The storefront is modeled after SoCalGas' [H2]
Innovation Experience and equips the next generation of leaders
with knowledge of clean energy
LOS
ANGELES, March 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/
-- Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) today unveiled
its newly revamped storefront at Junior Achievement of SoCal's
(JASoCal) JA Finance Park, an interactive educational space of
business storefronts that provides students with lessons on
financial literacy. Located just outside Griffith Park, JA Finance
Park hosts more than 15,000 visitors including students and
volunteers each year. Drawing inspiration from SoCalGas' H2
Innovation Experience ([H2]IE) in Downey, Calif., SoCalGas' storefront provides
practical experiences in personal finance, sustainability and
career exploration in STEM fields. The utility has collaborated
with the organization for over 23 years and has contributed more
than $300,000 to help foster
leadership skills in the next generation.
"This educational space is more than just an
exhibit; it's a foundation for empowering young minds with
practical life skills and a deeper understanding of energy
efficiency," said Paul
Goldstein, Vice President of Gas Transmission and
Storage at SoCalGas and JASoCal Board Member. "SoCalGas
employee volunteers help bring real-world financial and
energy-efficient scenarios to life for students through a hands-on
approach, nurturing future leaders by equipping them with vital
skills. We're committed to inspiring a new generation to lead in
sustainable energy through education and practical
experiences."
The storefront features mock scenarios that
enhance students' abilities to budget, manage expenses and make
informed financial decisions. The space also emphasizes the
importance of energy use in financial planning, teaching students
about the benefits of energy-efficient practices and SoCalGas'
customer assistance programs. By understanding how energy
efficiency leads to savings, they gain practical insights into
maintaining affordable living costs. Additional resources focus on
advancements in energy technology with displays, like smart
thermostats and energy-efficient appliances, designed to inspire
interest in STEM careers.
"We're honored to continue our partnership with
SoCalGas and thrilled to unveil their updated storefront at JA
Finance Park," said Dr. Les
McCabe, President & CEO of JASoCal. "The storefronts
are crucial to the immersive experience for students who are
learning essential financial skills, like bill paying, but just as
importantly, having a modern storefront that addresses the future
of renewable energy and reflects energy-saving innovations in a
home, will empower thousands of students each year to make
responsible financial and environmental choices."
The storefront was remodeled to mirror the design
of SoCalGas' [H2]IE, a clean hydrogen microgrid demonstration
project that draws power from solar panels during the day and
converts excess renewable energy into clean hydrogen to power the
home at night. The [H2]IE could power up to 100 homes and
highlights how microgrid technology can produce power locally and
help create more sustainable communities. The project has been
named a World-Changing Idea by Fast Company and was also
awarded the U.S. Green Building Council of L.A.'s Sustainable
Innovation Award.
As part of SoCalGas' ASPIRE 2045 sustainability
goals, the utility aims to invest $50
million across five years to help drive positive change in
diverse and underserved communities. By providing resources for
higher education and career development, SoCalGas aspires to
empower the communities it serves and help prepare young leaders
for success. In line with these efforts, SoCalGas has awarded more
than $3.5 million in scholarships to
students through its scholarship programs since 2001.
To learn more about SoCalGas' Scholarship
Programs, click here. For more on JA Finance Park, visit Junior
Achievement of SoCal's website.
Media assets can be found here.
About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los
Angeles, SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in
the United States. SoCalGas aims
to deliver affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas
service to approximately 21 million consumers across approximately
24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. We believe gas delivered
through our pipelines plays a key role in California's clean energy transition by
supporting energy system reliability and resiliency and enabling
integration of renewable resources.
SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest,
safest and most innovative energy infrastructure company in
America. In support of that mission, SoCalGas aspires to achieve
net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of
energy by 2045 and to replace 20 percent of its traditional natural
gas supply to core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by
2030. RNG can be made from waste created by landfills and
wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also investing in its gas
delivery infrastructure while working to keep bills affordable for
customers. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), an
energy infrastructure company based in San Diego.
For more information visit
socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on X (formerly
Twitter) (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and
Facebook.
