New Jersey to Slash Gas Use

New Jersey governor Phil Murphy unveiled an energy master plan January 27 that promises to reach a goal of 100% clean energy in the state by 2050 – a target that will include slashing natural gas use by 75%.

“New Jersey faces an imminent threat from climate change, from rising seas that threaten our coastline to high asthma rates in some of our most vulnerable communities due to fossil fuel pollution,” Murphy said. “Successfully implementing the strategies outlined in the energy master plan will drastically reduce New Jersey’s demand for fossil fuels, reduce our carbon emissions, greatly improve local air quality, and related health impacts.”

The master plan addresses New Jersey’s entire energy system, including power generation, transportation and buildings, and considers their greenhouse gas emissions and related air pollutants.

Gas utilities, the master plan says, will need to adapt to the state’s new low-carbon future by identifying tools for decarbonisation and reducing gas usage while still maintaining a safe and reliable system that meets the immediate needs of consumers.

“Economy-wide decarbonization will require a significant amount of fuel switching from fossil fuels to electrification,” the plan says, noting that in order to meet the climate goals, “New Jersey will reduce overall consumption of natural gas by approximately 75% from 2020 to 2050.”

The plan also targets fugitive methane emissions by requiring gas utilities to incorporate advanced leak detection technology into their operations to find leaks, quantify them and prioritise pipeline repairs to eliminate those leaks.