Energy and Environment in New Jersey - Research Paper Example

Energy and Environment in New Jersey New Jersey, the US state on the eastern coast whose motto is ‘Liberty and prosperity’ is an essential state that greatly contributes to the economy of the United States of America. With its capital being, Trenton and the largest city is Newark. Its geographical area is 22,608km² covering 112km wide and 273km long. The water body cover being 14.9% of the total area, with the highest point 549.6m and the lowest side are the sea level at the Atlantic Ocean. The population of this state is 8,864,590 as per the 2012 census and population density of 459 per square. The population rate has been increasing gradually. This necessitates for advancement of more energy to cater for the vast demand for the numerous industries and also for the home use. The rapid increase in population also will lead to construction of more housing facilities for its population. This will have to be done in accordance with care for the environment [The10]. Climatic conditions in New Jersey greatly affect its environment. Atlantic Ocean and Delaware River surround the region. This causes moderate climate experiencing cold winters from November to March and warm humid summers from April to July. The average mean temperature around Atlantic City is 24°C that ranges from -1°C in January to around 24°C in July. Precipitation is very plentiful averaging 117cm annually; snowfall accumulates to about 41cm. The annual mean humidity is usually 81% at around 7am in the morning, and it reaches a peak of 87% around September. Hurricanes and violent strong storms are common over the years. Floods are also a common phenomenon mostly along Passaic river basin. Serious droughts do occur on average mostly once in between 15 years [The10]. Department of Environmental Protection of the State of New Jersey has organizations such as Sustainability and Green Energy. Sustainability and Green Energy (SAGE) help in promoting and supporting programs that aid in minimizing emissions and at the same time preserving and expanding natural carbon sinks which include soils, forests, and wetlands to ensure that it complies with the New Jersey "Global Warming Response Act". It also helps in promoting and supporting initiatives that are designed to help New Jersey adapt to the climate related impacts which are unavoidable [Lau10]. The high energy demand in New Jersey has forced more power and heat generation. There is usually a close critical relationship or link between climate and energy. Burning of fossil fuels for instance natural gas, coal, and oil releases carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The combustion of this fossil fuel is greatly responsible for the over 90% of the green house gas emissions in New Jersey[Dan13]. Each year, the generation of electricity from the fossil fuels is usually also responsible for the over 30million metric tons of the carbon dioxide gas[Lau10]. Energy efficiency is the most cost effective and easiest way to reduce the usage of energy which will thereby reduce the greenhouse gas production. The renewable energy sources which include wind, geothermal and solar help in reducing the reliance and dependence on the fossils fuel which contribute to climate change. Through the technical support, innovative programs, scientific research and policy development, the organization Sustainability and Green Energy helps in supporting efforts that will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in the state aiding New Jersey to move towards an efficient, clean energy in the future (Tangley). The organization also supports other programs that promote clean energy and energy efficiency. It works with other state agencies to regulate the green house gas emissions which result from their programs and thereby providing technical assistance in aiding to prioritize the clean energy project which represent good use of the taxpayers’ money. SAGE works with universities in New Jersey together with other national and regional working groups to advance clean energy and sources of fuel [Dav09]. Minimizing the energy use and at the same time substituting fossil fuels with efficient and clean fuels are the critical strategies for standardizing the limit of green house gas as specified by the NJ Global Warming Response Act. These include measures such as; Fast tracking development of renewable energy: renewable energy use for transportation of electricity and heating reduces the reliance on the fossil fuel which causes climate change. New Jersey demands that a percentage of the state’s energy needs be substituted by renewable sources. This goal is achieved by supporting the NJ Clean Energy Program which runs by the NJ board of Public Utilities. It offers programs, services and incentives for the residents, local governments and business owners of New Jersey to aid them in saving money, energy and the environment. SAGE utilizes environmental consultations to the current board of Public Utilities. This help in overseeing the environmental benefits and at the same time calculating the greenhouse reductions which result from the energy savings (Tangley). Evaluation of innovative technologies: the emerging and innovative technologies for renewable energy output great promise in tackling the climate challenge. The new technologies are critical in the advancement of clean energy hence proper conservation of the environment (Newton). Conducting sustainability determinations: it is fundamental for the potential sources of renewable energy to reduce