This press release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on
assumptions about the future, involve risks and uncertainties, and
are not guarantees. Future results may differ materially from those
expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement. These
forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions
only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation
to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise.
In this press release, forward-looking
statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect,"
"intend," "anticipate," "contemplate," "plan," "estimate,"
"project," "forecast," "envision," "should," "could," "would,"
"will," "confident," "may," "can," "potential," "possible,"
"proposed," "in process," "construct," "develop," "opportunity,"
"preliminary," "initiative," "target," "outlook," "optimistic,"
"poised," "maintain," "continue," "progress," "advance," "goal,"
"aim," "commit," or similar expressions, or when we discuss our
guidance, priorities, strategy, goals, vision, mission,
opportunities, projections, intentions or
expectations.
Factors, among others, that could cause actual
results and events to differ materially from those expressed or
implied in any forward-looking statement include: decisions,
investigations, inquiries, regulations, denials or revocations of
permits, consents, approvals or other authorizations, renewals of
franchises, and other actions, including the failure to honor
contracts and commitments, by the (i) California Public Utilities
Commission (CPUC), U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Internal Revenue
Service and other regulatory bodies and (ii) U.S. and states,
counties, cities and other jurisdictions therein where we do
business; the success of business development efforts and
construction projects, including risks related to (i) completing
construction projects or other transactions on schedule and budget,
(ii) realizing anticipated benefits from any of these efforts if
completed, (iii) obtaining third-party consents and approvals, and
(iv) third parties honoring their contracts and commitments;
macroeconomic trends or other factors that could change our capital
expenditure plans and their potential impact on rate base or other
growth; litigation, arbitrations and other proceedings, and changes
to laws and regulations, including those related to tax and trade
policy; cybersecurity threats, including by state and
state-sponsored actors, of ransomware or other attacks on our
systems or the systems of third parties with which we conduct
business, including the energy grid or other energy infrastructure;
the availability, uses, sufficiency, and cost of capital resources
and our ability to borrow money on favorable terms and meet our
obligations, including due to (i) actions by credit rating agencies
to downgrade our credit ratings or place those ratings on negative
outlook, (ii) instability in the capital markets, or (iii) rising
interest rates and inflation; the impact on affordability of our
customer rates and our cost of capital and on our ability to pass
through higher costs to customers due to (i) volatility in
inflation, interest rates and commodity prices and (ii) the cost of
meeting the demand for lower carbon and reliable energy in
California; the impact of climate
and sustainability policies, laws, rules, regulations, disclosures
and trends, including actions to reduce or eliminate reliance on
natural gas, increased uncertainty in the political or regulatory
environment for California natural
gas distribution companies, the risk of nonrecovery for stranded
assets, and uncertainty related to relevant emerging and
early-stage technologies; weather, natural disasters, pandemics,
accidents, equipment failures, explosions, terrorism, information
system outages or other events, such as work stoppages, that
disrupt our operations, damage our facilities or systems, cause the
release of harmful materials or fires or subject us to liability
for damages, fines and penalties, some of which may not be
recoverable through regulatory mechanisms or insurance or may
impact our ability to obtain satisfactory levels of affordable
insurance; the availability of natural gas and natural gas storage
capacity, including disruptions caused by failures in the pipeline
system or limitations on the withdrawal of natural gas from storage
facilities; and other uncertainties, some of which are difficult to
predict and beyond our control.
These risks and uncertainties are further
discussed in the reports that the company has filed with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These reports are
available through the EDGAR system free-of-charge on
the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, and on Sempra's
website, www.sempra.com. Investors should not rely unduly on any
forward-looking statements.
Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure
Partners, Sempra Texas, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor Electric
Delivery Company LLC (Oncor) and Infraestructura Energética Nova,
S.A.P.I. de C.V. (IEnova) are not the same companies as
the California utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric Company or
Southern California Gas Company, and Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra
Infrastructure Partners, Sempra Texas, Sempra Texas Utilities,
Oncor and IEnova are not regulated by the CPUC.
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SOURCE Southern California Gas Company