New Jersey-based utility Public Service Electric and Gas Company has unveiled new carbon abatement programs designed to curb customers' energy consumption and result in lower customer bills and a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
In a filing with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU), Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) proposed to provide energy saving measures such as home energy audits, programmable thermostats, attic insulation and high-efficiency lighting upgrades through the implementation of six pilot programs.
The proposal, if approved by the BPU, would enable the utility and regulators to determine the best way to implement broader initiatives to reach the state’s aggressive carbon reduction goals. The company stated that the carbon abatement initiative could save about 143,000 tons of carbon dioxide during a 10-year period.
The utility will commit up to $5 million to provide the carbon abatement programs. The filing seeks to recover the investment, not otherwise repaid by customers participating in the programs, through an energy charge adjustment. Under the proposal, a typical residential customer would pay about a penny a month for eight years for the carbon abatement initiative.
Ralph LaRossa, president and CEO of PSE&G, said: During the past year, PSE&G has taken a number of steps to reduce its own energy use and carbon footprint. And we have been encouraging our customers to do the same. To have a meaningful impact on carbon emissions, however, we need to give customers greater direct access to energy saving tools and information that will lead to real reductions.