LOS ANGELES, Dec. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today issued details
of its plan to implement Senate Bill 1383, the Short-Lived Climate
Pollutants bill, which aims to reduce emissions of potent
greenhouse gasses. The bill requires state agencies to adopt
policies and incentives to significantly increase the sustainable
production and use of renewable gas. CPUC worked with the
California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Department of Food
and Agriculture (CDFA) to outline a solicitation process and a
timeline for selecting at least five dairy biomethane projects
which will be connected to the gas pipeline system. SoCalGas was
selected to lead the solicitation process in coordination with the
other utilities. The project selection committee will be made up of
the CPUC, CARB and CDFA.
SB 1383 is considered the most aggressive law to tackle
short-lived climate pollutants in the nation. SoCalGas issued the
following statement in response:
"SoCalGas is excited to be selected by the CPUC to play a
leading role in implementing this visionary legislation that will
help meet the state's climate goals, drive innovation, and develop
supplies of renewable natural gas for Californians. The CPUC has
established a program that will play an important part in reducing
these methane emissions.
"Renewable natural gas, with its ability to turn methane
emissions into a source of energy, is a critical element of a
comprehensive approach to climate change. About 80 percent of
methane emissions in California
come from waste streams. These emissions can be harnessed so that
instead of contributing to climate change they can instead
be converted to renewable natural gas
and distributed through our existing pipeline
infrastructure to fuel heavy-duty trucks, heat homes, cook meals,
or generate electricity as renewable energy. And because renewable
gas can be stored and delivered through existing infrastructure,
the technology can be implemented quickly to help California reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
meet the state's renewable energy goals.
"As the largest gas distributor in the nation, SoCalGas is
positioned to make the infrastructure investments necessary to
maximize the production and use of renewable natural gas. We look
forward to partnering with California dairies to develop the biomethane
pilot programs this law requires and help build the market for
renewable natural gas, contributing to accomplishment of our
state's environmental objectives and priorities."
About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest natural
gas distribution utility in the United
States, providing clean, safe, affordable and reliable
natural gas service to 21.7 million customers in Central and
Southern California. Its service
territory spans 22,000 square miles from Fresno to the Mexican border, reaching more
than 550 communities through 5.9 million meters and 101,000 miles
of pipeline. More than 90 percent of Southern California single-family home
residents use natural gas for home heat and hot water. In addition,
natural gas plays a key role in providing electricity to
Californians—about 60 percent of electric power generated in the
state comes from gas-fired power plants.
SoCalGas has served communities in California for 150 years and is committed to
being a leader in the region's clean energy future. The company has
committed to spending $6 billion over
the next five years to modernize and upgrade its gas
infrastructure, while also reducing methane emissions. SoCalGas is
working to accelerate the use of renewable natural gas, a
carbon-neutral or carbon-negative fuel created by capturing and
conditioning greenhouse gas emissions from farms, landfills and
wastewater treatment plants. The company is a subsidiary of Sempra
Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company
based in San Diego. For more
information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on
Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.
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SOURCE Southern California Gas Company