New Jersey environmentalists launch campaign to raise energy awareness

Organizations from around New Jersey have joined together to form Clean Energy Action Now (CLEAN), a campaign dedicated to increasing awareness of the health, economic, and climate benefits of an equitable clean energy future.

The New Jersey environmental advocates launched the campaign to raise awareness of the health, economic, and climate benefits of an equitable clean energy future for New Jersey and to counter lies propagated by the fossil fuel industry.

An Attempt to Enhance Energy Efficiency in Connecticut’s Underserved and Overburdened Communities, Community Expertise, and Climate Advocate Urges

In an area of the country with the oldest housing stock, the highest 25% of emitting homes make up a disproportionate amount – well over 50% – of the residential on-state climate emissions. High emitting homes in Connecticut are not likely weatherized and are more often located in low-income communities and communities of color. High-emitting housing units are also more likely to pose serious health risks. Hazards such as asbestos, mold, lead, vermiculite, and knob and tube wiring, among others, are substantial barriers to retrofitting and energy efficiency upgrades.

At the tail end of Connecticut’s 2023 legislative session, Connecticut’s General Assembly passed H.B. No. 6942. Sections 90 and 91 of H.B. No. 6942 set out the guidance to establish a $125M “Housing Environmental Improvement Revolving Loan Fund” through the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Housing. Effective July 1, 2024, $75M will be available in a to provide low-interest financing for retrofits projects of multifamily residences in environmental justice communities that improve energy efficiency and building shell weatherization. Potential projects include but are not limited to, the installation of heat pumps, solar power generating systems, improved roofing, doors, windows, and any electric system or wiring upgrades necessary for such retrofit. The pilot program(s) will also prioritize upgrades that include the remediation of health and safety concerns such as mold, vermiculite, asbestos, etc. They will prioritize upgrades on non-owner-occupied units and units where residents or prospective residents are low-income. H.B. No. 6942 calls attention to engaging residents and owners to assist with participation and implementation. This is especially important as Tenaya Taylor, Executive Director at Nonprofit Accountability Group wrote, “…when people do take the time to find out about energy efficiency programs, complete the burdensome paperwork and get in touch with and convince their landlords to sign off on an application, too often the promised upgrades do not materialize.”

A report by DEEP on the program’s success is expected by October 2027 and will provide any recommendations for a permanent program and any subsequent legislation. The pilot program(s) will run until September 30, 2028.

The pilot program(s) outlined in H.B. No. 6942 align with Acadia Center’s Next Generation Energy Efficiency challenge priorities which aim to address: 1) sub-standard housing quality, 2) climate mitigation, 3) clean heating and whole-house electrification, and 4) sustaining investments in efficiency. Acadia Center will continue collaborating with coalition partners, the Lamont Administration, and community leaders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while accelerating energy justice.

The Housing Environmental Improvement Loan Fund is an important step towards improving energy efficiency in overburdened and underserved communities. Climate advocates around Connecticut are calling for urgent, collaborative, and transparent action to “reestablish Connecticut as a true climate leader.” Through this process, community knowledge and expertise must be supported, centered, and valued as “the fight for housing justice and the fight for energy justice are the same fight.” Acadia Center will continue to play an active role in advancing energy efficiency efforts in Connecticut while enhancing outreach and engagement efforts to drive action on climate and energy justice.

Utilities, Generators and Wind Developers Spend Big on Lobbying in Mass.

National Grid and Eversource, Massachusetts’ largest investor-owned gas and electric utility companies, were the highest-spending energy companies on lobbying in the state over the first half of this year, while Shell Oil, NextEra and several offshore wind developers also spent big.

The lobbying data sheds light on the political influence, broad agreements and simmering tensions that underlie Massachusetts’ climate and energy policy.

A wide range of organizations representing industry, environmental and labor interests also lobbied in favor of the bill, including National Grid, the Environmental League of Massachusetts, the Union of Concerned Scientists, Acadia Center and the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.

To read the full article from RTO Insider, click here.

Environmental advocates launch Clean Energy Action Now

In an effort to raise awareness of the health, economic and climate benefits of an equitable clean energy future for the state, a number of top environmental agencies and advocates announced Tuesday they are launching the Clean Energy Action Now campaign.

The campaign, which will be known as CLEAN, aims to support the urgent adoption of policies that encourage and accelerate clean energy solutions, such as establishing a state target in law of 100% clean electricity by 2035. It also will work toward finding an equitable, affordable pathway to upgrade New Jersey’s homes and buildings to clean energy and highly efficient appliances such as heat pumps.

