SJI is Leading the Way to a Clean Energy Future, Makes Advancements Towards Clean Energy Goals
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South Jersey Industries News
FOLSOM, NJ, June 9, 2022 – In recognition of the company’s progress towards creating a clean energy future, SJI (NYSE:SJI) is proud to reaffirm its commitment to sustainability and mark the next phase of its comprehensive clean energy plan – Leading the Way.
Leading the Way captures the company’s current progress and renewed vision since its announcement last year to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. With the advancement of its renewable energy investments, energy efficiency programs and infrastructure upgrades, as well as the formation of a diverse and talented team of clean energy professionals, SJI is re-envisioning how it leads its employees, customers and communities to a better today and tomorrow.
“At SJI, we recognize that we hold a shared responsibility with our employees, customers and communities to protect the environment we call home,” said Mike Renna, President and CEO, SJI. “That’s why we are committed to promoting sustainability, driving innovation and Leading the Way towards a clean energy future for our state and region.”
Renewable Energy Development
Since last year, SJI has made significant strides in meeting its clean energy goals by developing renewable energy projects – a cornerstone of its strategic sustainability approach. Alongside development partner REV LNG, LLC, SJI Renewable Energy Ventures has broken ground on eight renewable natural gas (RNG) facilities including four in Michigan, three in upstate New York, and one at Connecticut’s largest dairy farm. In addition, six large facilities are planned to enter the construction phase later this year across Minnesota and South Dakota.
SJI and REV LNG hold additional development rights for a total portfolio of up to 40 dairy farms. Upon entering service, the 40 SJI dairy RNG projects will offset nearly 25 million gallons of gasoline – equivalent to the consumption of nearly 50,000 passenger vehicles – in a single year. Because of SJI and REV LNG’s continued partnership in this area of strategic importance, SJI is positioned well to become a national leader in waste-to-energy projects by 2025.
SJI’s subsidiary, Elizabethtown Gas, recently announced its partnership with RNG Energy Solutions to build an interconnection between the developer’s organic food waste anaerobic digester project in Linden, NJ, and the utility’s natural gas supply. Once operational, this $330M project will supply Elizabethtown Gas customers with locally sourced renewable natural gas and will produce the energy equivalent of replacing 28,400 gallons of gasoline each day with a renewable fuel source.
As part of SJI’s joint venture with Captona, Catamaran Renewables, SJI has acquired three fuel cell projects – two in Staten Island, NY, and one in Bronx, NY, which will produce a total 12.5 MW when the second project reaches commercial operations in 2022.
SJI is also pursuing RNG opportunities at a number of New Jersey landfill and wastewater treatment facilities. SJI and Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind (Atlantic Shores) entered a memorandum of understanding in 2020 to explore the production of “green hydrogen,” a renewable energy source that can be blended with SJI’s supply to lower carbon intensity.
Additionally, SJI has completed the installation of numerous solar arrays at its corporate headquarters and field operations facilities. SJI Energy Enterprises, SJI’s non-regulated, clean energy-focused subsidiary, acquired in December 2021 a 5.66 MW solar and 5.2 MWh battery storage facility in Agawam, Massachusetts through Catamaran Renewables, and recently brought on-line a brown-field solar array at a landfill in Florence Township, NJ.
Sustainable Enhancements to Infrastructure
In 2021, South Jersey Gas completed its Accelerated Infrastructure Replacement Program, resulting in the replacement of more than 800 miles of cast iron and bare-steel main with high-efficiency PVC plastic pipe. The Elizabethtown Gas Infrastructure Investment Program also targets replacing vintage cast iron, bare steel, ductile iron, copper and vintage plastic mains and services. This five-year, $300M program began on July 1, 2019, and will replace approximately 250 miles of main. Since the program’s inception, Elizabethtown Gas has replaced 89.9 miles of main. In addition, both utilities continue to install tens of thousands of excess flow valves in their systems, which automatically shut off gas flow in the event of a service line break.
In July 2021, South Jersey Gas cut the ribbon on its New Sentury Pump Station, a $69M facility created to regulate consistent pressure throughout the South Jersey Gas distribution system. The pump station helps prevent gas supply interruptions caused by irregularities to the system, such as extreme weather, peak-demand events, man-made disruptions or other issues that may affect interstate pipelines. Recognized with The New Jersey Alliance for Action’s “Distinguished Engineering Award,” the project led to the creation of approximately 275 jobs.
Together, these enhancements significantly reduce the release of harmful greenhouse gas emissions and help SJI reach its carbon-neutral operations goal.
Expanded Energy Efficiency Programming and Education
SJI dedicates itself to involving and engaging customers in efforts to protect the environment and sustain the region’s natural resources. In 2021, SJI’s subsidiaries, South Jersey Gas and Elizabethtown Gas, with the support of the NJ Board of Public Utilities, expanded their energy efficiency programs by $216 million. Over the course of the three-year expansion, customers will have greater access to rebates, financing, home energy audits and a high-efficiency products marketplace. The investment also includes a residential weatherization program for low- to moderate-income customers and solutions for commercial customers. The program will help our customers save $329M in energy costs and 104 million therms of energy over its lifetime, which equates to preventing the release of over 953,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Moreover, the program has the potential to support the creation of over 4,500 jobs over three years.
Our utilities recently formed partnerships with EmPowered Schools, a sub-coalition of the Alliance to Save Energy, to educate students on energy efficiency. The year-long, STEM-based curriculum teaches students about energy-efficient practices. It also positions them to lead energy-saving campaigns in schools, homes and communities. South Jersey Gas and Elizabethtown Gas also launched Conserve, an online energy efficiency resource that advises customers and future customers about ways to reduce their energy usage and promote energy efficiency.
SJI’s Team of Clean Energy Professionals
SJI has established several internal, clean energy-focused teams to help maintain the company’s continued progress. In 2020, SJI formed the Clean Energy and Sustainability Team, responsible for the development, execution and oversight of the organization’s clean energy and sustainability initiatives. Just this year, SJI’s employees founded The Green Team, an educational employee resource group at SJI dedicated to empowering employees to help support and create a more sustainable environment in local communities.
SJI also named Donna Schempp President of SJI Renewable Energy Ventures (SJI REV) and Senior Vice President of SJI Enterprises Group, the holding company for SJI’s non-regulated clean energy business entities. In her role, Schempp provides strategic oversight and fully aligns project development and execution across SJI’s collective renewable energy initiatives. Schempp is also the first woman to lead SJI’s non-utility businesses.
SJI recently released its 2021 Annual Report, which further details the company’s recent sustainability work as well as its vision of Leading the Way to a clean energy future. To learn more, click here.
For more information about SJI and its subsidiaries, please visit sjindustries.com.