SoCalGas Receives Organizational Leadership Award from The Climate Registry for its ASPIRE 2045 Sustainability Strategy

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Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) has received the 'Organizational Leadership Award' from The Climate Registry at the Climate Leadership Conference for its ASPIRE 2045 sustainability strategy. This award recognizes SoCalGas' leadership in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and addressing climate change. The company's initiatives include surpassing California's goal by reducing fugitive and vented methane emissions by 20% from a 2015 baseline by 2025, converting 38% of its fleet vehicles to alternative fuels, and aiming for a 100% zero emissions vehicle fleet by 2035. SoCalGas has also delivered 5% renewable natural gas to core customers in 2023, with a goal of 20% by 2030. SoCalGas has also received the 'Business Transformation Award' from Reuters Events and has been recognized for its clean hydrogen microgrid project.

Positive

• Received the 'Organizational Leadership Award' from The Climate Registry.
• Surpassed California's methane emissions reduction goal, achieving a 20% reduction from a 2015 baseline by 2025.
• Converted 38% of its fleet vehicles to alternative fuels, with a target of 50% by 2025 and 100% zero emissions by 2035.
• Delivered approximately 5% renewable natural gas to core customers in 2023, aiming for 20% by 2030.
• Won the 'Business Transformation Award' from Reuters Events and received recognition for the clean hydrogen microgrid project.

Negative

• Ambitious future goals may pose financial and operational challenges.
• The transition to a 100% zero emissions fleet by 2035 requires significant investment.
• Achieving 20% renewable natural gas by 2030 from 5% in 2023 demands rapid scaling efforts.

The utility is being recognized not only for its own emissions reduction goals, but also for exemplifying leadership in its internal response to climate change and the engagement of its peers, partners, and supply chain.

LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) today announced that it has received the prestigious "Organizational Leadership Award" from The Climate Registry (TCR) at the Climate Leadership Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. The award recognizes the utility's ASPIRE 2045 sustainability strategy and leadership in establishing bold goals for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and addressing climate change. The Climate Leadership Awards is a national awards program that recognizes the exemplary leadership of influential organizations that are guiding the way in the management and reduction of GHG emissions in their operations and supply chains as well as integrating sustainability and climate resilience initiatives. The Organizational Leadership Award highlights exceptional commitment, initiatives, performance, and outcomes focused on GHG emissions reduction.

The Award highlights exceptional commitment, initiatives, performance, and outcomes focused on GHG emissions reduction.

"SoCalGas is honored to be recognized by The Climate Registry," said Jawaad Malik, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer at SoCalGas. "As California navigates the opportunities and challenges of its clean energy transition, SoCalGas is proud to help advance the state's climate goals through innovation, decarbonization, and collaboration. Together we can achieve meaningful and lasting change that benefits the environment, community, and economy."

SoCalGas' ASPIRE 2045 sustainability strategy provides the utility with a framework to accomplish several milestones, including surpassing California's goal of reducing fugitive and vented methane emissions by 20% from a 2015 baseline by 2025, several years ahead of schedule, and nearing the state's goal of a 40% reduction by 2030.¹ SoCalGas has also converted 38% of its over-the-road fleet vehicles² to alternative fuel vehicles, with an aim of achieving 50% alternative fuel vehicles by 2025, and a 100% zero emissions vehicle fleet by 2035. The utility continues to make advancements in decarbonizing the fuel it transports, delivering approximately 5% renewable natural gas to its core customers³ in 2023, with a goal of 20% by 2030.

"SoCalGas exemplifies leadership in sustainability with their impressive achievements in methane emissions reduction, energy efficiency programs, renewable natural gas initiatives, clean fleet management, and groundbreaking carbon management projects," said Amy Holm, Executive Director at TCR. "By committing to measurable and transparent efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, SoCalGas sets a positive example for the industry and The Climate Registry applauds their efforts that can help serve as a model for industry peers both domestically and globally."

SoCalGas was also recently honored with the top "Business Transformation Award" from Reuters Events for establishing transformative sustainability priorities that have the potential to create impact at scale in their sector and beyond. One such transformative effort, SoCalGas' [H2] Innovation Experience, a clean hydrogen microgrid demonstration project, has been named a World-Changing Idea by Fast Company and was also awarded the U.S. Green Building Council of L.A.'s Sustainable Innovation Award.

Learn more about SoCalGas's sustainability efforts at https://www.socalgas.com/sustainability.

About SoCalGas

Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas aims to deliver affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service to approximately 21 million consumers across approximately 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. We believe gas delivered through our pipelines plays a key role in California's clean energy transition by supporting energy system reliability and resiliency and enabling integration of renewable resources. 

SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy infrastructure company in America. In support of that mission, SoCalGas aspires to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045 and to replace 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. RNG can be made from waste created by landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while working to keep bills affordable for customers. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), an energy infrastructure company based in San Diego. 

