By SoCalGas.
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced new initiatives that will make it easier for renewable gas production facilities to connect to the company's natural gas pipeline system. First is the creation of a downloadable toolkit to assist renewable gas producers and developers who are interested in interconnecting their projects with the SoCalGas pipeline network. In addition, new provisions will enable SoCalGas and renewable gas producers to accelerate the interconnection process by procuring the necessary material much earlier than previously allowed.
Like electricity, natural gas can be made from renewable sources. About 80 percent of all methane emissions in California come from the state's dairy and farm operations, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. That methane can be harnessed and cleaned to produce renewable natural gas for use in transportation as well as in homes and businesses.
A study conducted by the University of California at Davis estimates that the natural gas needs of around 2.4 million California homes could be fueled with RNG derived from the state's existing organic waste alone. Already, 60 percent of the fuel used in natural gas vehicles in California is renewable, and SoCalGas expects that to increase to 90 percent by 2018. This can help reduce the need for other fossil-based fuels, and increase our supplies with a local renewable fuel.
"Renewable natural gas is key to achieving the state's ambitious air quality goals and providing families in California with a clean and reliable source of energy to heat and power their homes for generations to come," said Lisa Alexander, vice president of customer solutions for SoCalGas. "Renewable natural gas will also help transform transportation in the state, which accounts for 80 percent of smog-forming pollution and that disproportionally burdens our most vulnerable communities. With today's technology, we can harness this otherwise wasted energy to de-carbonize our pipeline system, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and slow climate change."