Reducing our carbon footprint

As part of our climate goals, we’re working to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations. Our 2030 goal is to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50%, compared to a 2015 baseline.

Each year, PG&E reports its greenhouse gas emissions and climate change strategies to the CDP (PDF), an international not-for-profit organization that requests information on behalf of institutional investors.

Our approach

In the near-term, we’re reducing emissions from our operations by targeting methane emissions from natural gas operations, deploying clean fleet vehicles, promoting energy-efficient and more sustainable facilities, and removing SF₆ emissions from electric substation equipment. 

Reducing methane emissions from gas operations

PG&E is taking a comprehensive approach to reducing methane emissions, including: 

• Enhancing our leak survey program that assesses about 44,000 miles of natural gas distribution pipeline every three years.
• Applying enhanced leak detection technologies and using an accelerated repair schedule for the largest emissions findings, known as PG&E’s Super Emitter Program.
• Continuing to implement standard natural gas release or “venting” practices used to prepare transmission pipelines for maintenance, repair, or replacement projects.
• Replacing high-bleed pneumatic devices with technology that vents no or significantly less natural gas. 
• Conducting quarterly leak surveys at compressor stations and natural gas storage facilities.

In 2025, we’re focused on optimizing our methane emissions reduction program by looking at spend efficiency and ensuring we prioritize larger emission leaks while staying in compliance with required leak repairs.

Measuring progress

Using 2015 emissions levels as a baseline value, PG&E reached 42% emissions reductions by the end of 2024, with an eye towards our 2030 climate target of 45%. This result exceeded California’s goal to reduce emissions from our natural gas pipeline system by 20% by 2025.

Methane emissions

1. These figures reflect a CPUC-approved methodology improvement, which transitioned from a population-based emission factor approach to a leak-based approach to measure emissions from customer meter sets and distribution metering and regulation stations. The figures also incorporate reporting requirements for CARB’s Oil and Gas Rule, which improves emissions accounting for transmission compressor stations and underground storage facilities.

Continued areas of focus include:

• Reducing the Super Emitter detection threshold, so that more higher emitting leaks are detected and prioritized for repair.
• Implementing drafting, cross compression, flaring, and clearance sharing—separately and in combination—to reduce the amount of natural gas released into the atmosphere from projects on our gas transmission system. 
• Improving our reporting methodology to better capture reductions from avoided releases and making process improvements to drive more cross-compression across all transmission projects. 
• Testing other methods to expedite the repair of non-hazardous meter set leaks. 

Vehicle fleet electrification

Across our vehicle fleet, PG&E managed approximately 15,300 on-road vehicles and related equipment at the end of 2024. Of these, over 1,300 were electric-based—ranging from hybrid-electric bucket trucks to fully electric vehicles—along with a small group of larger vehicles powered by CNG. 

By integrating the latest available technologies and partnering with automakers to meet needs unique to our fleet operations, PG&E is working to reduce emissions and operating costs and expand our portfolio of low-emission vehicles.

Measuring progress

PG&E continued to electrify our vehicle fleet, although overall emissions increased compared to the prior year largely due to an increase in the size of the fleet to support PG&E’s operations.

Transportation fleet greenhouse gas emissions

Key strategies included:

• Deployed 85 EVs, including a Freightliner eCascadia, International eMV with Altec TA60 bucket, and Chevrolet Silverados.  
• Built two prototype F-150 Lightning-based pickup trucks for gas service representatives. 
• Promoted coworker EV adoption through a network of about 1,170 charging ports at nearly 90 locations across our service area. 
• Continued rolling out renewable diesel to every practical PG&E-owned fueling tank, using 3.9 million gallons in our conventional vehicles in 2024 and reducing the associated carbon emissions.

While we work toward our fleet electrification goals, PG&E uses petroleum and renewable diesel to power many of the vehicles in our fleet. The following chart shows PG&E’s fuel usage over the past three years.

