What does 100% renewable mean in New Jersey?
"100% renewable" almost always means the supplier matches your yearly use with certificates. It buys one REC for each megawatt-hour you use. The REC comes from a wind, solar or other renewable plant. The plant sells its power to the grid. You do not get the power from that plant by wire.
The EPA puts it this way: a REC is a market tool for the rights to the environmental benefits of one megawatt-hour of renewable power. If someone sells the same REC twice, no new clean power was added. The EPA calls that double counting.
The supplier buys RECs equal to your yearly use, and retires them in your name. Your power still comes from the grid.
Your lights are not powered by that one plant. The grid mixes all power, so each home gets the same blend.
Here is the key New Jersey rule. Every supplier must already retire RECs to meet the state's renewable standard. That share is the baseline. A green plan is only "extra" if its RECs are in addition to that baseline. The BPU says so in writing.
What is already in your power?
Mostly natural gas and nuclear power. The BPU gives every supplier a default label. It is used when a plan makes no green claim. It shows the fuel mix of the whole PJM grid, the grid manager for New Jersey and its neighbors. The numbers below are for the energy year June 2024 to May 2025, as shown on a published label.
The BPU default label, as printed on JCP&L's published label. Renewable here is solar 2.50%, wind 3.88%, waste and methane 1.04%, biomass 0.16%. Bars start at zero.
The label also shows air pollution. For the same year it listed 755.48 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour for the grid. It listed 517.92 as a New Jersey benchmark. Nuclear power has no carbon dioxide. It is not renewable, and the label shows it as its own line.
The default label already counts RECs retired for the state's renewable standard. That is why a supplier cannot claim them again. The BPU says the default label's numbers cannot be used in a green marketing claim.
How does the state check green claims?
With a label and backup papers. The rule is N.J.A.C. 14:8-3.1. It requires every supplier and every utility's default service to show a uniform set of facts on bills, contracts or marketing: the fuel mix and the air pollutants, in the BPU's graphic format. Each year the BPU sends a letter that says how.
- A supplier that makes a green claim must publish its own label for that plan.
- The label must be based on RECs from the right energy year.
- The RECs must be in addition to those used for New Jersey's renewable standard.
- The supplier must keep backup papers and give them to a customer or the BPU on request.
- RECs used for New Jersey's standard cannot also be sold as extra green.
- RECs used for another state's standard cannot be counted again.
- RECs used in another voluntary product cannot be counted again.
- The numbers on the default label cannot be used in a green claim.
The federal rules agree on the basics. The FTC's Green Guides say a renewable energy claim should be specific, such as naming wind or solar, and not claim more than the supplier delivers. Read the claim and the label together.
Where to find a label. The BPU says suppliers should post their labels on their websites. If you cannot find one, ask for it.
This compares one green plan with your utility's price to compare. It is an estimate for the price and use you type. The math is explained in "What does a green plan cost?" below. A low price does not prove the power is green, and New Jersey has no public list of plan prices for us to check.
Five questions to ask before you switch
Use these with any plan marked green, renewable or clean. A real plan has plain answers. We recommend you get the answers in writing.
| Question | A good answer | A warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Which RECs back this plan, and from what year? | RECs from the current energy year, named by source | "Renewable sources" and nothing more |
| Are they in addition to the RECs New Jersey requires? | Yes, extra, and not sold twice | "That is included in the state share" |
| Where is the label for this plan? | A plan-specific label on the supplier's site | Only the grid's default label |
| What is the price per kWh with tax, the term and the fee to leave? | All three on the one-page contract summary | A price with no tax, or "ask later" |
| Can I see your backup papers? | Yes. The BPU says they must be available on request | A refusal or a long wait |
Keep the contract rules in mind. You have 7 calendar days to cancel after the confirmation notice, and you cancel through your utility. A fixed price should not change during its term.
What does a green plan cost?
