Environment
Guided by CenterPoint Energy’s Environmental Policy and led by the company’s Vice President of Corporate Sustainability, environmental stewardship is an integral part of our overall corporate sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) approach. We have a long history of conducting our businesses in a safe, reliable and environmentally responsible manner.
Our primary environmental focus areas include compliance, air quality, emissions reductions, biodiversity and land use, waste and recycling, and water management.
Net-zero
Emissions by
2035
Net Zero by 2035
By 2035, we expect our operations will produce less carbon-related emissions than we remove or eliminate from the environment.
We have established the following goals:
- Achieve Net Zero carbon emissions directly attributable to our operations and facilities by 2035 as part of our new ESG strategy and alignment with the Paris Agreement.
- Launch a broad corporate initiative to achieve a net reduction of carbon emissions attributed to residential and commercial customer usage 20-30% from 2021 levels by 2035 through, among other things:
- Partnering with customers to offer affordable conservation and energy-efficiency programs;
Continued partnerships with its customers to offer effective and affordable conservation and energy-efficiency programs, - Continued development of alternative fuels programs, such as renewable natural gas, that would provide customers new energy choices, and
- Piloting and supporting research and development of new and innovative low-carbon technologies, including, but not limited to, carbon capture.
- Partnering with customers to offer affordable conservation and energy-efficiency programs;
Air Quality
Nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), mercury (Hg) and particulate matter (PM) are produced as a result of burning coal to produce electricity. These emissions, if not controlled, can negatively impact local air quality. CenterPoint Energy has invested more than $500 million since 2001 in emissions control equipment to capture these pollutants and directly improve local air quality.
Scrubbed for Emissions
Our entire electric generation fleet is:
Capturing Particulate Matter
ALL UNITS in our system are equipped with an electrostatic precipitator or a fabric filter that can REMOVE PARTICULATE MATTER at an average of 99% EFFICIENCY.
Controlling mercury and sulfur trioxide
Enhancements to our system to comply with the MERCURY AND AIR TOXICS STANDARDS (MATS) began in 2014 with a focus on reducing sulfur trioxide and mercury emissions, as well as mercury reductions in wastewater.
Biodiversity and Land Use
CenterPoint Energy’s biodiversity, conservation and land use initiatives include habitat restoration projects, endangered species conservation activities, and native wildlife rescue and release efforts.
CenterPoint Energy is committed to providing investors and other stakeholders with information about the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities and key issues, while also highlighting relevant data and examples. Our ESG reporting discusses our business, operations and strategies; how we engage with our stakeholders, approach environmental stewardship, support our communities, and provide a safe, inclusive workplace; and our plans to achieve our net-zero clean energy objectives.
