September 11, 2018
ISSUE PAPER: ENERGY IN PERSPECTIVE
In a Chemistry Council of New Jersey (CCNJ) membership survey conducted during the months of June and July of 2018, respondents for the eleventh consecutive year unanimously ranked energy costs as one of the top issues of concern facing their companies in New Jersey. One can understand why, since New Jersey’s industrial energy rates are among the highest in the nation. For some energy-intensive products, energy for both fuel and power needs and feedstocks account for up to 85% of total production costs. Because energy is a vital component of the industry’s cost structure, higher energy prices can have a substantial impact on jobs and the bottom line.