SoCalGas opens new renewable natural gas fueling station

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), local officials, and business representatives today celebrated the opening of a new fueling station located in Menifee, California. The new fueling station will exclusively offer renewable natural gas (RNG), a clean, sustainable fuel made from methane that would otherwise be emitted from landfills, dairy farms, and other waste sources. The Menifee CNG fueling station is the sixteenth public station operated by SoCalGas. As part of its efforts to reach net zero emissions by 2045 and help the state reach its climate goals, SoCalGas is focused on solutions to help reduce emissions in hard-to-abate sectors, like heavy duty transportation.

According to a 2021 report, RNG use as a transportation fuel in California has increased 177% over the last five yr. In 2020, over 92% of natural gas trucks in California were fueled by renewable gas, some of which was facilitated through SoCalGas fueling stations and helped to displace 1.83 MM tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).

"Fueling with RNG is an affordable way to eliminate air pollution and emissions linked to climate change. As the use of RNG in transportation continues to increase in our state, it is important to us to give drivers and fleet operators more locations to fuel up," said Don Widjaja, vice president of customer solutions at SoCalGas. "Our commitment to reducing emissions from the transportation sector continues to be a focus as we work towards our goal to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emission in our operations and delivery of energy by 2045."

"With the opening of this station, SoCalGas continues to show its commitment to our city as a community partner, business leader and innovator," said Bill Zimmerman, Mayor of the city of Menifee.

"Congratulations to SoCalGas on the opening of your new CNG fueling station," said Assemblymember Kelly Seyarto. "This infrastructure upgrade will bring the benefits of cleaner energy to all our communities in Southwest Riverside County."

SoCalGas has worked with fleet owners to secure millions of dollars in incentive funding for the replacement of diesel trucks with cleaner, new near-zero emissions natural gas trucks. Additionally, SoCalGas plans to convert 200 Ford F-250 service pick-up trucks to run on RNG within its own fleet. With the addition of these trucks, nearly 40% of SoCalGas' fleet will be operating on clean fuels. Each new natural gas truck that replaces a traditional diesel truck is the equivalent of taking 57 passenger cars off the road. 

Last month, SoCalGas received the 2021 NGV Achievement Award in the Utility Leadership category. The award, presented by NGVAmerica, recognizes SoCalGas' outstanding contributions to the advancement of natural gas as a transportation fuel. 

RNG is not a fossil fuel. It is a clean fuel produced from the methane emissions at dairy farms, wastewater treatment plants, landfills, and other waste streams. Depending on its source, RNG can be low-carbon or in some cases, even carbon neutral or negative. Capturing the methane from these waste sources and converting it into RNG keeps greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere and contributing to climate change and reduces the use of fossil fuels.

RNG is one important tool to help reduce GHG emissions. A new economy-wide technical analysis, released by the energy company, underscores the essential role of RNG and other clean fuels and technologies like hydrogen and fuel cells will play in a carbon-neutral California. The analysis offers solutions for the hard-to-abate transportation sector and supports existing state climate and energy policies.

SoCalGas is currently working with the SunLine Transit Agency to test two technologies that will produce hydrogen from renewable natural gas at SunLine Transit Agency's hydrogen fueling station in Thousand Palms, California. The research project, called "H2 SilverSTARS," will produce renewable hydrogen to fuel SunLine's fleet of 21 hydrogen fuel cell electric buses.

In March, in support of California's climate goals, SoCalGas became the largest gas distribution utility in North America to set a net zero emissions target that includes scopes 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions. SoCalGas' Aspire 2045 strategy aligns with the recommendations of the Paris Climate Agreement and reflects the company's focus on supporting California with a resilient gas grid through the energy transition to support a carbon neutral economy. 

 

 

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