NJ OKs voluntary route to 20% green power (by 2020)

New Jersey regulators OKd in November a voluntary green power fund.
     Utility customers can donate money to support the state's clean energy program at schools and community facilities trying to meet the state's 20% green power goal by 2020.
     Power and gas utilities work with the Clean Energy Council and the Bureau of Public Utilities (BPU) Office of Clean Energy to develop, customize and market payment plans and get data to customers.
     New Jersey Natural Gas plans to add a check-off box to its bills -- a cost- free way of raising money for green energy -- and plans to kick in 50¢ on the dollar.
     "This is a company that gets it," BPU President Jeanne Fox noted.
     "They see the future and the future is now and it is green."
     BPU approved the Clean Energy Council slate of energy efficiency and renewables programs for this year but plans to wait on its proposed budget of $139 million until regulators see the impact of Aug 1 rate boosts on customers.
     Programs give incentives for:
     • New HVAC;
     • Appliance maintenance and replacement;
     • New energy-saving homes;
     • Efficiency retrofits and standards for new C&I facilities, and o Incentives for cogeneration, renewable onsite power and demonstration projects.  (Story originally published in Restructuring Today 11/19/03)