National Fuel supports a legislative package that promotes a practical, inclusive approach to decarbonization. Key proposals include hybrid heating systems, utility-scale weatherization, renewable and low-carbon fuels and carbon capture technology:
- Senate Bill 7135, as introduced by Senator Kevin Parker, who chairs the Senate Committee on Energy & Telecommunications, supports hybrid heating, which combines an Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) with a high-efficiency natural gas furnace. The tangible benefits involve lower upfront and operating costs than full electrification, with improved reliability during extreme weather. Hybrid systems will reduce emissions, especially when paired with weatherization and low-carbon fuels.
- Senate Bill 641 / Assembly Bill 3655, proposed by Senator Sean Ryan & Assemblyman Bill Conrad, promotes neighborhood-scale weatherization to minimize energy usage while improving building efficiency and comfort, which lowers costs and at the same time creates skilled jobs in energy auditing and retrofitting.
- Senate Bill 7133 establishes a Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Standard that would set a target and incentivize for the development, production and use of RNG.
- Senate Bill 7132 creates a Hydrogen Incentive Program. Hydrogen, a low or no carbon energy source, can be produced from renewable electricity or natural gas with carbon capture and can be blended into the natural gas system or used in fuel cells for heating and power. Both bills aim to lower the carbon intensity of the gas system while leveraging existing infrastructure and jobs.
- Senate Bill 7134 supports the deployment of Carbon Capture, which captures CO₂ emissions from industrial and energy sources for storage or reuse—helping reduce net emissions while maintaining energy reliability. This technology enables continued use of existing equipment while significantly reducing their environmental impact.