Fighting Climate Change
As a provider of gas and electricity to millions of Californians and an emitter of greenhouse gases, PG&E is keenly aware of its responsibility to both manage its emissions and work constructively to advance policies that put our state and the country on a cost-effective path toward a low-carbon economy, including our early and active support for California’s landmark Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32).
PG&E’s commitment to addressing climate change is an integral part of our business. This ranges from our role as a national advocate for aggressive energy efficiency programs to our efforts to expand renewable energy supplies and provide new tools and incentives to help our customers understand, manage and reduce their energy use.
Understanding and Reporting Our Impact
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) named PG&E to the 2012 Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index—recognizing PG&E for the quality of our reporting on greenhouse gas emissions and the business risks and opportunities from climate change. The CDP is an independent organization that maintains the largest global database of corporate climate change information.
As a charter member of the California Climate Action Registry, PG&E was the first investor-owned utility in California to complete a third-party-verified inventory of our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2003. In 2009, PG&E began voluntary reporting to The Climate Registry, a non-profit organization that sets consistent and transparent reporting standards for North American businesses and governments. PG&E is a founding member of The Climate Registry.
PG&E also reports its greenhouse gas emissions to the California Air Resources Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on a mandatory basis.
Reducing Our Emissions
PG&E provides its customers with electricity that has among the lowest rates of greenhouse gas emissions in the nation. In fact, PG&E's most recent independently verified CO2 emissions rate of 445 pounds of CO2 per MWh is about one-third of the national average among utilities.
PG&E is a member of the Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) Emission Reduction Partnership, which focuses on reducing emissions of SF6 (approximately 23,900 times as potent as CO2 on a per ton basis) from transmission and distribution operations. We also support Natural Gas STAR, a program promoting the reduction of methane (at least 21 times as potent as CO2 on a per ton basis) from natural gas pipeline operations. Since 1998, we have reduced our SF6 emissions rate by more than 85 percent and our total emissions by more than 70 percent, and have avoided the release of thousands of tons of methane.
PG&E is actively working to reduce emissions of sulfur hexafluoride, a greenhouse gas.
Advancing Responsible Solutions
PG&E was the first investor-owned utility to support California's enactment of AB 32, which sets a goal of reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. PG&E continues to work with the state legislature, ARB, CPUC, CEC and other concerned stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of AB 32. Learn more about AB 32, including the cap-and-trade program.
PG&E also continues to work with our customers to achieve energy savings and greenhouse gas emission reductions. We offer customers a full portfolio of options, including some of the nation's leading programs and incentives for energy efficiency, demand response and solar installation.
Through PG&E’s Sustainable Communities efforts, we are helping cities and counties across our service area implement strategic energy and climate action planning through training, resources, and a dedicated team of community energy managers.
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