In our Spotlight on Business Report tonight as offshore wind loses public favor another controversial green energy source is gaining steam nuclear and hydrogen power were the topic today at a public forum in South Jersey as key parts of achieving zero emissions goals both here in the state and Nationwide but climate Advocates are outraged warning that fossil fuels will have to be burned in order to create that clean hydrogen Ted Goldberg reports how we going to produce enough energy in a clean fashion that meets the rest of our goals that's going to continue to support our life a tricky question that leaders and business people Tred to address today at Rowan University new BPU president Christine goul sovi says New Jersey is well on its way to replacing fossil fuels with Renewables we have an ambitious but achievable goal of 100% clean energy by 2035 and and we're on our way there's always that old joke that you know hydrogen was a fuel of the future and always will be that Future's now a multi-billion dollar investment in hydrogen could push South Jersey to the Forefront of energy production in the so-called fuel of the future over the course of the next decade President Joe Biden announced the7 billion hydrogen Hub project a couple of weeks ago and a Mid-Atlantic Hub could bring $750 million to South Jersey over the next 9 years to make hydrogen development affordable and sustainable our goal is to get to a place where you a kilogram of hydrogen of green hydrogen is less um than the cost of diesel we must be mindful that the cost of hydrogen development right now can be prohibitive but that's why this investment from the Biden Administration in the hydrogen Hub is so critical for New Jersey leaders hope that investment pays off in more renewable energy and a reinvigorated South Jersey this was like one of the biggest places to make things again and so one of my goals through all this is having you know kind of cleaner fuels that reduce our emissions achieve our climate goals but also in a way that makes this region more competitive economically we estimate it's going to be about 13 to 14,000 construction jobs just to get the system in place across the three states and obviously a ton of those would be right here environmental Advocates aren't as bullish on hydrogen there's concern about the fossil fuels needed to create some forms of energy from hydrogen we need to make sure we're making it in the right way which means it's based on Renewables we have to be careful we're not fracking more gas in Pennsylvania really disappointed in Rowan um I really showed a lack of academic Integrity because this was just a PR show for false climate Solutions some environmentalists say politicians should do more to expand solar and wind power which the D says provides New Jersey with about 8% of the electricity needed Statewide others say it's too soon to eliminate sources like nuclear which give New Jersey 41% of its juice it's impossible to burn all this stuff without there being C pollutants um and when you're emitting knocks and particulates and heavy metals um that's not clean solar and wind is not going to satisfy that in the near term so you need a base load of power so the I mean the understanding that nuclear is going to be the only way to achieve that is one perspective D Deputy Commissioner Shawn morard says people in New Jersey generally agree with the state going green it's the specifics that pose problems whether the offshore wind farms are going to be if you're going to see them from your from your your house or whether you know the the new infrastructure that's necess to support hydrogen or ammonia whatever the new kind of emerging technology is like how that's going to affect my day-to-day I want to know what wealthy uh White Community in New Jersey is going to accept the production U and the combustion of these um chemicals in their neighborhood hydrogen power could also use existing infrastructure in New Jersey old refineries and unused facilities could get new life with a new source of energy at Rowan University I'm Ted Goldberg NJ spotlight News NJ spotlight News