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Already getting lots of 
takes in response to this 
story, so let me add some context...
1/ https://twitter.com/latimes/status/1248312231420407809
takes in response to this story, so let me add some context...1/ https://twitter.com/latimes/status/1248312231420407809
Californians use a lot of fossil gas for staying warm, heating water and cooking. That fuels climate change, which is why many state & city officials are trying to promote construction of all-electric homes & help people switch to electric appliances: https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-stove-climate-change-southern-california-20190404-story.html
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The most contentious part of this is cooking. Plenty of people love their gas stoves. But many chefs who have made the shift to induction cooktops, like @CurtisStone, say itās way better than the old electric coil technology that everyone hates. https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-stove-climate-change-southern-california-20190404-story.html
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Thirty CA cities now require or encourage all-electric construction. Los Angeles isn't one of them, but L.A.'s top sustainability officer told me city officials "believe that electric will be the predominant solution" for reducing emissions from homes: https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-garcetti-green-new-deal-los-angeles-20190429-story.html
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The whole gas-to-electric thing poses an existential threat to gas utilities, including Southern California Gas. I spent several months investigating the company's sweeping campaign to preserve the role of its pipelines in powering society: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-10-22/southern-california-gas-climate-change
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A key part of that campaign has been convincing city officials across California that the state is planning to ban gas (which has not been proposed), and getting them to approve SoCalGas-authored resolutions supporting ābalanced energy solutions.ā https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-10-22/southern-california-gas-climate-change
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SoCalGas also used ratepayer funds to support a group whose "Gas Genius" campaign includes Instagram posts about how awesome natural gas is. State watchdog told me it's part of a "systematic and intentional response to the threatā of climate action: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-11-22/socalgas-climate-change-customer-funds
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Fear of city-level action banning gas from new homes is spreading to gas utilities in other states. In Arizona, there's now a state law banning local gas bans: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/ducey-signs-bill-banning-local-bans-on-natural-gas-into-law-11445713
And similar laws have been proposed in at least 5 other states: https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-climatechange-naturalgas/backed-by-industry-several-u-s-states-propose-blocking-cities-from-banning-natural-gas-idUSL8N2AX77O
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And similar laws have been proposed in at least 5 other states: https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-climatechange-naturalgas/backed-by-industry-several-u-s-states-propose-blocking-cities-from-banning-natural-gas-idUSL8N2AX77O
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So what is the gas industry's proposed solution? Renewable natural gas, which is methane produced at dairy farms or wastewater treatment plants or landfills a whole bunch of other sources. That is what I've written about today: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-04-09/cow-poop-california-clean-energy-future
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Not gonna lie, the dairy farm stuff was fun to write about. Iām sure Iāll never get to say āriver of frothing manureā or āmurky greenish fluidā in the lede of a story ever again. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-04-09/cow-poop-california-clean-energy-future
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So how viable is renewable gas as a climate solution? Lots of debate over local environmental impacts (such as air & water pollution from big dairy farms), which is why environmental justice groups including @LCJandA are not on board. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-04-09/cow-poop-california-clean-energy-future
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A key point: Even industry-funded reports suggest a relatively limited role for renewable gas. We use a LOT of fossil gas & other fuels (home heating, electricity, industry, aviation, etc). Thereās not nearly enough renewable gas to replace all that. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-04-09/cow-poop-california-clean-energy-future
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What is the best use of renewable gas? That may be the key debate. Lots more in my story, including the fact that for all of SoCalGas's rhetoric about sending renewable gas to homes, that's not where its cow poop fuel is actually going right now: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-04-09/cow-poop-california-clean-energy-future
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Do you want to keep seeing this kind of in-depth energy and climate reporting in the @latimes, even as the COVID-19 pandemic rages? Then please spare a few dollars and subscribe to keep our journalism going strong: https://www.latimes.com/subscribe
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