Earth Day 2022: Energy Efficient Facilities Achieving A Lower Carbon Energy Future

For years, Atmos Energy has designed its new facilities to satisfy Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification Standards. LEED aims to reduce energy consumption, conserve water, improve indoor air quality and lower operating costs, producing healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green facilities.

For example, in Texas, Atmos Energy employees now occupy a new office and service center that includes a 31,000-gallon cistern that catches and stores rainwater and air conditioning condensation for low-flow toilets and urinals as well as irrigation for landscaping. In addition, the facility has a large photovoltaic solar panel array that reduces our reliance on the electric grid and minimizes our carbon footprint.

Atmos Energy currently has 15 LEED Certified facilities, with two recently completed facilities pending certification, and all newly developed office buildings will be designed and built with a goal to meet LEED Certification standards.

Furthermore, we’ve just put into operation our first 460 kilowatt fuel cell power generation unit, which relies on natural gas to produce lower carbon electricity at our Dallas-based data center. This innovative solution is the first fuel cell of its kind in Texas.

The environmental benefits of Atmos Energy’s new natural gas-driven fuel cell manifest in multiple areas: high efficiency, high-capacity factor, minimal use of land and water, and very low carbon-emission power. According to the manufacturer, the fuel cell’s efficiency offsets more carbon dioxide (CO₂) than solar and wind, when driven by natural gas.

“As Atmos Energy employees, we all know that natural gas is a vital part of our low carbon energy future,” said Sandy Rice, Atmos Energy technical control systems manager. “I am excited to be part of this great project where we are leading the way to show how natural gas is the right fuel for a sustainable tomorrow. Installing this fuel cell aligns with Atmos Energy’s corporate responsibility and sustainability priorities and exemplifies the great work we are doing to reduce our carbon footprint.”

The capacity factor will be well above 95 percent and will allow Atmos Energy to transport excess renewable energy onto the local electric delivery company’s grid and help offset electricity use at other Atmos Energy facilities. Additionally, Atmos Energy ultimately plans to utilize renewable natural gas (RNG) to power the fuel cell, which offers even greater environmental benefits.

“This is but one example of how Atmos Energy is identifying pathways to achieve a low-carbon future,” said Bill Greer, Atmos Energy director of stakeholder strategy. “This year we will be communicating additional enterprise initiatives as we continue to identify and adopt environmentally friendly technologies and practices.”

We anticipate that these 2022 initiatives will reduce our facility-related emissions by over 2,200 metric tons of CO2e, equivalent to removing almost 500 cars from the road each year.

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 blogs, click below: 

• Monday: Reducing Emissions Through our Commitment to System Modernization
• Tuesday: Delivering Sustainable Solutions to Achieve a Low Carbon Energy Future

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.