On Dec. 15, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) announced their commitment to reducing the company’s carbon footprint by 50 percent by the year 2040. PSE is a Bellevue-based energy company, responsible for powering approximately 1.5 homes and businesses in Washington state since 1873, according to their website. “Now, PSE has developed a measurable plan with short- and long-term steps to achieve this goal while ensuring they can continue to meet their customers’ needs for the next 100-plus years,” the website states. “This plan prioritizes a transition from coal, new product and resource development, and cleaner transportation in Washington.”
PSE’s carbon-reduction plan will involve a transition from coal, where they predict to be completely free of coal generation by the early 2030s.
It also includes new product and resource development, meaning that they have “made investments in new products and renewable resource development, new programs like “Green Direct” that allows large-scale energy customers to subscribe to their renewable energy projects, and have focused on cleaner transportation,” the Bellevue Reporter explained. “PSE is committed to accelerating the growth and adoption of electric vehicles, as well as investing in the development of cleaner alternatives to diesel and other fuels for commercial and industrial uses to ensure buses, ships, ferries and trains can be as green as possible,” the company website describes.
According to the Bellevue Reporter, “Their plan comes at a time when Washington state has agreed, under the Paris Climate Accords and through Gov. Jay Inslee’s goals, to reduce greenhouse gases by 80 to 95 percent across every sector of the state’s economy, including transportation, industrial processes and energy grids, by 2050.”
“PSE’s proposal to begin reducing greenhouse gas emissions is an important first step as Washington strives to meet its responsibilities under the Paris Climate Accord,” said Nancy Hirsh, executive director of the NW Energy Coalition. “And, by accepting the need for a price on carbon as part of a portfolio of policies to address climate pollution, PSE is establishing itself as a leader among energy-intensive companies,” she added.
As stated on the Electric Energy website, Hirsh had a small issue with parts of the plan released by PSE. “[…] the plan announced by PSE does not yet address the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas. Nor does it provide a plan to accelerate investments in energy efficiency and new renewable resources,” Hirsh explained.
Although the NW Energy Coalition is skeptical, they still congratulated PSE on their effort to go as green as possible.
For more information about Puget Sound Energy and their new plan, visit https://pse.com/aboutpse/PseNewsroom/NewsReleases/Pages/PSE-to-reduce-its-carbon-footprint.aspx. or call at 1 (888) 225-5773.