AFFORDABLE ABUNDANT INDEPENDENT CLEAN
ENERGY
THE PROBLEM
Our energy system is stuck in the past.
For too long, our government has ignored our aging energy grid, leaving us with decades-old power lines and dirty, expensive power plants. Now, we’re paying for their mistakes—power bills have risen by 20%, and are only expected to get higher.
This is unacceptable. It’s time for politicians to modernize our grid and invest in the future of energy: renewables
A Simple Supply and Demand Problem
It’s no mystery why our power bills have gone up—it’s basic supply and demand.
In the past few years, our energy supply has not increased as it should have. PJM, the organization that manages the power grid in New Jersey and 12 other states — has approved very few applications for power plants. This is in spite of the hundreds of clean energy project applications they have received. As a result, few new power plants have been built.
At the same time, energy demand has skyrocketed because of data centers, and are forecasted to increase base load demand by 55% by 2030. As big tech companies race to release AI programs, power-hungry data centers are appearing all over New Jersey, and they’re devouring our energy supply. Data centers are almost single-handedly responsible for the huge increase in energy demand.
The supply and demand equation is clear: higher energy demand + lack of energy supply = higher energy price.
Renewable Energy is the Future
To lower power bills, we need more energy. This is a challenge — but it’s also an opportunity. By investing in renewable energy infrastructure, we could simultaneously lower power bills and modernize our energy system.
Affordable: Renewable energy is already the cheapest on the market, and will only get cheaper as technology improves.
Abundant: Renewables produce energy through effectively infinite sources, like the sun. Embracing renewables could make oil and gas drilling a thing of the past.
Independent: Renewables are the only way for a country to achieve long-term energy independence. Fossil fuel power plants need a constant supply of oil and gas, which usually requires imports from foreign countries. Renewables don’t have this problem.
Clean: After construction, renewables create zero emissions. This makes them healthier for local communities, and crucial in the fight against climate change.
Renewables are not a
Pipe Dream
Renewables are under constant attack from the current presidential administration, who claim that they don’t work, are expensive, and are only supported by woke environmentalists.
These attacks are at odds with reality. If renewables don’t work, then how has China already built enough solar and wind energy to power the entire United States? If only environmentalists want renewables, then why is Texas leading the country in renewable energy production? The real reason renewables are under attack is because they threaten fossil fuel companies and the billionaires who profit from them. Companies like Chevron and Shell have spent billions spreading disinformation about climate change, as climate action would hurt their bottom line. Now that climate change is widely accepted, they’ve started spreading disinformation about renewables. It’s the same playbook, just a different target.
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Bills We Support
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BILL S4143 NJ: Make data centers build their own clean energy
AI is appearing everywhere. ChatGPT is not just a household name but a household staple. Major tech companies like Google and Microsoft are deploying their own AI models to compete with it. Even small businesses are deploying chatbots that pop up when you enter their website. It’s likely that AI will become more prevalent in the future— 99% of CEOs are planning to invest in generative AI.
This bill would protect New Jerseyans from paying for big tech’s data centers. Under this bill, AI data centers would be required to create their own energy supply from clean sources like solar, wind, and nuclear.
Bill S4676: Improve Our Grid Through ATTs
Advanced transmission technologies (ATTs) are pieces of equipment that improve how our power grid functions. These can be hardware technologies, like high-efficiency power lines, or software technologies, like sensors that analyze and optimize the flow of electricity. ATTs have significant benefits: They’re cost effective, quick to install, and would allow us to increase our power supply. Estimates predict that ATTs would allow us to build 6.6 GW of new clean energy projects by 2027— a significant chunk of the estimated 32 GW of additional power we will need by 2028.
Part of the reason we don’t have new clean energy projects is because our grid is in such poor condition. If we had a better grid, then we could have a better energy reserve. ATTs are an easy first step towards modernizing our grid.