The American Gas Association (AGA) is highlighting two new studies by the American Gas Foundation (AGF) focused on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the use of emerging natural gas direct use technologies and the development of renewable natural gas.
“These two studies demonstrate how we will continue to use our vast, reliable and safe natural gas infrastructure to deliver affordable energy and drive down emissions,” said Karen Harbert, President and CEO of the American Gas Association. “By incorporating new, highly efficient natural gas appliances and using renewable natural gas, America’s natural gas utilities will reduce emissions along their systems and American homes can drastically cut emissions while maintaining the warmth and comfort they have grown to love from natural gas.”
NATURAL GAS DIRECT USE TECHNOLOGIES
The first study, conducted by Enovation Partners, demonstrates how widespread adoption of emerging natural gas direct use technologies could contribute significantly to achieving deep reductions in GHG emissions in the U.S. residential sector at much lower costs than other options under consideration. It estimates that natural gas residential emissions could be reduced by approximately 40 percent at a very competitive cost of $66 per metric ton of CO2 emissions. On average, consumers who install the emerging high-efficiency technologies modeled in the study would also save $271 annually compared to existing technologies.
RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS
The second study, conducted by ICF, outlines the potential domestic resource base for renewable natural gas (RNG), the corresponding potential for emission reductions and associated costs. Notably, this study is the first to examine power-to-gas technology as a production method for renewable natural gas.
ICF estimates that by 2040 approximately 4,513 trillion Btu of RNG could be produced annually. Additionally, this equates to a 235 million metric ton reduction in GHG emissions, or a 95 percent reduction in emissions from the natural gas residential sector.[1] ICF found costs competitive with other GHG emission abatement options, beginning at $55 per metric ton of CO2 emissions.