(Credit: SoCalGas)Southern California Gas Company plans to achieve Scope 1, 2 and 3 net-zero emissions by 2045 through a variety of initiatives, including decarbonization, diversifying and digitalizing its business. SoCalGas says it is the largest gas distribution utility in North America to set a net zero target across all scopes, which will eliminate not only its own direct emissions but also those generated by customers’ energy delivered by SoCalGas’ energy infrastructure.
To reach its goals, SoCalGas will: replace 50% of its over-the-road fleet with electric, hybrid, natural gas and/or fuel cell electric vehicles; ensure that all newly constructed buildings and major renovations of over 10,000 square feet are net zero; establish statewide hydrogen blending standards; complete five hydrogen pilot projects; and eliminate 100% of vented gas during planned transmission pipeline work.
To date, SoCalGas has achieved carbon reductions of more than 3.2 million metric tons, the company says.
SoCalGas’ announcement is important because, in order to get to net zero in California, all renewable clean sources of electricity — including solar, wind, hydrogen and renewable natural gas — must work together to ensure grid reliability, says California Assembly member Cristina Garcia. Other stakeholders agreed, pointing out the need for zero and low-carbon gases that can support renewable electricity production.
The company’s announcement of its hydrogen initiatives comes at a time when hydrogen is emerging as a hot topic of 2021. In analysis of conference calls conducted by Bloomberg, hydrogen was talked about by the nation’s biggest oil and gas companies more than three times as often in the first quarter of 2021 as in the preceding quarter.
