On this past weekend’s episode of ‘Minding Your Business,’ NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs Ray Cantor discussed cost and feasibility concerns of banning natural gas in New Jersey as part of the Murphy administration’s goal of establishing 100% clean energy by 2050.
From a practicality standpoint, Cantor said it’s not realistic for New Jersey to do away with natural gas as an energy source in less than 30 years.
“It’s a stable, reliable and affordable source of energy,” Cantor told host Bob Considine. “Until technology changes, we think we need natural gas.
“Even if we went to all wind and solar, they’re intermittent sources of power. When the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow, you need backup power.”
Cantor explained that even buildings in Massachusetts that have switched to electric power have gas-powered backups because “when it gets really, really gold, electricity is just not going to do the job.” He cautioned that switching natural-gas powered buildings in urban centers is not as simple as “flicking a switch.”
“We’ve been taking the viewpoint that we know we need to reduce our carbon footprint dramatically in order to address long-term climate goals,” Cantor said. “But we must do so in a way that protects humans in the state and on this planet. We all need energy. We need to do this in a methodical way, not in a hurried way.”
NJBIA’s “Minding Your Business” is a weekly TV show that airs on News 12+ at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday, and on 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
To see all past episodes of NJBIA’s “Minding Your Business,” click here.
