For many households and businesses, cutting energy waste can be one of the fastest ways to lower monthly bills without sacrificing comfort. That trend is now playing out on a major scale in New Jersey, where Public Service Electric & Gas said its efficiency programs are delivering more than $1 billion in annual customer savings.
What happened?
According to Daily Energy Insider, nearly 525,000 residential and business customers participated in PSE&G's Clean Energy Future – Energy Efficiency programs between their October 2020 launch and March 2026.
Daily Energy Insider reported that yearly gas savings are roughly 87 million therms, while annual electricity savings are about 3.4 million megawatt-hours — enough energy to supply more than 497,000 homes for a year.
To make efficiency upgrades easier to pay for at the outset, PSE&G has delivered around $1.1 billion in customer rebates and incentives, Daily Energy Insider said.
The results highlighted by Daily Energy Insider include upwards of 36,000 appliances recycled, nearly 158,000 retail appliance rebates, close to 373,000 smart thermostats purchased through the PSE&G Marketplace, and more than 111,000 home energy assessments.
Businesses are benefiting too. Daily Energy Insider said about 22,500 businesses have joined the programs, including over 2,200 small businesses, and that small-business participants account for roughly $31 million in annual energy savings.
TCD Picks » Good Store Spotlight
Get 10% off your next purchase with code TCD10
Why does it matter?
Energy efficiency can put real money back into household and business budgets.
Unlike a one-time discount, upgrades such as smart thermostats, more efficient appliances, and home energy improvements can reduce utility bills month after month, especially when rebates help lower the upfront cost.
PSE&G said, in the Daily Energy Insider report, that the electricity and gas reductions together are preventing roughly 2.76 million US tons of carbon emissions annually.
The utility told Daily Energy Insider that those gas savings are equivalent to removing upward of 550,000 gas-powered cars from the road.
The report also said that more than 37,600 customers are enrolled in PSE&G's Demand Response programs, which are intended to reduce strain on the grid during periods of highest demand.
What's being done?
PSE&G's strategy has focused on making energy efficiency easier to access.
Rather than leaving customers to navigate upgrades on their own, the utility has combined home energy assessments, marketplace offerings, rebates, appliance recycling, and demand response options into one broader effort.
Common steps include checking for utility incentives, scheduling a home energy assessment, replacing older appliances with more efficient models, or installing a smart thermostat to better manage heating and cooling.
Small businesses can benefit from the same approach. Cutting waste from lighting, HVAC systems, or other equipment can lower operating costs and potentially free up money for payroll, inventory, or other business needs.
Utility-backed efficiency programs can reduce upfront costs through rebates while lowering bills over time.
"Generating more than $1 billion in annual customer savings reflects the tangible impact energy efficiency is having for customers across New Jersey," said Lauren Thomas, vice president, Clean Energy Solutions – Customer Solutions, PSE&G. "Every project, whether it's in a home, a business or a public building, helps customers better manage their energy use, frees up resources that can be used on other priorities and creates lasting benefits for communities throughout the state."
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
