New Jersey

With Gore, New Jersey Announces Aggressive Wind Energy Goals

What to Know

  • New Jersey is accelerating its efforts to increase wind energy production
  • Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order Tuesday at a ceremony alongside former Vice President Al Gore
  • The order commits the state to produce 7,500 megawatts of electricity through wind energy by 2035

New Jersey is accelerating its efforts to increase wind energy production.

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order Tuesday at a ceremony alongside former Vice President Al Gore.

The order commits the state to produce 7,500 megawatts of electricity through wind energy by 2035. That's more than double the goal Murphy previously set of 3,500 megawatts by 2030.

"These are big goals, and tough challenges. But we can achieve them. We are up to them," the governor said.

Murphy added that if the goal is realized, half the state's energy needs and about 3.2 million homes could be powered by wind.

"Think about it – when we meet this goal, our offshore winds will generate enough electricity to power more than 3.2 million New Jersey homes. We will meet half of our electric power need. We will generate billions of dollars in investments in our state’s future that will, in turn, generate thousands of union jobs," Murphy said. "Indeed, we are putting ourselves on a steeper curve – but I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t totally confident in our ability to crest this hill. I pledged from the very beginning that New Jersey would be a leader – we are, and then some."

Murphy went on to add: "No other renewable energy resource provides us either the electric-generation or economic-growth potential of offshore wind."

Gore, a longtime climate activist, called climate change a "life or death" battle. He praised New Jersey's role in committing to renewable energy.

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