For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on X (formerly Twitter) (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about the future, involve risks and uncertainties, and are not guarantees. Future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In this press release, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "contemplate," "plan," "estimate," "project," "forecast," "envision," "should," "could," "would," "will," "confident," "may," "can," "potential," "possible," "proposed," "in process," "construct," "develop," "opportunity," "preliminary," "initiative," "target," "outlook," "optimistic," "poised," "positioned," "maintain," "continue," "progress," "advance," "goal," "aim," "commit," or similar expressions, or when we discuss our guidance, priorities, strategy, goals, vision, mission, opportunities, projections, intentions or expectations. 

Factors, among others, that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement include: decisions, investigations, inquiries, regulations, denials or revocations of permits, consents, approvals or other authorizations, renewals of franchises, and other actions, including the failure to honor contracts and commitments, by the (i) California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Internal Revenue Service and other regulatory bodies and (ii) U.S. and states, counties, cities and other jurisdictions therein where we do business; the success of business development efforts and construction projects, including risks related to (i) completing construction projects or other transactions on schedule and budget, (ii) realizing anticipated benefits from any of these efforts if completed, (iii) obtaining third-party consents and approvals and (iv) third parties honoring their contracts and commitments; macroeconomic trends or other factors that could change our capital expenditure plans and their potential impact on rate base or other growth; litigation, arbitrations and other proceedings, and changes to laws and regulations, including those related to tax and trade policy; cybersecurity threats, including by state and state-sponsored actors, of ransomware or other attacks on our systems or the systems of third parties with which we conduct business, including the energy grid or other energy infrastructure; the availability, uses, sufficiency, and cost of capital resources and our ability to borrow money on favorable terms and meet our obligations, including due to (i) actions by credit rating agencies to downgrade our credit ratings or place those ratings on negative outlook, (ii) instability in the capital markets, or (iii) rising interest rates and inflation; the impact on affordability of our customer rates and our cost of capital and on our ability to pass through higher costs to customers due to (i) volatility in inflation, interest rates and commodity prices and (ii) the cost of meeting the demand for lower carbon and reliable energy in California; the impact of climate and sustainability policies, laws, rules, regulations, trends and required disclosures, including actions to reduce or eliminate reliance on natural gas, increased uncertainty in the political or regulatory environment for California natural gas distribution companies, the risk of nonrecovery for stranded assets, and uncertainty related to emerging technologies; weather, natural disasters, pandemics, accidents, equipment failures, explosions, terrorism, information system outages or other events, such as work stoppages, that disrupt our operations, damage our facilities or systems, cause the release of harmful materials or fires or subject us to liability for damages, fines and penalties, some of which may not be recoverable through regulatory mechanisms or insurance or may impact our ability to obtain satisfactory levels of affordable insurance; the availability of natural gas and natural gas storage capacity, including disruptions caused by failures in the pipeline system or limitations on the withdrawal of natural gas from storage facilities; and other uncertainties, some of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control. 

These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the reports that the company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These reports are available through the EDGAR system free-of-charge on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, and on Sempra's website, www.sempra.com. Investors should not rely unduly on any forward-looking statements. 

Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, Sempra Texas, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC (Oncor) and Infraestructura Energética Nova, S.A.P.I. de C.V. (IEnova) are not the same companies as the California utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric Company or Southern California Gas Company, and Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, Sempra Texas, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor and IEnova are not regulated by the CPUC. 

¹ Per CPUC rulemaking 15-01-008, thresholds for fugitive and vented methane emissions reductions vary by classification tier, which are based on 2015 emissions percentages. As a class A utility, SoCalGas has specific mandated reduction targets.
² Over-the-road fleet refers to light-, medium-, and/or heavy-duty company fleet vehicles.
³ Renewable Gas Procurement Standard is a mandatory RNG procurement program on behalf of core customers pursuant to SB 1440. Core customers are customers receiving "core service" as defined in SoCalGas' Tariff Rule No.23.

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SOURCE Southern California Gas Company

FAQ

What award did SoCalGas receive from The Climate Registry?

SoCalGas received the 'Organizational Leadership Award' from The Climate Registry.

What is SoCalGas' ASPIRE 2045 sustainability strategy?

ASPIRE 2045 is SoCalGas' strategy aimed at reducing GHG emissions and achieving sustainability milestones, including significant methane emission reductions and fleet conversion to alternative fuels.

What are the key milestones of SoCalGas' ASPIRE 2045 strategy?

The key milestones include reducing fugitive methane emissions by 20% from a 2015 baseline by 2025, converting 38% of fleet vehicles to alternative fuels, and delivering 5% renewable natural gas to customers in 2023.

What are SoCalGas' future goals for its vehicle fleet?

SoCalGas aims to achieve 50% alternative fuel vehicles by 2025 and a 100% zero emissions vehicle fleet by 2035.

What percentage of renewable natural gas did SoCalGas deliver in 2023?

SoCalGas delivered approximately 5% renewable natural gas to its core customers in 2023.

What is the target for renewable natural gas delivery by SoCalGas by 2030?

SoCalGas aims to deliver 20% renewable natural gas to its core customers by 2030.