Philadelphia Gas Works, city release sustainability study

A new study defines and evaluates technological methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas in Philadelphia.

The city has set the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The Philadelphia Gas Works Business Diversification Study also evaluates the impact of the technologies on Philadelphia Gas Works’ (PGW) current business model and its customers, identifies near-term business strategies to sustain jobs and maintain customer affordability, and identifies near-term promising pilot projects.

Ideas for pilot projects include:

PGW and the city working together to identify funding opportunities, and review the regulatory structure needed for a new program designed to help low- and moderate-income customers finance and implement weatherization applications. Applications include home insulation.

PGW and the city working together to identify funding for a feasibility study that investigates the technical and geological potential of block-level networked geothermal district systems as well as establishing a financial and regulatory model for such a system and identifying the necessary workforce.

PGW convenes a working group with the Philadelphia Water Department and Streets Department to investigate converting the city’s waste into biomethane.

The city owns PGW, the largest municipally-owned gas utility in the country, and the report was released as a partnership between PGW and the city’s Office of Sustainability.