New Jersey is looking to outdo California in embracing radical climate policies. In February 2023, Governor Phil Murphy (D-NJ) signed an executive order mandating that renewables provide most of the state’s electricity generation by 2035 and that all vehicles be electric. This is expected to cost $1.4 trillion in lost income, or $140,000 per New Jerseyan between now and 2050.
PJM Interconnection, a grid operator servicing NJ and 12 other states, warned that prematurely retiring power plants and replacing them with renewables could invite risks to grid stability this summer. That could mean loss of power—including air conditioning—during heat waves and higher prices for all residents. Since the Garden State consumes more energy than it produces, intermittent renewables can’t meet growing electricity demand.
Here’s the issue of the New Jersey Green New Deal in 60 seconds: