SoCalGas announces first RNG contract approved under California programme

Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) has executed a contract with Organic Energy Solutions (OES) to procure renewable natural gas (RNG) converted from organic waste and inject it into SoCalGas' pipeline system.
The contract is the first approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) under Senate Bill (SB) 1440, which sets specific RNG procurement targets for the state's natural gas utilities.
The RNG will be sourced from a project located in the city of San Bernardino and is an important step toward achieving California's goal to reduce methane emissions from agriculture and waste while advancing energy decarbonisation in the state.
SB 1440 is recognised as the US' first renewable gas standard and led the CPUC to set goals for the procurement of RNG.
SoCalGas aims to replace approximately 12% of the traditional natural gas it delivers to residential and small business customers with RNG by 2030, pursuant to the targets that have been established under SB 1440 by the CPUC.
The new RNG standard is expected to help the state achieve its goal to reduce methane emissions by 40% by 2030.
"As the first RNG procurement project under California's renewable gas standard, this contract represents an important milestone for the RNG industry and SoCalGas as we work together to advance California's energy goals," said Elsa Valay-Paz, vice president of gas acquisition at SoCalGas.
"By converting waste that would otherwise end up in landfills into usable energy, this project is intended to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and help California reach its climate goals."
"At OES, we are proud to unite with SoCalGas on this groundbreaking renewable natural gas project, which marks a significant step forward in California's transition to cleaner energy. By converting organic waste into a valuable energy resource, we aim to not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also create a more sustainable and resilient energy future," said Brian Hume, senior vice president of operations for BioStar Renewables, owner of OES.
"This collaboration underscores our commitment to innovation in waste-to-energy solutions and our shared vision for a cleaner, more sustainable California."