New Jersey Natural Gas announces 100% renewable offset of its facility and fleet natural gas emissions

December 18, 2019. Continuing its leadership on corporate sustainability and reducing emissions, New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) has completely offset its facility and fleet use of natural gas with renewable energy. By purchasing Renewable Natural Gas Attributes (RNGAs), renewable energy credits generated from the production of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), all emissions from natural gas use at its facilities and from the use of its Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fleet vehicles are being offset.

The volume of emissions offset through the purchase is the equivalent of supplying the natural gas needs of more than 400 homes for an entire year.

“This is an important achievement for our company that builds on our commitment to innovation, sustainability and environmental responsibility,” said Steve Westhoven, President and CEO of New Jersey Resources, the parent company of New Jersey Natural Gas. “As New Jersey Resources continues to lead the way in reducing emissions to meet New Jersey’s clean energy goals, this investment highlights the clean, renewable benefits of RNG, and the potential of future in-state RNG generation projects to lower emissions and create clean energy jobs right here in New Jersey.”

RNG, an innovative, ultra-clean fuel product, consists primarily of methane derived from the decomposition of organic sources such as food waste, landfills, dairy farm by-products or wastewater treatment plants. RNG generation facilities are independently certified with associated production of RNG and assigned credits that can be bought and sold as offsets. In this way, the offsets, formally called RNGAs, operate similarly to Renewable Energy Credits in the wind and solar markets, where the environmental attributes of clean energy production generate credits that can support compliance with emissions reduction goals, while providing revenue sources to producers.

When added to existing clean natural gas supplies already serving households and businesses for home heating, water heating and to fuel appliances, RNG makes low-emission natural gas delivery even cleaner.

The proven capability of RNG to reduce overall emissions of natural gas in the building and transportation sectors is why states as diverse as California, Connecticut, Oregon and Vermont – 25 in total – have already embraced and prioritized RNG production as a sensible way to generate renewable energy from existing waste streams. This is critical in a state like New Jersey that has significant integration of and reliance on natural gas, with 75% of homes utilizing natural gas service for home heating.