What Can New Jersey Do to Promote More Energy Conservation?

According to an American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) report, New Jersey needs to ramp up energy savings by adopting and enforcing long-term energy efficiency targets.

Utilities need performance incentives, and ratepayer dollars intended FOR clean energy programs should be used as intended rather than diverted into the general fund to close budget gaps.

What You Can Do:

Home and Office: Saving energy at home and at work improves building performance and makes living spaces more comfortable. Efficiency improvements also save money. Here are some effective steps you can take:

• Get an Energy Assessment: An energy assessment is an important first step in understanding your consumption and where you can save energy and money.
• Weatherize your home: Your assessment will provide you with a list of upgrades with cost estimates. Weather stripping and replacing lighting are good places to start.
• Buy efficient appliances: Washers, dryers, refrigerators, and HVAC units use lots of energy. When replacing your appliances ask for Energy Star’s Most Efficient products or CEE Tier 2, 3, and 4.
• Modify your behavior: Install a programmable thermostat to help conserve energy and provide you with consumption information. Some advanced systems allow you to control your building energy use from your home.