SAN DIEGO, March 22, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- San Diego Gas & Electric Co. (SDG&E) has successfully certified its 2005 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory with the California Climate Action Registry, earning the status of "Climate Action Leader." In doing so, SDG&E has joined a distinguished group of organizations demonstrating leadership by publicly and voluntarily reporting its GHG emissions from the generation and distribution of natural gas and electricity under this rigorous registry program.
"Certification of our greenhouse gas inventory will help California implement its greenhouse gas reduction goals." said Bret Lane, vice president of environmental, safety and facilities for SDG&E. "This accomplishment reflects our commitment to responsible implementation of California's greenhouse gas regulation and our ongoing efforts to operate our company in the most environmentally responsible manner possible."
In 2003, SDG&E voluntarily joined the non-profit California Climate Action Registry. The goal of the Registry is to establish a statewide inventory of emissions of the six greenhouse gases considered to impact global warming. The inventory and certification process is complex. Data must be gathered from, among other things, every company operation, most vehicles, every engine and every building. All the data must be verifiable.
Over the years, SDG&E has earned a number of honors for environmental stewardship. The utility garnered U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awards for its outstanding contribution to energy efficiency and environmental education. Over the last 15 years, SDG&E has invested $485 million in energy efficiency -- more than $34 million last year -- to help customers save more than 2.9 million megawatt hours of electricity -- enough to power some 482,000 homes for a year.
SDG&E is expanding its procurement of environmentally friendly power generated from renewable energy sources -- solar, wind, hydro, biomass and biogas. This is in alignment with California's goal for the state's major utilities to tap renewable energy to meet 20 percent of electric demand by 2010.
"Renewable energy helps us meet the state's goal while providing environmental and economic benefits to our customers," said Lane.
SDG&E's 2005 certified GHG emissions report is available through the Climate Action Registry's Web site at www.climateregistry.org/CARROT/Public/Reports.ASPX.
SDG&E currently serves 3.4 million consumers through 1.4 million electric meters and more than 830,000 natural gas meters. The utility's service area spans 4,100 square miles and serves customers in more than 125 communities from Southern Orange County to the Mexican border. SDG&E is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE). Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company. To learn more, go to www.sdge.com.