PSE&G's programs also are expected to lead to a savings of over 1.4 million megawatt hours of electricity per year, which is enough to power over 200,000 New Jersey homes for a year. Participating natural gas customers are expected to save a total of approximately 35 million therms of natural gas per year. The combined Electric and Gas energy savings from PSE&G's programs are expected to avoid approximately 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year or roughly the amount emitted by 220,000 gasoline-powered cars on the road over a one-year period.
"Helping customers become more energy efficient is key to our state's clean energy future and PSEG's vision to power a future where people use less energy and that energy is cleaner, safer and delivered more reliably than ever," said Karen Reif, vice president of PSE&G Renewables and Energy Solutions.
Reif continues, "Energy Efficiency is one of New Jersey's most cost effective tools in reducing energy use and fighting climate change and we are proud of our continued role in providing programs, resources and strategies to help NJ and our customers achieve this goal."
As part of the PSE&G Clean Energy Future Energy Efficiency program that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved in September 2020, PSE&G launched ten programs in 2021 specifically designed to provide residential and commercial customers with various options to reduce their energy consumption and save money while lowering their carbon footprint.
PSE&G's programs allow residential customers to receive discounts on high efficiency products and energy efficient equipment and services, including free home energy assessments. For business customers, PSE&G provides solutions that include whole-building energy efficiency retrofits.
From July 2021 to March 2023, PSE&G helped its customers:
Since 2021, PSE&G's energy efficiency programs (including the Clean Energy Jobs Program) have won over 25 awards in a variety of categories, including program design, program marketing and best practices. In March 2023, for the second consecutive year, PSE&G received the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award in the Energy Efficiency Program Delivery category from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy. The Partner of the Year Award in Energy Efficiency Program Delivery is bestowed on organizations for sponsoring energy efficiency programs that improve the efficiency of products, homes, and buildings within their community or territory.
Recently, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approved a $280 million extension of the PSE&G Clean Energy Future-Energy Efficiency program. The nine-month extension puts PSE&G's program on the same regulatory schedule as other New Jersey utilities' energy efficiency programs and will enable PSE&G to continue to provide all of its customers with options to reduce their energy consumption and lower their utility bills.
PSE&G's energy efficiency programs have also spurred economic growth with an emphasis on equity. The Clean Energy Jobs Program sponsored by PSE&G supports the ambitious targets set by the Clean Energy Act by developing a qualified workforce and providing jobs that will be critical to achieving New Jersey's clean energy future. Since its implementation PSE&G's Clean Energy Jobs Program has already supported the hiring of more than 2,200 New Jersey residents to entry, mid and senior-level positions and advancing professional skills to work in New Jersey's clean energy industry.
