Southern Company Gas 2022 Sustainability Executive Summary Final 4.19.23 - Flipbook - Page 32
Innovation and R&D
As we look to the future, Southern Company Gas believes natural gas will play a vital role in meeting climate goals for
both electric generation and gas customers. Southern Company Gas supports initiatives to deliver technologies that are
expected to decrease the carbon intensity of natural gas while increasing customer value and providing safe, reliable and
affordable energy. Our cross-functional Innovation Council fosters creative solutions to drive sustainability results
throughout our operations and engages employees in training, ideation and other improvement challenges to solve
business problems and drive a culture of innovation throughout the company.
Low-Carbon Technology Solutions
As we fuel a sustainable future, we leverage our existing infrastructure for new, lower-carbon sources of gas in support
of economy-wide emission reduction efforts. We believe Southern Company's ability to reach net zero will include
investment in research and develop to accelerate the adoption of renewable gas.
Southern Company Gas participates in Southern Company’s broader engagements as an anchor sponsor for the LowCarbon Resources Initiative, a worldwide R&D collaborative between EPRI and GTI looking at hydrogen technologies and
applications, along with other low-carbon energy carriers.
Near-Term Opportunities
Economy-Wide
GHG Emissions
2020
Natural gas utilities have
led the nation in reducing
emissions for decades:
· Methane emissions reduction
through infrastructure
modernization and pipeline
replacement.
· Development and
deployment of energyefficient appliances and
other end-use applications.
· Expanding the use of
natural gas vehicles.
2030
Enhance efficient use of
natural gas as an energy
carrier to both new and
existing markets:
· Further reduce fugitive
methane emissions.
· Expand end-use applications
and energy efficiency.
· Increase natural gas use in
carbon-intensive industries.
· Opportunistic
implementation of RNG.
· Evaluate existing infrastructure
to support hydrogen as a
carbon future fuel.
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Southern Company Gas
Future R&D Focus
2040
Continue existing initiatives
and enable efficient transition
of our natural gas transmission
and distribution infrastructure
to lower-carbon gas options:
· Pipeline infrastructure
upgrades, repurposing and
transformation.
· Incorporate RNG and
hydrogen.
· Further develop a low-carbon
gas supply through carbon
capture and sequestration
technologies.
2050
Execute a robust transition
to a low-carbon gas supply:
· Explore low-carbon gas
production intersecting with
gas supply.
· Utilize power-to-gas
technology and gas
infrastructure for carbon-free
storage of excess renewable
energy.
· Potential neutral gas supply
including synthetic natural
gas, hydrogen, hydrogen
blending and renewable
natural gas.
