Your community energy company is working toward carbon emissions reductions consistent with global climate science, targeting carbon reductions of at least 80% by 2030 and net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. We're doing everything we can today to lower carbon emissions as quickly and as cost-effectively as we can. By working with our customers, we can reach our goal of a cleaner, more sustainable future.
MGE is transitioning our energy supply to cleaner sources to serve all customers.
Under our commitment, by 2030, we expect to deliver electricity with 80% fewer carbon emissions to every MGE electric customer. And by 2050, we expect to deliver net-zero carbon electricity to all MGE electric customers.
MGE already has reduced carbon emissions nearly 40% (from baseline 2005 level)—that's halfway to our goal of 80% by 2030.
To achieve deep decarbonization, MGE is growing its use of renewable energy, engaging customers around energy efficiency and working to electrify transportation, all of which are key strategies identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change October 2018 Special Report on limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
Through programs, resources and tools, we are assisting customers with the wise use of energy and with options for electric vehicle charging. As MGE decarbonizes our energy supply, efforts to advance energy efficiency and electrification become more powerful in helping to reduce emissions.
MGE continues to grow our use of renewable resources and to transition away from coal-fired generation.
MGE expects to cut the use of coal substantially by the end of 2030 and to eliminate it from the company's generation portfolio by the end of 2032. Both units at the coal-fired Columbia Energy Center are expected to be retired by mid-2026, more than 10 years ahead of schedule. By the end of 2026, with the planned retirement of Columbia, MGE expects to have eliminated approximately two-thirds of the company's current coal-fired generation capacity.
By the end of 2030, MGE expects coal to be used only as a backup fuel at the Elm Road Generating Station, which is transitioning to natural gas by the end of 2032. MGE is a minority owner of the Elm Road plant.
To ensure MGE is able to meet the needs of our customers reliably, MGE is replacing the 200 megawatts (MW) of capacity provided by the Columbia plant with significant investment in cleaner renewable generation and investment in highly efficient natural gas. Natural gas is a bridge fuel. It offers MGE customers a safe, reliable, affordable and lower-emission energy source that will help enable MGE's path toward greater use of renewable resources and toward net-zero carbon electricity.
In May 2019, MGE announced its ambitious goal of net-zero carbon electricity by 2050 consistent with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change October 2018 Special Report on limiting global warming to 1.5°C. In fall 2020, the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies released its independent analysis of MGE's net-zero carbon goal.
In November 2015, MGE introduced our Energy 2030 framework for a more sustainable future. Energy 2030 established goals and foundational objectives for building your community energy company for the future. It continues to guide our work with customers.
Since introducing Energy 2030, we have said that if we can go further faster by working together with our customers, we will—and we are. We set more aggressive carbon reduction goals since 2015, committing to 80% by 2030 and net-zero carbon by 2050. Carbon is our target, and we continue working toward reduced carbon emissions as quickly and as cost-effectively as we can for the benefit of all of those we serve.
Building upon our long-standing commitment to providing affordable, sustainable energy, in 2023, MGE set a goal to achieve net-zero methane emissions from our natural gas distribution system by 2035.
If the company can accelerate its plans to achieve net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas system—through the evolution of new technologies, such as renewable natural gas—we will. We are working to reduce overall emissions from our natural gas distribution system cost-effectively as quickly as possible.
