Central Oregon residents can sign up for the Blue Sky program with Pacific Power and customers can offset some or all of their electric use with renewable energy or in support of renewables.

What about natural gas?

Something similar may be coming for Cascade Natural Gas customers.

The utility has submitted an application to the state of Washington for a program it may bring to Oregon.

For now, it’s called the Voluntary Renewable Natural Gas Program and would offer “customers the opportunity to decrease their carbon footprint by purchasing renewable thermal credits derived from renewable natural gas.”

It would be optional, if that wasn’t already clear. Customers could purchase blocks for renewable thermal credits, with each block being the equivalent to four therms. Customers in Washington would pay $7.32 for each block and some additional costs.

Now for some definitions and explanations. A therm is a measure of energy. A renewable thermal credit is issued when renewable fuel is fed into a natural gas pipeline. An example of renewable natural gas would be using manure, crop residue, food waste or emissions from a landfill to produce bio gas and then purifying it so it can be used in the grid. And then finally, residential natural gas customers in Oregon use about 60 therms a month. Some use less. Some more.

Low-income customers in Washington who get help with their gas bill would not qualify for the program — as initially designed — because it would raise the cost of their bill.

The city of Bend’s Environment and Climate Committee may talk about this concept at its meeting this week. A natural gas offset was one of the things the city was seeking as part of a plan for climate action.

If you are familiar with the debate about natural gas in Bend and elsewhere, though, some people don’t want a natural gas offset. They are looking for a natural gas ban. They see natural gas and renewable natural gas as keeping people tethered to fuels that pollute.