It depends on the plan, and the state does not list plan prices. So we cannot give you an average. Do this instead. Take the plan's price per kWh, tax included. Subtract your utility's price to compare. Multiply by your kWh. That is the extra you pay each month.
At the average New Jersey home's 670 kWh, each 1¢ of extra price adds about $6.70 a month.
Our math: cents above the price to compare times 670 kWh. Bars start at zero.
Your number to beat is your utility's price to compare. It is in effect since the date shown. Not sure which utility is yours? Find it on our New Jersey page.
| Utility | Price to compare | In effect since |
|---|---|---|
| PSE&G | 19.79¢ | October 1, 2026 |
| JCP&L | 17.05¢ | October 1, 2026 |
| Atlantic City Electric | 18.16¢ | October 1, 2026 |
| Orange and Rockland (RECO), Bergen County | 18.43¢ | October 1, 2026 |
| Orange and Rockland (RECO), Passaic and Sussex | 16.62¢ | October 1, 2026 |
If a plan is not above that number, the green label costs you nothing extra. The plan finder on this page shows plans for your ZIP. For any plan marked green, run the five questions above. Our rates guide explains the price to compare in full.
Is the state changing its renewable steps?
Yes, it has proposed to. The state's law sets goals of 35% from new clean sources by 2025 and 50% by 2030. Each year the BPU sets a step on the way, called the Class I share. Suppliers must buy RECs for that share. An energy year runs June 1 to May 31.
On Sept. 21, 2026 the BPU published a proposal to lower the near-term steps. It says it wants to ease costs for customers. It points to the price of Class I RECs and delays in connecting new projects to the grid.
| Energy year | Current rule | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (June 2025 to May 2026) | 38.0% | 35.0% |
| 2027 | 41.0% | 35.0% |
| 2028 | 44.0% | 40.0% |
| 2029 | 47.0% | 45.0% |
The Board has already set 35% for the 2027 year and 40% for the 2028 year by its order of May 21, 2026. The proposal would put the numbers in the rules and add the 2029 step. The 2030 goal of 50% is in the law and does not change in this proposal.
This changes the baseline. It does not change what a green plan has to prove. A plan must still go beyond whatever the baseline is.
- Nov. 20, 2026Public comments are due on the proposal by 5 p.m. Eastern time.
- Dec. 1, 2026By the BPU's schedule, suppliers update their labels for the energy year that ended May 31, 2026.
- June 1, 2027A new energy year starts.
Other ways to go green
A plan is not the only path. Two others are worth knowing.
Some towns buy power for all homes. You are in unless you opt out within 30 days of the notice. Read the notice for the supplier, the price and the label. You can leave later with 30 days' notice.
The state announced in July 2026 an expansion of its community solar program to up to 3,000 MW. Community solar lets homes share a solar project instead of putting panels on their own roof. Ask NJ Clean Energy for current rules.
Check your own bill first. If your town runs a program, a supplier's name may already be there. Our bill guide shows how to spot it.
Would you rather put panels on your own roof? Check any installer's record first in our solar company reviews.
Found a green plan you like? Ask the five questions, then put its price with tax next to your utility's price to compare.
Compare plans at my ZIPA partner runs the plan finder. If you sign up, it may pay us a fee, and that never moves a rating or a score.
Questions, answered
Are there 100% renewable electricity plans in New Jersey?
Yes. Suppliers sell plans they call 100% renewable or wind-powered. A real one comes with its own plan label and the papers behind it. A plan name alone proves nothing. Ask any supplier for its plan label.
Is green energy more expensive in New Jersey?
Often, but it depends on the plan. The state does not list plan prices. Subtract your utility's price to compare from the plan's price, then multiply by your kWh. A plan not above the price to compare costs you nothing extra.
How do I know a green claim is true?
Ask for the plan's environmental label and the backup papers. The BPU says each plan with a green claim needs its own label. The claim must rest on RECs from the right year that were not used for the state's standard or sold twice. A supplier must keep the papers on request.
What is a REC?
