Solar energy. Wind power. Paving the way for more electric cars, buses and charging stations.
The newly installed president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Joseph L. Fiordaliso, mentioned them all during a breakfast roundtable Oct. 19 presented by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and NJBIA.
These are all pieces of a puzzle that, when finished, will help New Jersey get to 100 percent clean energy by 2050, Fiordaliso said.
“We have the power to mitigate climate change,” he said to business leaders. “We have a moral obligation to future generations to do just that. We need your help, we need your guidance. We are the first to admit we don’t know it all.”
Another priority of the BPU, in conjunction with the state Department of Environmental Protection, is creating a stronger infrastructure to withstand serious storms, he said. One key initiative involves the establishment of microgrids to improve the grid's resiliency and reliability. Another is the diversification of energy sources, including natural gas and clean energy.
“Infrastructure is the most important economic driver,” Fiordaliso said. “Can your business and industry grow without a strong infrastructure? We have to be willing to spend but we also have to be prudent. It’s not about throwing money out, it’s about investing money in the right places.”