Earth Day 2022: Delivering Sustainable Solutions To Achieve A Low Carbon Energy Future

Atmos Energy’s renewable natural gas (RNG) strategy is built on partnerships with landfills, dairies, and others to transport waste-derived energy to fuel homes, businesses, and even vehicles. RNG projects capture methane from a variety of sources, including existing food waste, animal manure, wastewater sludge, and garbage, redirecting it away from the environment and repurposing it as a low carbon (or possibly even carbon-negative) energy source. RNG lowers overall greenhouse gas emissions, is 100 percent compatible with existing natural gas supply, and its supply potential continues to grow.

Atmos Energy and our pipeline delivery systems are a critical link connecting sources of RNG to the market. In fact, Atmos Energy has been connecting RNG producers and customers since 1999, when we began receiving RNG from the McCommas Landfill, about eight miles south of downtown Dallas. Atmos Energy continues to expand its RNG transportation volumes throughout its service territories and currently transports about 8 Bcf annually from six active projects, which has the effect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 427,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). This is equivalent to removing almost 93,000 cars from the road annually.

Most recently, Atmos Pipeline-Texas (APT) and the Mid-Tex Division partnered with RNG project developer Morrow Renewables at the C.M. Hinton Jr. Regional Landfill in Garland, Texas. The landfill’s processing plant withdraws and refines methane, ensuring that the natural gas flowing through Atmos Energy’s measurement station meets the company’s strict gas-quality specifications.

“We got involved at the creation of the project in January 2020, to develop an interconnect from the landfill into APT’s system,” said Mack Lee, Atmos Energy pipeline development representative. “This is a wonderful RNG project that aligns with our corporate responsibility and sustainability priorities. We are doing great work to improve the environment.”

In 2022, Atmos Energy will continue to prudently pursue adding RNG onto our systems, with plans to add an additional 400,000 Mcf per year from two additional RNG projects, further reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by another 22,000 metric tons of CO2e.

To learn more about Atmos Energy’s commitment to a low carbon energy future, please visit the Environment section of our Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability website, and visit earthday.org/2022 to participate in Earth Day 2022.

To view our other Earth Day blog, click below: 

• Monday: Reducing Emissions Through our Commitment to System Modernization

As you can see, many of the activities we do each and every day to improve the safety and reliability of our system also support environmental sustainability.  Furthermore, affordable housing starts with affordable energy. Natural gas is efficient energy that helps you save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions every month.  In addition, Atmos Energy:  

• Offers financial incentives for customers to purchase high-efficiency natural gas appliances, smart thermostats, and weatherization materials in our Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas (Mid-Tex) divisions. Take advantage of SmartChoice money-saving rebates on high-efficiency natural gas appliances and equipment for your home and business by visiting atmosenergy.com/rebates.   

• Is a founding partner of the EPA’s Methane Challenge and Natural Gas STAR programs, which are voluntary initiatives that encourage oil and natural gas companies to improve efficiency and reduce methane emissions.   

• Is a member of Our Nation’s Energy Future Coalition (ONE Future), a voluntary alliance of leading companies across the natural gas supply chain focused on technology and policy solutions to drive continual improvement in the reduction of methane emissions.   

• Is a sponsor of the Low-Carbon Resources Initiative (LCRI), a joint project of the Electric Power Research Institute and the Gas Technology Institute designed to accelerate the commercial deployment of low- and zero-carbon technologies in the energy sector for economy-wide deep decarbonization. 

Natural gas plays a vital role in achieving a low-carbon future, and Atmos Energy is excited to celebrate Earth Day in recognition of the energy independence and economic prosperity that our sustainability efforts will deliver today and for generations to come.   

To learn more about Atmos Energy’s commitment to a low carbon energy future, please visit the Environment section of our Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability website and visit earthday.org/2022 to participate in Earth Day 2022.