Submitted by Tricia Modifica, Eversource.
HARTFORD, Conn. and BOSTON, Mass. (December 11, 2019) – As part of its commitment to environmental sustainability, Eversource Energy (NYSE: ES) today announced an industry-leading goal to be carbon neutral by 2030. The energy company plans to achieve this aggressive goal through a series of targeted steps across its operations to reduce carbon emissions while also continuing to support regional economic growth and maintaining safe and reliable service for its approximately four million customers. While the goal to be carbon neutral is limited to the energy company’s own corporate emissions across all departments and operations, Eversource will continue to work with state leaders to reduce emissions from energy supply for customers in accordance with state and regional regulatory requirements.
“As New England’s largest utility, we are proud to partner with our states and communities to achieve regional clean energy and carbon reduction goals,” said Eversource Chairman, President and CEO Jim Judge. “Today, we are going one step further by setting a goal for our own operations to help demonstrate that carbon neutrality is achievable.”
With its goal set for 2030, Eversource would become the first investor-owned utility in the nation to be carbon neutral. In order to achieve this, the energy company will take a series of targeted steps across corporate operations, gas distribution, and electric transmission and distribution. These include: reducing energy use by improving the efficiency of its 69 facilities and reducing fleet emissions of its 5200 vehicles; continuing to enhance the electric transmission and distribution system to reduce line losses; reducing sulfur hexafluoride (a potent greenhouse gas) in gas-insulated electric switchgear; and replacing remaining bare steel and cast-iron natural gas distribution main lines to improve safety and help prevent methane leaks.
“The business community has an important role to play as we pursue clean energy and carbon reduction goals, as environmental sustainability and economic development go hand-in-hand,” said Dan Moon, President and Executive Director of the Environmental Business Council of New England. “As one of the nation’s leading energy companies, it’s encouraging that Eversource is proactively setting its own goals and demonstrating its commitment to a cleaner energy future.”
Eversource has already significantly reduced its own carbon emissions through a series of steps including the divestiture of all its remaining fossil generation facilities in 2018. The company is also helping the region in achieving carbon-reduction targets that have been set by state and regional requirements with its clean energy initiatives – such as the offshore wind partnership with Ørsted, award-winning energy efficiency programs, solar development, innovative battery storage projects and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
“We are excited to set an ambitious goal with our own corporate operations to lead by example,” Judge added. “Today’s news reinforces our position at the forefront of environmental sustainability and builds on our efforts to help our customers and communities reduce their carbon footprint.”
Eversource’s efforts on environmental sustainability are an important part of its broader commitment to corporate responsibility. In recognition of its leadership as a corporate citizen, Eversource was recently celebrated as one of America’s Most JUST companies and the #1 utility by Forbes and JUST Capital, as well as the #1 energy company in the Newsweek 2020 list of America’s Most Responsible Companies.
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