Black Hills Corporation is setting new goals to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
In its electric operations, the Rapid City-based utility wants a 40 percent reduction in the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and a 70 percent reduction by 2040.
In natural gas, the company wants a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.
The goals are based on 2005 baselines.
President and CEO Linden Evans spoke to investors on an earnings call. He said the company is keeping its coal plants in the short term.
“Those are vital to our customers in terms of the low price energy that we're able to provide them, especially reliable energy," Evans said. "But we've learned a lot about adding renewables, especially adding renewables that have been cost effective, especially for our customers.”
The company is adding or expanding renewable energy in all three of the states it serves: South Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado. Those include wind and solar projects.
The company is also joining a methane challenge by the Environmental Protection Agency. Utilities in the program seek reductions in methane emissions beyond regulatory requirements.
