As advocates, states, and shareholders have all pushed gas utilities to prove they can drastically reduce emissions while maintaining a workable business model, many of these companies started promoting vague plans for adopting false solutions like hydrogen, “renewable natural gas,” and purchasing gas “certified” as lower emissions.
Gas utility company New Jersey Natural Gas inked what was likely the first purchase of so-called “certified gas” in September 2018. Since then, numerous other utilities have proposed or executed similar purchases of certified gas, passing along the extra costs to customers despite mounting evidence that these programs rely on unreliable technology and methods.
An examination of utilities pursuing certified gas purchases across the U.S. over the course of 2024 shows a common thread is emerging: both utilities and state regulators are struggling to explain what, if any, real-world benefit these deals would have for the households and businesses they serve.
Go to Certified Disasters to learn more.
