CPS Energy plans to slow and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by continuing to use low and non-emitting carbon technologies such as energy efficiency, renewables and nuclear generation.  In future years, advanced coal generation, carbon capture and storage, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and reduced coal generation will also lower CO2 emissions.  Like our customers, we share the concern that human actions release greenhouse gasses and contribute to global climate change. Carbon Dioxide is the most prevalent greenhouse gas, and it’s a natural byproduct of the combustion of fossil fuels.  Some of the steps we’ve taken to reduce the release of greenhouse gas emissions include:

• In 2002, we joined the Department of Energy’s Climate Challenge program and began voluntarily reporting greenhouse gas reductions. 
• We have a diverse mix of fuels and emission-free power resources. Nuclear and wind power account for about 39 percent of our energy-generating capacity.  Over 15 years we’ve avoided releasing approximately 55 million tons of carbon by using nuclear energy, and over a 6-year period we’ve avoided emitting 1.2 million tons through wind-generated electricity.
• We recycle fly ash, a by-product of coal combustion, by selling it to cement manufacturers to use in concrete. As a result, 2.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions have been avoided in the production of cement over 14 years. 
• We recycle scrap metal, aluminum, copper, electrical equipment, utility poles, office paper, corrugated cardboard and many other materials, resulting in the reduction of 300,000 tons of carbon dioxide over 15 years. 
• We use cleaner alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuel such as ethanol and ultra-low sulfur diesel for our fleet vehicles.
• We have planted and given away more than 25,500 trees to help fight climate change through their ability to remove carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with oxygen.
• CPS Energy committed $96 million toward an energy efficiency goal of reducing peak demand by 40% or 115 megawattts (MW) by 2011 and 425 MWof electrical capacity by 2020.  Commercial and residential customer energy efficiency rebates including solar are currently offered.  More recently, CPS Energy announced a super-aggressive goal that will save 771 MW and associated energy by 2020.
• We have planted and given away more than 21,000 trees and 5,000 flowering perennials to help fight climate change through their ability to remove carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with oxygen.
• CPS Energy has committed $96 million toward an energy efficiency goal of reducing peak demand by 40% or 115 MW by 2011.  More commercial and residential customer rebates including solar will be offered.
• CPS Energy is working with Mayor Hardberger on a Sustainability Plan/Energy Plan for the city.  The City of San Antonio initiated a regional greenhouse gas emission inventory with Bexar County, San Antonio Water System, and CPS Energy.  An entity specific carbon footprint for baseliner year 2005 is also being developed.
• Through our membership in the American Public Power Association and Large Public Power Council, CPS Energy is partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy and the rest of the electric power industry in the Power Partners program — a joint government-industry initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Through Power Partners, the electric power sector and DOE are working together to develop and implement voluntary climate actions to sustain economic growth. As a part of this effort, we have developed the Power Partners Resource Guide (PPRG) to help electric utilities identify GHG emission or emission intensity reduction opportunities and find the latest, "state-of-the-art" information on a variety of topic areas through the use of links to credible websites. The PPRG now includes hundreds of useful sources, and is hosted at http://uspowerpartners.org/.