Roanoke Gas Website
Work to Reduce Methane Emissions
Early on Roanoke Gas Company recognized the importance of replacing older bare steel and cast iron piping to make its distribution system safer, more reliable and more environmentally friendly due to the reduction in methane emission that would be achieved. In the early 1990’s, Roanoke Gas began a 25 year program to replace all bare steel and cast iron mains and services in its distribution network. In 2016, the Company completed this replacement totaling over 200 miles of main and 8,500 services. This dramatically reduced greenhouse gas emissions while improving safety and reliability.
As a testament to our commitment to further reduce methane emissions, the Company joined the ONE Future Coalition. The ONE Future Coalition is a group of natural gas companies working together to voluntarily reduce methane emissions across the natural gas value chain to 1% (or less) by 2025 and is comprised of some of the largest natural gas production, gathering and boosting, processing, transmission and storage, and distribution companies in the U.S. that represent more than 20% of the U.S. natural gas value chain. As a ONE Future member, Roanoke Gas will annually report its methane results within the Distribution sector and hold a seat on the board of directors. Through the efforts of coalition members, ONE Future has surpassed its one percent goal in each of the three years that it has reported its methane reduction.
Click to read the Coalition’s 2021 Methane Intensity Report.
Renewable Natural Gas
Roanoke Gas has entered into a cooperative agreement with the Western Virginia Water Authority (WVWA) under which the Company will buy bio gas from the WVWA and convert this gas to commercial quality natural gas. Roanoke Gas is constructing a state-of-the-art digester gas conditioning system and associated facilities (RNG Facility) that will allow the Company to produce renewable natural gas from wastewater digester gas. The RNG Facility is being constructed in conjunction with the rehabilitation of the WVWA’s digesters.
The RNG Facility will be constructed entirely on the property of the WVWA negating any negative impact on the local community. In addition, the project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 4,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalence. The environmental justice communities located around the RNG Facility will be the largest beneficiaries of these reductions.
Solar Panels
Roanoke Gas interconnected a 75 kW (DC) solar facility at our corporate headquarters through a net metering arrangement with our local electric utility in November 2020. During its first full year of operation, the solar facility produced over 98,000 kilowatt hours of electricity. This not only reduced our carbon footprint but saved our customers money in electricity costs.
Learn more about our ESG Disclosure here: RGC Resources ESG