.
Chrissy Buteas, Chief Government Affairs Officer
Buteas raised concerns about the overall impact to ratepayers as the board collected public input on the state’s plan to implement 1,100 megawatts of offshore wind capacity. New Jersey currently has the highest electric rates in the PJM grid and the 12th highest residential electric costs in the nation, with 24 percent of the typical commercial or industrial electric bill attributed to government-imposed taxes and fees.
“Offshore wind is a laudable goal and a potential component of our energy portfolio and we support wind power and technology businesses,” Buteas said. “NJBIA also recognizes that a stable electric grid receives power from a diverse mix of sources. But we must also be sure that ratepayers are not inadvertently disadvantaged in order to accomplish these goals.
“A comprehensive Energy Master Plan will drive the state toward a more reliable, more affordable, and greener energy future. This plan must include an understanding of the complex dynamic between commercial and industrial ratepayers and efforts to embark on new and exciting energy projects.
“It will likely be these ratepayers who are asked to subsidize a long-term effort to kick start the state’s renewable energy portfolio, and so we have to always keep in mind the entirety of the effects of these projects on the Garden State.”
Is the 24% attributable to government-imposed taxes and fees a nation-wide average or unique to New Jersey? If unique to NJ, what are %’s for the other states in the PJM grid (and nation)?
The wind farms, although a noble cause, will cause havoc in many ways.
1) a vast majority of these windmills, bases and design will be made outside the USA. Furthermore, most of the labor installation will be from the foriegn countries where the good are made.
2) contrary to the “environmentally friendly” message being conveyed it is not true.
They use underwater sonic booms to figure out the best places to build the platforms.
These booms wreak havoc on the marine population.
They cause the marine life to be dazed and confused day after day for weeks at a time.
Interfering with their mating habits, migrating habits and feeding habits.
3) These arrays of windmills will cause cargo ships to be rerouted hundreds of miles which add diesel fuel to be burned, product costs to rise and shipping delays.
4) The windmills will disrupt key fishing grounds where hundreds of commercial fishing vessels actually work.
Additionally thousands of recreational boats will be shut out.
The ripple effect to the New Jersey economy will be devastating.
Thousands of land based jobs will be lost.