Port of Seattle’s Maritime Division and Economic Development Department has agreed to purchase more than 240,000 therms of renewable natural gas from US energy company Puget Sound Energy (PSE) to cut carbon emissions.
As explained, the Port of Seattle Maritime Division and Economic Development Department will use renewable natural gas at all its facilities currently using natural gas, including the top 3 currently using the most natural gas; Pier 66, Terminal 91 and its maintenance facilities.
The port expects that this will result in a reduction of carbon emissions of about 1,291 metric tons each year.
“Our RNG program gives customers a way to reduce carbon emissions today, and meet sustainability goals on their own timeline,” said Ken Johnson , PSE Vice President of External Affairs.
“We’re impressed by the Port of Seattle’s commitment. This partnership is another way we are working together with our customers to help create a cleaner energy future for all.”
Through a different agreement, the port also purchases renewable natural gas made from landfill waste to heat the airport terminals and fuel transportation.
The purchase of renewable natural gas for the airport helped reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions from Port-owned and -controlled sources like building facilities and vehicle fleets by 50 percent a decade sooner than planned.
“PSE’s Renewable Natural Gas program will immediately cut our own maritime division greenhouse gas emissions almost in half, ” said Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins .
“That reduction helps us meet goals while implementing longer term solutions to phase out fossil fuels.”
This agreement with the Port’s Maritime Division and Economic Development Department is part of PSE’s voluntary Renewable Natural Gas program (RNG), a key part of its proposed pathway to reduce carbon emissions to net-zero by 2045. Through RNG, renters, homeowners and businesses can replace a portion of their conventional natural gas usage with lower-carbon renewable natural gas.
As part of PSE’s aspirational Beyond Net Zero Carbon goal, PSE aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions for natural gas used in customer homes and businesses by 2045, with an interim target of a 30 percent emissions reduction by 2030.