SouthStar Energy Services Piloting Full Supply Chain Emissions Tracking with MiQ's MethaneScout™ Platform

Rhea-AI Summary

SouthStar Energy Services, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), has become the first retail energy marketer in the U.S. to pilot MiQ's MethaneScout™ platform, a new methane and greenhouse gas emissions tracking tool. The platform, developed by methane emissions certification leader MiQ, helps assess natural gas supply chain emissions using qualified data sources. MethaneScout evaluates enhanced emissions data throughout the natural gas and LNG supply chains using Data Quality Indicators based on ISO standards. The platform focuses on data reliability, considering factors like recency, geographic relevance, and verification levels. This pilot program precedes MethaneScout's full market launch in summer 2025, demonstrating SouthStar's commitment to emissions transparency and sustainable energy sourcing.

Positive

• First retail energy marketer in the U.S. to implement this innovative emissions tracking technology
• Demonstrates leadership in environmental transparency and sustainability initiatives
• Early adoption provides competitive advantage before full market launch in summer 2025
• Enhanced ability to verify and track emissions data across the entire supply chain

Negative

• Pilot program status indicates potential implementation challenges or adjustments may be needed
• Investment in new tracking system may impact operational costs

ATLANTA and NEW YORK, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SouthStar Energy Services, one of the nation's leading natural gas marketing companies, today announced that it has become the first retail energy marketer in the U.S. and one of the first companies in the energy industry to pilot a new methane and greenhouse gas emissions tracking tool called MiQ's MethaneScout™.

Developed by a global leader in methane emissions certification, MiQ, the platform can help SouthStar assess the emissions of its delivered natural gas supply chains using data sources qualified by MiQ's Supply Chain Emissions Protocol, expanding on SouthStar's transparent energy sourcing. This initiative signifies a pilot rollout before MethaneScout's full market launch in the summer of 2025.

"SouthStar is committed to a sustainable future, which includes supporting lower-emissions natural gas and the infrastructure that processes and transports it," said Michael Braswell, CEO of SouthStar Energy Services. "We are excited to see how MiQ's MethaneScout can help provide added transparency to our energy sourcing, further bolstering our leadership position in supporting lower-emissions natural gas delivery."

"The discussions at this year's CERAWeek highlighted the demand for increased transparency across natural gas supply chains and markets," said Georges Tijbosch, CEO of MiQ. "The fragmented and complex nature of the gas and LNG supply chain and the diverse methodologies for data collection underscore the necessity for a standardized, data-driven approach. MethaneScout has the potential to strengthen the natural gas market by delivering verifiable, end-to-end emissions transparency to its users."

MethaneScout: Advancing Full Supply-Chain Emissions Tracking

MethaneScout is an innovative emissions-tracking platform that enables gas marketers, regulators, and end-users to evaluate enhanced emissions data at every stage of the natural gas and LNG supply chains. Developed by MiQ and based on the MiQ Supply Chain Emissions Protocol, the platform compiles and evaluates data reliability using Data Quality Indicators (DQIs) derived from principles and requirements for developing life-cycle assessments as outlined by ISO standards.

These principles lay the groundwork for assessing data in MethaneScout, emphasizing the recency, geographic relevance, and verification level of the information along with the effectiveness of quantification methodologies at each stage in capturing the total emissions footprint. As the amount of asset-level and supply chain methane and greenhouse gas publications and public reporting increases, understanding the quality of emissions data is crucial to helping inform the sourcing decisions of natural gas customers.

About SouthStar Energy Services
SouthStar Energy Services^® is owned by Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). SouthStar also operates as Georgia Natural Gas^®, Ohio Natural Gas^®, Florida Natural Gas^®, Pennsylvania Energy^SM, Grand Rapids Energy^® (in Michigan) and in other parts of the Southeast as SouthStar Energy Services. SouthStar's subsidiaries in Illinois operate as Illinois Energy^SM and Illinois Energy Solutions^®.

About MiQ
MiQ is a global leader in methane emissions certification and data. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to lower emissions gas by providing a credible and transparent certification system that drives regulatory compliance, incentivizes continuous improvement, and ensures methane accountability in the oil and gas sector throughout the entire supply chain.

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SOURCE SouthStar Energy Services

FAQ

What is MiQ's MethaneScout platform that Southern Company (SO) is implementing?

MethaneScout is an innovative emissions-tracking platform that enables evaluation of enhanced emissions data throughout natural gas and LNG supply chains, using Data Quality Indicators based on ISO standards.

How will MethaneScout benefit Southern Company's (SO) SouthStar Energy Services?

It will help SouthStar assess emissions of delivered natural gas supply chains, provide added transparency to energy sourcing, and strengthen their leadership position in supporting lower-emissions natural gas delivery.

When will MiQ's MethaneScout platform be fully launched to the market?

MethaneScout is scheduled for full market launch in summer 2025, with SouthStar Energy Services serving as an early pilot user.

What makes SouthStar Energy Services' implementation of MethaneScout significant?

SouthStar is the first retail energy marketer in the U.S. and one of the first companies in the energy industry to pilot this methane emissions tracking tool.

How does MethaneScout evaluate emissions data quality?

The platform uses Data Quality Indicators that assess data reliability based on recency, geographic relevance, verification level, and effectiveness of quantification methodologies at each supply chain stage.