Piedmont Natural Gas seeks to help North Carolina customers offset their carbon footprint through new green energy program

North Carolina residential and small business customers of Piedmont Natural Gas may soon have the opportunity to participate in a new carbon footprint-reducing, green energy program to offset their personal natural gas usage. Piedmont announced today it has filed with the North Carolina Utilities Commission a request to implement this green program.

Under the program, Piedmont customers will have the option to purchase "green" blocks for just $3 each per month, which will be added to their monthly bill. These blocks are comprised of the favorable environmental qualities of renewable natural gas (RNG) and carbon offsets. There will be no limit to the number of blocks that can be purchased, although four blocks, for a total of $12, should offset the average household's carbon footprint.

RNG is methane that has been captured from the breakdown of organic waste and processed to remove contaminants and meet natural gas pipeline quality standards. Carbon offsets include forestry, land conservation or other nature-based offsets that are beneficial to the environment.

"Our residential customers have voiced an interest in ways to manage their carbon footprint," said Sasha Weintraub, senior vice president, natural gas business, at Piedmont Natural Gas. "Our larger customers have more tools to meet many of their sustainability goals, and we would like to offer our residential and small business customers the same opportunity."

The green program was designed from specific customer feedback to provide that choice.

Weintraub added, "This flexible, affordable option puts our customers in control of reducing their personal natural gas footprint. It also allows them to participate in our own carbon-reduction commitment as our business moves toward net-zero methane emissions from our natural gas delivery system by 2030."

In addition to its 2030 net-zero methane reduction target, the company has invested in SustainRNG, a developer of renewable natural gas projects in the agriculture sector. Piedmont is sourcing renewable natural gas for its compressed natural gas stations, with a pilot project already underway in Tennessee. The company also joined ONE Future, a nationwide coalition of natural gas companies working to voluntarily reduce methane emissions in the entire natural gas supply chain.

"Offering customers the ability to participate in the green program enables them to partner with us in moving toward an even cleaner energy future," Weintraub said.

If approved by the NCUC, blocks would be available for customers to purchase through the green program no later than the first quarter of 2022.