A renewable energy certificate. One REC stands for the environmental benefits of one megawatt-hour of renewable power. The EPA says it is the market tool used to claim the use of renewable power. It must be retired, or counted once, so it cannot be sold twice.
Does a green plan change the power that reaches my home?
No. Your power still comes from the grid, and your utility still delivers it. The plan pays for renewable power to be added to the grid somewhere. If the lights go out, call your utility.
Does my utility's default power include renewable energy?
Yes, in the sense that the state requires every utility's default service and every supplier to retire RECs for its renewable standard. The default label shows the grid's mix. It lists 7.57% renewable for the year June 2024 to May 2025.
What is the environmental information disclosure label?
It is a one-page label in the BPU's format. It shows the fuel mix and the air pollution from the power, such as carbon dioxide, in pounds per megawatt-hour. The state requires it on bills, contracts or marketing. Each plan with its own green claim needs its own label.
Can I get green power if I rent?
Yes, if the electric bill is in your name. You can choose a supplier plan. If your landlord pays the bill, ask them. For community solar, ask NJ Clean Energy whether a project near you takes renters.
What do you want to do next?
Sources and updates
Sources (12)
- New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Secretary's letter, Nov. 12, 2024: environmental information disclosure labels (energy year 2024): The rule N.J.A.C. 14:8-3.1, the default label, the REC rules, the label and backup papers, and the Dec. 1 timing. We did not find a later letter.
- New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Rule proposal PRN 2026-052 (58 N.J.R. 2154), Sept. 21, 2026: The proposed renewable steps, the Nov. 20, 2026 comment deadline and the reasons given.
- FirstEnergy (JCP&L), Environmental Information Disclosure, electricity supplied June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025: The default PJM grid mix (7.57% renewable) and the carbon dioxide figures (755.48 and 517.92 pounds per megawatt-hour). Read Oct. 25, 2026.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs): What a REC is and why double counting matters.
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Green Guides, 16 CFR 260.15, renewable energy claims, via the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School (a free legal library run by a university): Renewable energy claims should be specific and not overstate.
- NJ Power Switch (run by the BPU), Government energy aggregation: The 30-day opt-out and the no-penalty exit.
- NJ Power Switch (run by the BPU), Third party supplier contract summary: The one-page summary of price, fees, renewal and the 7-day right to cancel.
- NJ Power Switch (run by the BPU), Electric supplier list, revised Sept. 30, 2026: Suppliers that may sell to homes.
- New Jersey Administrative Code, N.J.A.C. 14:4-7.6, supplier contracts, via the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School: The 7-day right to cancel and the contract contents.
- Governor of New Jersey, Press release, July 7, 2026: The community solar expansion to up to 3,000 MW.
- NJ Power Switch (run by the BPU), Price to compare: What the price to compare includes.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Annual 2025, Tables 2.8 to 2.11: The 670 kWh average NJ home use behind the cost bars (our math).
Changelog · last updated October 25, 2026 · 1 update
- October 25, 2026: Guide published: what 100% renewable means, the BPU default label, the claim rules, five questions, cost, the proposed renewable steps and the Nov. 20, 2026 comment date.
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Green and renewable electricity in New Jersey: what is real and how to check", updated October 25, 2026, https://theday.company/nj/green-renewable-electricity-nj.
Rules and figures come from the BPU, NJ Power Switch, the EPA, the FTC and each company's own documents, as of the dates shown, and can change. The default label figures are for June 2024 to May 2025; suppliers must publish a newer label by the BPU's schedule. The default label figures are as printed on JCP&L's published label. Figures marked "our math" are estimates. This page gives general information, not legal or financial advice. The Day Company is independent and is not part of the BPU, the EPA, the FTC, NJ Power Switch or any supplier. See our Terms of Service. Our plan finder is Power HQ, operated by Blitz Ventures Inc. (doing business as EnergyBot), which holds New Jersey Board of Public Utilities licence EA-0519.