You have probably seen them. PSE&G is installing solar panels – actually “smart solar units” – on utility poles throughout its service territory at the rate of about 1,200 per week. PSE&G will ultimately install up to 200,000 panels – an incredible display of green energy.

We applaud them for helping lead the nation’s clean energy movement. And for assisting companies to follow suit by offering programs and services that encourage businesses to go green.

We have seen it up close. Last year, PSE&G conducted a thorough energy audit of the New Jersey Chamber building in Trenton. Since the building is more than 140 years old, we weren’t sure what they would tell us.

We learned that while the lighting inside the building was energy efficient, there was the potential for big savings if we changed the outside lighting. The audit also determined that the air conditioning units, manufactured in the 1980s, were using tremendous amounts of energy.

So, with PSE&G’s help, we took action. Last year, we installed external light fixtures that provide us 100,000 hours of usage instead of 20,000. By taking advantage of incentive programs, the State Chamber was responsible for only 20 percent of the cost – for a savings of nearly $5,000.

We also replaced four out-of-date air conditioning units. As a result of the savings on our electric bills, the State Chamber will recoup the cost of replacing the old equipment in less than two years.

Our electric bill is projected to drop by 41 percent this year – and in all years going forward. We are amazed by the savings. It’s money that can instead be spent on programs and services for our members.

Capitalizing on the intersection of the green movement and the green economy is critical as we rise from the recession. New industries are emerging, and we have to ensure that our companies are positioned to take advantage of the revolution. Future economic prosperity will be tied to those manufacturing wind farms, photovoltaic cells, nuclear power plants, hybrid cars and other green products and technologies.

It’s important that the companies and the factories building these new technologies are located here in New Jersey – and not elsewhere.

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce will continue to work to make sure that these opportunities are front and center for our policymakers in Trenton. We will encourage Gov. Chris Christie and Lt. Gov. Governor Kim Guadagno, working in conjunction with various state agencies, to make renewable energy a key to the Garden State’s economic growth.

Ultimately, however, it begins with us. We encourage companies to start by conducting energy audits of their buildings. Learn where you can save money – and the planet – by going green.