Transportation fuel consumed

Buildings and facilities  

We continue to execute a multifaceted strategy to invest in key facility improvements, engage coworkers, and incorporate sustainability principles and continuous improvement into our building and facilities management. 

We work to use energy more efficiently and adopt clean energy strategies at our office facilities and service centers. We’ve published a facilities sustainability standard for future workplace design, while remaining focused on building a more sustainable supply chain through environmentally preferable product choices and procurement strategies. We also power our service centers―about 50 buildings in Northern and Central California―with 100% solar energy through our Solar Choice program.

Measuring progress

Facility greenhouse gas emissions

We continued to make progress in multiple areas throughout the year

• Continued our commitment to expand on-site renewable energy through solar installations. Our Napa Regional Center is now operational with a solar system and achieved LEED Gold certification. Numerous other solar and efficiency projects are underway at our Concord, Fairfield, Fresno, Hayward, and San Francisco sites.
• Launched our facility energy audit and retro-commissioning program, where we are identifying and eliminating inefficiencies in our building HVAC and electrical systems. 

These figures represent electricity and natural gas usage at our office facilities and service centers. 

Energy consumed at facilities¹

1. The data reflects the 12-month period from December to November. In total, 156 sites reported electricity data, and 111 sites reported natural gas data for 2024.
2. Figures are reported in the industry standard of KBTU per square foot, which incorporates all the energy used in a facility into one comparative figure.

Reducing SF₆ emissions from electric operations

PG&E is taking a multi-pronged approach to tackle SF₆—repairing the highest leaking circuit breakers, implementing cylinder best management practices, phasing-in SF₆-free equipment, and engaging in state and industry efforts to phase-out SF₆ over time.

SF₆ is commonly used by PG&E and other energy companies as an electrical insulating material in high-voltage circuit breakers and gas-insulated switchgear. If it escapes to the atmosphere, it is a potent greenhouse gas.

Measuring progress

PG&E continued to reduce SF₆ emissions from our electric operations. Our efforts included repairing or replacing 34 targeted circuit breakers in 2024 to reduce emissions.

SF₆ emissions

1. PG&E’s SF₆ emissions vary from year-to-year as a result of enhanced calculation methods, as well as improved operational processes to reduce leaks and manage the company’s assets and inventory.

Measuring greenhouse gas emissions

PG&E has a long history of measuring, independently verifying, and publicly reporting our Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions. Under mandatory reporting requirements, PG&E reports certain greenhouse gas emissions to the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on an annual basis. On a voluntary basis, PG&E reports our annual corporate greenhouse gas emissions inventory with The Climate Registry, a nonprofit organization.

PG&E’s Scope 1 & 2 Goal: Reduce emissions by 50% from 2015 levels by 2030

(Million Metric Tons CO₂-e)¹

1. Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from PG&E’s operations and Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from facility electricity use and electric line losses.
2. PG&E’s 2024 voluntary greenhouse gas emissions inventory is undergoing third-party verification before being finalized with The Climate Registry. 

PG&E’s Scope 3 Goal: Reduce emissions by 25% from 2015 levels by 2030

(Million Metric Tons CO₂-e)¹

1. Scope 3 emissions are emissions resulting from value chain activities not owned or controlled by PG&E but can be indirectly impacted by PG&E actions.
2. PG&E’s 2024 voluntary greenhouse gas emissions inventory is undergoing third-party verification before being finalized with The Climate Registry. 

PG&E’s Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions

(Million Metric Tons CO₂-e)

1. PG&E’s 2024 voluntary greenhouse gas emissions inventory is undergoing third-party verification before being finalized with The Climate Registry. 
2. PG&E enhanced its emission calculation methodology beginning with reporting year 2023.
3. The emissions associated with purchased electricity are considered Scope 3 per The Climate Registry’s Electric Power Sector Protocol for the Voluntary Reporting Program, Annex I to the General Reporting Protocol, June 2009, Version 1.0. 
4. Other Scope 3 emissions include the greenhouse gas emissions from business air travel, waste management, and employee commuting.