The following organizations are founding members of CLEAN:

• Acadia Center;
• Environmental Defense Fund;
• Natural Resources Defense Council;
• New Jersey Conservation Foundation;
• New Jersey League of Conservation Voters;
• ReThink Energy NJ;
• Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter;
• New Jersey Progressive Equitable Energy Coalition;
• MnM Consulting.

To read the full article from ROI-NJ, click here.

Advocates want to limit how utilities pay for ‘political activities’ in Mass.

When you pay your monthly electric or gas bill, you give your utility money for a lot more than just the energy you use.

You pay for the cost of building and maintaining electrical wires or pipelines.

You pay for operating expenses like employee salaries and renting office space.

You pay for the state’s energy efficiency program.

And, experts say, you might also help pay for some of your utility’s attempts to influence climate policy or advance its other political goals.

Several environmental groups in the state like GreenRoots, Acadia Center and Slingshot also say they also support the effort.

“I think specific statutory rules would be beneficial for Massachusetts,” Kyle Murray of Acadia Center said. “Rules that increase transparency and ease the regulatory burden on ratepayers are always welcome.”

To read the full article from wbur, click here.

Connecticut Joins States Across the Region, Announcing Plans to Adopt Live-Saving Clean Cars and Trucks Standards

PRESS RELEASE – July 26, 2023

Hartford — Today, Governor Lamont and the Connecticut Department of Energy and the Environment announced that they are moving forward with plans to adopt the Advanced Clean Cars (ACCII), Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) and Heavy-Duty Omnibus (HDO) programs this year. This announcement sets the state on a path to lower vehicle emissions and a healthy transition to electric vehicles and cleaner air.

The transportation sector contributes 38% of the state’s overall greenhouse gas emissions, more than any other sector. Tailpipe pollution is also responsible for 67% of the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), a key component of smog that causes increased risk of asthma, lung disease and cancer. In Connecticut specifically, 4 out of 8 counties received F grades from the American Lung Association due to high ozone days.

Heavy-duty trucks and buses make up just 6% of all on-road vehicles across the states, but are responsible for over 50% of all NOx pollution and 45% of the diesel soot, also known as fine particulate matter, which finds its way deep into the lungs resulting in early death attributed to cardiovascular diseases, like heart attacks and strokes, as well as lung cancer, reproductive and developmental harm, and even diabetes and dementia.

“I am heartened by the announcement of these proposed regulations to help curb transportation emissions by the Lamont Administration and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection,” said Jayson Velazquez, Climate and Energy Justice Policy Associate, Acadia Center. “Measures like these will strengthen Connecticut’s position as a leader in climate action. I look forward to continued collaboration between the administration and our coalition partners to achieve equitable and timely emissions reductions.”

To read the full press release from Electric Trucks Now, click here.

Heat pumps are key to a clean-energy future, but how do they work?

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on Wednesday is scheduled to vote on a program that seeks to decarbonize buildings by switching space and water heating from fossil fuels to electric heat pumps. While many clean-energy advocates support the project, critics argue the switch will increase demand on the electric grid and require expensive upgrades that could cost utility customers more. But the average New Jersey resident might not know what heat pumps are, how they work or even why people are urged to switch.

What are heat pumps?

Heat pumps are an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners in living or commercial spaces. Heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space. In the summertime, they remove heat from the air inside and push cooled air back into the room. In the cooler months, they do the opposite, drawing heat energy from the air outside and moving it into the home, according to the Acadia Center.

Heat pumps do not generate heat; they simply transfer it.

Are heat pumps really cost-efficient?

When entire units are replaced, annual savings are around 3,000 kilowatt hours (or $459) as compared to electric resistant heaters and 6,200 kWh (or $948) as compared to oil system, according to a study by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships.

An Acadia Center report also said New Jersey residents could save hundreds of dollars annually on their energy bills. But how much residents can save depends on prior fuel sources, weatherization, local utility rates and ongoing fluctuations in the energy market, according to the Energy Efficiency Alliance of New Jersey.

To read the full article in NJ Spotlight News, click here.

Massachusetts is phasing out natural gas. Why is it expanding in Douglas?

