Last year, in the global electrification and new voluntary public utility decarbonization goals, natural gas utility leaders faced many unknowns. Last spring, I assumed here that voluntary customer programs can play a powerful role for utility companies that want to work with customers to decarbonize natural gas. Leading natural gas utility companies are "exploring", "considering" and "raising questions" to understand how voluntary customer plans can contribute to their broader decarbonization strategy.
Today, this photo is much clearer. More than a dozen plans have been submitted and initiated in North America, and natural gas utility companies large and small have validated this opportunity by providing various plan types. A voluntary program—allowing natural gas customers to pay to address emissions from their use of natural gas—has become one of the most influential and least risky steps natural gas utilities can take today to demonstrate meaningful decarbonization Act and meet customer needs for low-carbon solutions in the following areas.
Volunteer plans are feasible and meaningful, and now is the time to take action. Let us explore why and how to advance voluntary program solutions.
With the advent of the 2020s and the intensification of the impact of climate change, public awareness and actions have also increased.
Following widespread media reports on the impact of methane leaks and legislation banning natural gas connections in new buildings, stakeholders are increasingly pressured to decarbonize natural gas utilities. At the same time, commercial energy users are also aware of the business urgency brought about by climate change and have joined the race to decarbonize their operations. As more and more companies set net zero goals, their utility companies are forced to respond or lose valuable business customers.
Finally, although many of the gas utility companies I have spoken to today do not feel that the demand from residential customers is great, the data shows that these customers are increasingly concerned about climate change, and the market research we conducted has also shown strong interest. Residential customers just assume that they have not chosen to solve their emissions problems through their natural gas supplier. Providing them with this choice is an important step towards increasing customer engagement and satisfaction.
Well-designed voluntary programs minimize risks, and the few gas utility leaders with approved programs clear the way for other sectors of the industry. Although these plans are much newer in natural gas applications, many of the same principles still apply to power companies that have designed and launched green energy plans for more than 20 years.
Three keys to the success of the new project:
Natural gas utility companies face a major challenge to join the global wave of climate action. The newly set decarbonization targets for natural gas utilities vary widely across the industry, and there is no panacea for achieving these targets. This will require multiple strategies, many of which are still in their infancy. As solutions such as hydrogen and rate-based RNG mature, it is time to pull the available leverage.
For most North American utilities, the development of voluntary customer programs will not affect the utility's ability to adopt other decarbonization strategies in the future. It will only help maintain the relationship between utilities and customers and take meaningful action in decarbonization.
The critical point of the climate is here, and natural gas customers will not wait too long to solve the emission problems caused by their natural gas use. Voluntary plans are now feasible and can meet customer and climate needs. Let us make these meaningful solutions available and popular, and together continue to embark on the road of decarbonization.
"This should cause anger and worry across the country," said Don Kreis, a consumer advocate in New Hampshire, of the decision to reverse interest rate hikes to improve efficiency.
Officials said that power plants are struggling to obtain coal, and the supply of natural gas is very low. The winter assessment recommends that utilities review non-fixed customer inventories and rolling out procedures.
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"This should cause anger and worry across the country," said Don Kreis, a consumer advocate in New Hampshire, of the decision to reverse interest rate hikes to improve efficiency.
Officials said that power plants are struggling to obtain coal, and the supply of natural gas is very low. The winter assessment recommends that utilities review non-fixed customer inventories and rolling out procedures.
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