the greenhouse emission over the entire period of their lifetime so as to minimize the negative impacts on the environment. SAGE carry out rigorous evaluations ensuring most of class I biomass projects meet the New Jersey’s limits and standards for better sustainability (Newton). Carrying out “Highest Environmental Standards” determinations: SAGE coordinates the projects verification, converting the solid waste from the municipal into energy which ensures the renewable projects of class II meet New Jersey’s solid waste and clean air standards; Supporting NJ Energy Master Plan: New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) in December 2011 went ahead and revised the state’s Energy master plan[Ell10]. This is a road map guiding New Jersey to a responsive, clean and efficient energy future entailing reliable, adequate energy supply implying that, it is competitive in terms of price and environmentally responsible[Dav09]. Successful implementation and oversight of the Energy master plan is an influential step if the NJ state is to meet the set 2020 greenhouse gas level limit as specified by New Jersey law. This implementation through the following methods; Promotion of combined heat and power (CHP) which also known as cogeneration; This is the simultaneous production of heat and electricity using a single source of fuel which includes Biogas, biomass, natural gas, coal, oil, waste heat. SAGE helps NJBPU in evaluating applications for the financial incentives by combined heat and power installations[ByS10]. Facilitating and researching for renewable energy use. SAGE employees cooperate with the DEP office of Permit Coordination and Environmental Review to aid the developers of projects entailing new renewable energy to get timely and necessary information concerning the permitting process. By consultations with SAGE, the DEP Division of Air Quality gives out guidance about burning of woods in New Jersey [Uni00]. Supporting and encouraging green manufacturing. NJ Economic Development Authority usually awards grants to the companies that manufacture products utilized for renewable energy and energy efficiency. SAGE carries out technical reviews for the received applications for the financial incentives [ByS10]. Reduction of waste and recovering energy; where each and every stage of a particular product’s lifecycle including its end life management usually consumes fossil fuels which then causes or add up climate change. Decomposition of the organic waste releases methane gas. This is usually a potent source of greenhouse gas and by extension a potential energy source. SAGE works in partnership with DEP Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Program in developing and implementing climate friendly types of waste management strategies. It is also participating in development of NEWMOA (North East Waste Management Officials ‘Association) climate waste action. NEWMOA is an interstate association made up of; solid waste, site clean up, hazardous waste and pollution prevention programs of the various member states [EPA97]. Seeking of regional and national solutions; There are many regional and by extension national associations which work on the issues that relate to clean fuels and energy. These national groups include US Department of Energy- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, Clean Energy States Alliance, and Northeast Regional Biomass Program[Nat13]. With continued demand for energy, most companies decided to explore the vast sea bed. This is because the ocean bed has numerous fossils dating millions of years which together with crust movement and pressure from which oil are processed. One of the companies BP shell has an oil rig in the southern eastern coast of USA near the Gulf of Mexico. In April 2010, there was an explosion in the oil rig. This caused loss of life for 11 employees and massive spillage of oil into the ocean. The deepwater oil spillage forced a total discharge of 4.9million barrels of oil. This caused a devastating effect on the environment [ByS10]. A thorough clean out of the oil ensured, but this was further made difficult by the strong Gulf Stream current that caused the spillage to spread further to much of the US east coast and down to the islands shores of Bermuda. A lot of marine life such as fish, prawns, crabs, sharks, dolphins and sea gulls died. The crude oil deposits that were washed up the shore contained a lot of heavy metals that polluted the entire coast. This environmental pollution impact was so vast that billions of US dollars had to be spent in cleaning and detoxifying the beaches. Dredges had to be used to collect the top layer of oil in the ocean and the contaminated soil sprayed and collected. The White House responded by asking the Congress to pass stringent laws to oil exploration companies to carry out maximum care during the exploration process. BP signed a four year agreement with the government to monitor of its safety ethics and the Environmental Protection Agency banned BP from new contracts with the US government [ByS10]. Generally as demand for fuel increases, maximum care has to be taken to have clean sources of energy that will at last have a positive impact on the environment to minimize pollution [ByS10]. Bibliography The10: , (The Telegraph), Lau10: , (Tangley), Dan13: , (DeRosa), Lau10: , (Tangley), Dav09: , (Newton), Ell10: , (Amos), Dav09: , (Newton), ByS10: , (Humphreys), Uni00: , (United Nations Development Programme ), ByS10: , (Humphreys), EPA97: , (EPA), Nat13: , (National Renewable Energy Labaratories), Read More