Southern Co

One of Southern’s three pillars of decarbonisation is research and development (R&D) into lowering greenhouse gas emissions. As the company is committed to natural gas, carbon capture and storage (CCS) will be essential for Southern to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 while maintaining significant natural gas capacity. The company has shown its ability to adapt to changing circumstances. It could commit more strongly to phasing out all fossil fuel generation rather than continuing to pursue the riskier option of CCS.

As one of the largest electricity companies in the United States, Southern could demonstrate stronger support for decarbonisation by publicly supporting low-carbon policies and mandating a consistent approach to climate policy among its subsidiaries, some of whom have a history of undermining action on climate. Southern does not have a policy for governing its relations with trade associations. Furthermore, its senior staff are on the board of the American Gas Association, which promotes natural gas as a low-carbon fuel source.

Southern is targeting a 50% reduction in emissions between 2007 and 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. The company plans to increase total capacity by 50% by 2050, but to deliver this, Southern expects to have over 10 GW of unabated gas capacity.

Southern forecasts maintaining its current level of coal capacity beyond 2030, building significant renewables and gas capacity and relying on negative emissions technologies from the early 2030s. Most of the company’s capacity in 2050 will be solar, nuclear and a mixture of unabated and CCS- equipped natural gas.

Currently Southern is building 2.3 GW of storage and renewables, but it is also building 1.9 GW of natural gas. The company is on course to achieve its 2030 target five years early. Southern has recently increased the ambition of its 2050 target from an 80% reduction in emissions to net-zero emissions.

Southern’s generation from coal has dropped from 69% in 2007 to 22% in 2019 and 17% in 2020. Southern has retired 9.6 GW of capacity while its renewables capacity has increased from 1% to 12% in the same time. Southern has recently added natural gas capability to the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC).

Southern has been researching carbon capture and storage (CCS) for many years but it has still not been commercialised at scale. Relying on this unproven technology to decarbonise its large natural gas capacity is not consistent with a 1.5°C scenario.