Williams Announces Goal of 56% Absolute Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2030
August 26 2020 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Williams (NYSE: WMB) announced today its climate commitment,
setting a near-term goal of 56% absolute reduction from 2005 levels
in company-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, putting the
company on a positive trajectory to be net zero carbon emissions by
2050. By setting a near-term goal for 2030, the company plans to
leverage its natural gas-focused strategy and technology that is
available today to focus on immediate opportunities to reduce
emissions, scale renewables and build a clean energy economy –
while looking forward and anticipating future innovations and
technologies.
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Williams outlines action plan to net zero
by 2050. (Graphic: Business Wire)
“As one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in the
U.S., we see firsthand the important role natural gas plays today
in a viable and sustainable low-carbon future, and we know that
natural gas is critical to addressing climate change. It creates a
practical and affordable solution for immediately reducing
emissions both here and around the world. It also is key to
maintaining reliability and enabling scaled use of renewable
energy,” said Alan Armstrong, president and chief executive officer
at Williams. “With our climate commitment encompassing both near-
and long-term targets, we hope to challenge others to establish
similar goals based on what we can reduce right here, right now –
while also supporting the development of emerging technologies that
will ultimately contribute to our aspiration to be net zero by
2050.”
To reach its 2030 target, Williams is pursuing common sense
methane emissions reduction opportunities through leak detection
and repair, work practice improvements, and evaluating equipment
upgrades on a site-specific basis. This near-term phase also
includes collaborating with peers and customers to uncover and
implement innovative emissions reduction strategies through
Williams-led initiatives, research organizations and trade groups.
In addition, Williams will continue to support Colorado State
University’s Methane Emissions Technology Evaluation Center and
fund methane emissions reduction projects at Pipeline Research
Council International.
Other near-term efforts will focus on exploring renewable energy
opportunities, including renewable natural gas (RNG) and solar
energy. Currently, Williams delivers RNG by partnering with energy
companies in Washington, Idaho, Ohio, and Texas to transport
methane emissions captured from landfills or dairy farms where the
methane is a byproduct of the waste decomposition process. Methane
produced from the waste is a renewable fuel because it is captured
as biogas rather than being released directly into the atmosphere.
Williams’ Northwest Pipeline is interconnected with four RNG
facilities, of which two were brought online in the past seven
months, and looking ahead, the company plans to aggressively pursue
additional RNG partnership opportunities.
These efforts are in addition to the company’s previously
announced $400 million solar initiative across nine states spanning
Williams’ footprint. Williams is identifying locations where solar
power installations are both economically viable and can be located
on company-owned land that is adjacent to existing facilities.
Initial sites identified are in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia,
Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and
Virginia. These facilities are expected to be placed into service
beginning late 2021.
Williams’ long-term path to net zero by 2050 includes preparing
for future breakthrough technologies in carbon capture, synthetic
gas and hydrogen as a fuel source.
“We are proud to lead the midstream space in meeting the growing
demand for American-made energy while outlining clear steps toward
a clean energy future,” said Armstrong. “We believe we can
successfully sustain and evolve our natural gas-focused business as
the world moves to a low-carbon future, while also helping our
customers and stakeholders meet their climate goals.”
This vision for a viable and sustainable low-carbon future is
supported by the active role low-cost natural gas plays in the
clean energy mix, particularly when it comes to displacing
higher-emission fuels such as coal and heating oil. Natural gas
generates up to 60% fewer GHG emissions than coal and is a reliable
fuel source, making it the ideal partner for intermittent renewable
energy sources like wind and solar power.
The company will provide updates on its progress toward these
goals in its annual Sustainability Report. To read the recently
published 2019 Sustainability Report, visit www.williams.com.
To learn more about Williams’ climate commitment visit
www.williams.com/climate-commitment.
About Williams
Williams (NYSE: WMB) is committed to being the leader in
providing infrastructure that safely delivers natural gas products
to reliably fuel the clean energy economy. Headquartered in Tulsa,
Oklahoma, Williams is an industry-leading, investment grade C-Corp
with operations across the natural gas value chain including
gathering, processing, interstate transportation and storage of
natural gas and natural gas liquids. With major positions in top
U.S. supply basins, Williams connects the best supplies with the
growing demand for clean energy. Williams owns and operates more
than 30,000 miles of pipelines system wide – including Transco, the
nation’s largest volume and fastest growing pipeline – and handles
approximately 30 percent of the natural gas in the United States
that is used every day for clean-power generation, heating and
industrial use. www.williams.com
Portions of this document may constitute “forward-looking
statements” as defined by federal law. Although the company
believes any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions,
there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be materially
different. Any such statements are made in reliance on the “safe
harbor” protections provided under the Private Securities Reform
Act of 1995. Additional information about issues that could lead to
material changes in performance is contained in the company’s
annual and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
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MEDIA: media@williams.com (800) 945-8723
INVESTOR CONTACTS: Brett Krieg (918) 573-4614
Grace Scott (918) 573-1092
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