Path to a Sustainable Energy Future

When we talk about sustainability at Southern Company Gas, we talk about it holistically from all sides of our business. We are implementing solutions to engrain sustainability in the way we do our jobs each day across all four states in which we operate, and customizing those solutions to meet the needs of the customers and communities we live in and serve. Each one of us has a role to play in achieving a sustainable energy future.

As a company, we are committed to our goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from our operations by 2050. And natural gas and the infrastructure that transports it is foundational to achieving this. We also work to support reductions in GHG emissions across the natural gas value chain. To accomplish this, we can think about our opportunities in this space in three critical areas: “Measure, Mitigate and Influence.”

Like others across our industry, we report our current GHG emissions in compliance with federal requirements, and Southern Company Gas also reports additional categories of emissions sources through our engagement in voluntary efforts, based on an Environmental Protection Agency guidelines to estimate GHG emissions from our local distribution companies and other businesses. To promote more accurate measurement, we’re also collaborating with others in the industry through GTI Energy’s Veritas effort to develop a standardized, science-based approach to measuring, calculating and reporting methane emissions.

We mitigate by continuing to modernize the infrastructure in our operations to minimize leaks through actions such as pipeline replacement, cross compression technology, and advanced leak detection technology. We also seek to utilize our infrastructure to support mitigation of GHG emissions from other sectors of the economy. One great example of this is the Renewable Gas Interconnection Pilot, through which Virginia Natural Gas aims to introduce renewable gas – which turns waste into energy – to its service area.

Finally, we influence through our commitment to reduce emissions across the entire value chain and collaboration with likeminded partners. For example, we’re a founding member of ONE Future, a natural gas industry-led coalition voluntarily working to achieve a methane emissions intensity of 1% or less by 2025. I know from my own experiences at Southern Company Gas over the years that open dialogue with stakeholders and collaboration with policymakers and regulators really helps us to innovate in a way that benefits both our customers and the environment.

To be effective in achieving our goals, we’ll continue to be agile and adapt as technology and the landscape of our industry evolves around us. As I look to the future for both Southern Company Gas and the industry, I look forward to that continued partnership and progress that comes from collaboration.