Op-Ed: A healthier, more affordable New Jersey starts inside our homes

Looking around over the past year, it’s clear that costs are up. Whether it’s the price of eggs, escalating rent or childcare costs, New Jersey families are feeling the pinch. The methane gas we use to heat our homes is not immune. In the past two years, gas rates have skyrocketed by 51% in New Jersey. While there are some things we can’t control as consumers, new research shows that we can save thousands each year while improving public health for our most vulnerable communities — and it starts inside our homes. 

New Jerseyans living in an average home could save as much as 41% on their annual energy bills by replacing gas stoves, furnaces and other household appliances with energy-efficient electric alternatives such as heat pumps and induction stoves, a new report from Acadia Center found. When paired with weatherization, such as better insulation, New Jersey households could cut their bills nearly in half. New Jerseyans who live in draftier housing stand to benefit the most. For the typical drafty house where upgrades are paired with weatherization, households could save anywhere from 47% to 69% each year, freeing up thousands of dollars for groceries, prescriptions, after-school care and other daily expenses.  

Adopting highly efficient electric appliances isn’t just good for your wallet, it’s better for your health. A growing — and alarming — body of research shows that the gas appliances we use for heating and cooking can release harmful pollutants like nitrogen dioxide inside our homes. Children with developing lungs are particularly vulnerable to indoor air pollution from gas appliances. One study found that kids who live in homes with gas stoves have a 42% higher risk of developing asthma symptoms, while another attributed gas stoves to 12.7% of childhood asthma cases across the U.S. Gas stoves have also been found to emit benzene, a cancer-causing chemical, at rates higher than having a smoker in the home. Researchers have found benzene leaking from gas stoves even when turned off.  

When vented outdoors, gas appliances are a main driver of outdoor air pollution. In New Jersey, buildings powered by fossil fuels contribute more than four times more outdoor nitrogen oxides (a precursor to smog) than electricity generation. While our state sees 250 premature deaths and $2.8 billion in health impacts each year from this pollution source, the impacts of air pollution are not borne equally. Black and brown communities often have higher exposure to this pollution, bearing the brunt of health impacts from fossil fuels. At the end of the day, switching to electric appliances isn’t just a cost-saving strategy — it’s an urgent matter of environmental justice and public health. 

Valuable rebates

Thanks to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and other measures, New Jersey consumers will be able to save thousands when upgrading their homes to clean energy. Once the Board of Public Utilities creates programs to make this funding available, each low-income household in New Jersey can obtain specific rebates that include $8,000 for a new heat pump system, $4,000 for an electric panel upgrade and $2,500 for electric wiring.  

To ensure that hardworking New Jersey families can access millions in federal rebates, the BPU should direct electric utilities to quickly scale up programs that support heat pump adoption. The state should target adoption by 60,000 households each year and ensure that at least 40% are low- and moderate-income households. Utility programs should also support HVAC contractors and distributors as they prepare for faster adoption. In addition, BPU should launch a public education campaign to highlight that millions of dollars in federal rebates and tax incentives will flow to New Jersey as consumers adopt electric appliances.    

New Jersey already lags in the adoption of electric heat pumps compared to other Northeastern states. While New York and Massachusetts strive to maximize federal dollars flowing to households, without bold leadership from the BPU, New Jersey runs the risk of leaving millions on the table.  

For struggling New Jerseyans, a high utility bill can be devastating, but it doesn’t have to be that way. A cleaner — and less expensive — future is possible with just a few changes inside each home. It’s up to state leaders to deliver that healthier, more affordable future.  

To see the full op-ed from NJ Spotlight News, click here.

RGGI funds may help decarbonize building sector

The Murphy administration plans to devote most of its investments from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to pay for decarbonizing buildings and electrifying the transportation sector in environmental-justice communities.

In its second, three-year strategic plan for determining where hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent, the administration says it will use the investments to advance Gov. Phil Murphy’s goals to slash emissions contributing to climate change and to transition to clean energy.

The strategic plan, released Friday, targets where funds raised by RGGI will be targeted between 2023 and 2025. The initiative is a cap-and-trade program that raises money from the power sector, which produces greenhouse gas emissions. In the past three years, $342 million in RGGI funds were allocated to various projects to reduce emissions and fund clean-energy projects.

Highly efficient, all-electric homes can help New Jersey households save money. A recent Acadia Center report demonstrates that New Jerseyans in an average insulated home can save anywhere from 4% to 41% on their annual energy bills by adopting heat pumps.

To read the full article from NJ Spotlight News, click here.