When natural gas is burned for energy, it produces fewer air pollutants and carbon dioxide (CO2) than when coal or petroleum products are burned to produce the same amount of energy. Natural gas emits about 117 pounds of CO2 per million British thermal units (MMBtu), compared to more than 200 pounds per MMBtu from coal and more than 160 pounds per MMBtu from distillate fuel oil. Natural gas’s clean-burning attributes have contributed to greater natural gas use in the United States for electricity generation and as a transportation fuel for fleet cars.
Natural gas is the most environmentally friendly fossil fuel because it burns cleaner
If we burn natural gas under ideal combustion conditions, the light will be blue, and hazardous chemicals will be negligible to non-existent.
Natural gas is one of the most easily stored and transported energy sources. It can be carried by tankers or by international pipelines (in LNG form). It is less hazardous and less difficult to store than other fossil fuels.
Natural gas is undeniably one of the best nonrenewable energy sources. What about renewable energy, though?
More efficient storage and transportation compared to renewable energy
Long-distance transportation is far more efficient than the use of sustainable energy (less network loss).
One of the main drawbacks of renewable energy is that we can’t efficiently store it.
What makes natural gas so superior to other fossil fuels?
It’s a fossil fuel, which means it’s made up of organic material that was buried in the ground millions of years ago. Methane is the primary component of natural gas. Over the last 50 years, as pipeline infrastructure has been built to provide clean natural gas to millions of residential, commercial, and industrial consumers around the world, the popularity and use of clean natural gas has skyrocketed.
Natural Gas is Clean and Economical
Natural gas is now available in all 50 states and is the most popular energy source for powering American homes and businesses. Natural gas is used in over 65 million residences in the United States. Natural gas, in fact, is the most cost-effective form of domestic energy, costing one-third less than electricity. In addition to heating houses, much of the gas consumed in the United States is utilized as a raw ingredient in the production of a wide range of products, including paint, clothing fibers, and plastics for healthcare, computing, and furniture. Natural gas is also employed in a large number of new power plants that generate energy. Clean natural gas allows facilities to more easily meet regulatory standards and enhance the environment of adjacent communities, thus new plants are choosing it and older plants are transitioning to it.
Why Natural Gas is the Clean Fuel of Choice
Natural gas is one of the safest and most environmentally friendly fuels accessible. It pollutes the environment less than other fossil fuels. When natural gas is consumed, it largely creates carbon dioxide and water vapor, which are the same gases that humans exhale. Natural gas emits the least amount of carbon dioxide into the air when combusted when compared to other fossil fuels, making it the cleanest burning fossil fuel. In addition, the business is heavily regulated by the federal government in the fields of manufacturing and distribution, which helps to ensure that it is delivered to consumers in a safe and clean manner.
Natural Gas Supply
The United States consumes over one-third of the world’s natural gas, making it the world’s greatest gas consumer. Natural gas demand is expected to climb by more than 50% by 2025, according to the US Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration.
Natural Gas Availability
Natural gas reserves are enormous beneath the earth’s surface. Russia, West and North Africa, and the Middle East have the biggest natural gas reserves. For more than four decades, LNG has been produced in the United States and imported. Japan, Korea, France, and Spain are the top LNG importers now.
Is natural gas a viable alternative to coal?
Between 2011 and 2019, 121 coal-fired power facilities in the United States were repurposed to burn other types of fuels, with 103 of them being converted to or replaced by natural gas-fired plants, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). In 2010, the United States possessed 316.8 GW of coal-fired capacity, but by the end of 2019, 49.2 GW had been retired, 14.3 GW had the boiler changed to use natural gas, and 15.3 GW had been replaced with natural gas combined cycle. Stricter emission rules, low natural gas prices, and more efficient new natural gas turbine technology prompted plants to transition from coal to natural gas.
Coal-fired power facilities are converted to natural gas using two alternative technologies. The first option is to decommission the coal-fired power station and replace it with a new natural gas-fired combined-cycle (NGCC) power plant. The second option is to convert a coal-fired steam plant’s boiler to use other fuels, such as natural gas.
Owners of 17 coal-fired power plants used the first technique between 2011 and 2019, replacing outdated coal-fired power plants with new NGCC plants. The new NGCC plants have a combined producing capacity of 15.3 GW, which is 94 percent greater than the coal-fired power plants they replaced, which had a capacity of 7.9 GW. The upgraded turbine technology utilized in NGCC plants is largely responsible for the rise in capacity.
What are some of the advantages of natural gas over coal and oil?
- Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel energy source accessible, albeit it is not as pure as solar or wind energy. According to the Florida Natural Gas Association, each residence that utilizes a tankless water heater instead of a heater fueled by another source keeps 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
- When burned, natural gas emits roughly a third less carbon dioxide than coal and nearly half as much as oil. Natural gas produces little to no sulfur, making it more environmentally friendly and efficient than other fuels.
Natural gas is abundant and a major source of energy
The United States is flooded with natural gas, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), with enough to last the rest of the century at current production rates. According to the EIA, in January 2013, the United States has roughly 2,276 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable “dry,” or consumer-grade, natural gas resources, with total proved reserves of gross natural gas worldwide at 6,846 trillion cubic feet.
Infrastructure already in place
Natural gas production technology already exists, and our familiarity with it makes it easier for us to take advantage of it. It is increasingly being used to generate electricity and heat.
Natural gas can be easily transported
Natural gas is a potential choice for usage in homes since it is lighter than gasoline or oil and has a lower transportation carbon footprint. It can be easily delivered by ships, tankers, and pipes and has a lower transportation carbon footprint.
Natural gas produces less overall pollution
Natural gas burns cleaner than gasoline or diesel since its byproducts are gaseous. It emits 45 percent less carbon dioxide than coal and 30 percent less than oil, resulting in a lower total environmental effect.
Because the process of natural gas combustion is nearly perfect, the amount of byproducts released into the environment is limited, hence natural gas outperforms other fossil fuels as a clean-burning energy source.
Furthermore, because natural gas eliminates the requirement for an underground storage tank, it avoids the risk of soil contamination, oil spills, and unplanned environmental cleanup.
What distinguishes natural gas from coal?
What distinguishes natural gas from coal? Coal is a fossil fuel, but natural gas is a renewable resource. Coal is extracted from coal beds, and natural gas is a type of petroleum. Volcanic gas is released by volcanoes, and coal is a type of petroleum.
What makes coal so harmful to the environment?
Fly ash particles are released into the environment by coal and fuel oil burning, contributing to air pollution issues. When coal is burned, it produces a variety of gaseous pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and methane gas, all of which contribute to global climate change.
Drilling and extraction:
Drilling a well can have a negative impact on animals and land use. Local ecosystems may be harmed as a result of this intervention: natural gas production disrupts migration patterns, pollutes rivers and streams, and causes dirt erosion and pollution. Fracking (hydraulic fracturing) can create earthquakes and overload local water supplies. This is a tactic used in the gas industry that an environmental body would aim to outlaw as soon as feasible.
Transportation:
The process of constructing infrastructure to carry gas from wells to natural gas power plants is equally harmful. From a natural perspective, pipes can promote habitat fragmentation and traverse crucial locations. Gas leaks from pipes can wreak havoc on the environment by contaminating groundwater levels (and even on the surface).
Burning and consumption:
Because it burns cleaner, natural gas is the most environmentally benign fossil fuel. Natural gas emits 50 to 60% less carbon dioxide (CO2) in power plants than standard oil or coal-fired power plants. It also releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere with a shorter life cycle. Combustion, on the other hand, emits methane and degrades air quality.