The Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Advantage

The American Gas Foundation’s analysis, “Renewable Natural Gas Supply Assessment,” demonstrates that renewable natural gas (RNG) is poised to play a pivotal role in meeting energy demand, supporting jobs and economic growth and contributing to emission reductions. The study analyzed supply potential through 2050 via three scenarios based on different levels of feedstock utilization and technology deployment.

RNG resources can be produced from a diverse range of technologies and feedstocks. The study estimates RNG supply potential from biogenic resources ranging from 1,628 trillion BTU per year (tBtu/year) in a low scenario to 7,061 tBtu/year in an ambitious emissions reduction scenario …

The Importance of Natural Gas to Illinois

The severe economic burden that forced electrification would place on families across the state, with particular harm to the 37% of Illinois households already living below the ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) threshold. Currently, Illinois consumes the eighth highest amount of natural gas in the country, with nearly 8 out of 10 Illinois homes relying on natural gas for heating.

In this report, CEA found that if Illinois households had been forced to switch to all-electric heating, their utility bills would have increased by $7.6 billion statewide or $2,631 per household.…

Hedging Natural Gas Shocks

Congress is considering raising the tax burden on electricity investment and production supported through tax credit ( ITC & PTC) enacted in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). These provisions support building generation capacity across a range of sources, including nuclear, geothermal, energy storage, wind, solar, and hydro, thereby diversifying a sector currently led by natural gas. Part of the justification for the ITC & PTC was the additional development and returns to scale that could be unlocked from otherwise underinvested sources and technologies.…

Underground Gas Storage in Natural Gas Infrastructure: East Coast Insights

The East Coast has a larger total number of facilities than the Gulf Coast, but only about
half the amount of working gas capacity due to the greater number of salt dome
caverns found in the Gulf. Like the Gulf Coast, UGS in the East Coast can support the
storage of low-carbon fuels including hydrogen and may provide a crucial long-term
storage solution for renewable energy produced in the region from intermittent sources
like wind. This region has challenges to expanding the role of UGS in the future,
including regulatory hurdles, barriers to infrastructure expansions, and the proximity of
UGS …

Long-Term Planning among Regulated Natural Gas Utilities

State policymakers generally delegate the evaluation of proposed utility investments in energy resources and infrastructure to appointed or elected public utility commissions. Legislatures and governors reserve the authority to set state-wide energy policy goals, mandates for the use of in-state resources, equity and public engagement goals, economic development priorities, and others.

Across the U.S., state utility regulators are responsible for ensuring that utilities provide safe, affordable, and reliable energy at just and reasonable rates. Regulated utilities are granted the opportunity to earn a rate of return on expenditures on used and useful assets, as determined by state utility regulators (public …

Potential Dangers of Blending Hydrogen and Natural Gas in Pipelines

Could blending hydrogen with natural gas help decarbonize the natural gas supply chain?

This 4-page fact sheet outlines the potential dangers of blending hydrogen and natural gas in pipelines. These dangers include hydrogen’s corrosive effects on pipeline materials, its tendency to leak, and its highly explosive nature.

Hydrogen blending is also inefficient and costly: a 30 percent blend of hydrogen into the natural gas system could almost double costs per megawatt-hour for power plants, and would not effectively lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Reducing natural gas use in the US is crucial to reach necessary emissions reduction goals, but hydrogen blending …

Underground Gas Storage in Natural Gas Infrastructure: Gulf Coast Insights

This whitepaper explores the role of UGS in the Gulf Coast region, highlighting its
essential contribution to reliable and responsive energy delivery. It covers key federal
and state policy measures governing UGS facilities and provides data underscoring
storage’s critical role in supporting energy resiliency and grid stability by securing
supply and stabilizing prices during peak demand. Additionally, the report examines the
potential of active and inactive UGS facilities for repurposing to support decarbonization
goals.…

The Burden of Natural Gas Leaks on Public Sector Emergency Response in the United States

Fire departments play a critical role in responding to potential hazards generated by natural gas and propane leaks, yet the costs of providing these services is unknown. Here, we analyzed 15 years of gas leak-coded incidents from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and estimated associated costs using fire department operating budgets. From 2003 to 2018, a total of 2.4 million gas leak-coded incidents required fire department responses, accounting for ∼0.8% of all nationwide incidents. Reported gas leak incidents have steadily increased nationwide, nearly quadrupling from 2003 to 2018. In 2018, New York City (NYC) experienced 22,090 gas leak …

Natural Gas and Indoor Air Pollution in North America

This study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that distribution-grade natural gas contains a range of hazardous air pollutants, which can have adverse impacts for indoor air quality and public health. Specifically, this study indicates that benzene and other hazardous air pollutants are present in nearly all natural gas that is supplied to households, buildings and businesses throughout North America, which builds on existing evidence that natural gas leakage poses not only climate, but also human health risks. In addition, this study shows that the concentration of odorants in natural gas varies depending on location and that these …

Downstream Natural Gas Composition Across U.S. and Canada

Previous research has shown that natural gas (NG) leaks from residential appliances are common, affecting greenhouse gas emission inventories and indoor air quality. To study these implications, the authors collected and analyzed 587 unburned NG samples from 481 residences over 17 North American cities for hydrocarbons, hazardous air pollutants, and organosulfur odorants. Nearly all (97% of) gas samples contained benzene (between-city mean: 2335 ppbv [95% CI: 2104, 2607]) with substantial variability between cities. Vancouver, Los Angeles, Calgary, and Denver had at least 2x higher mean benzene concentrations than other cities sampled, with Vancouver exhibiting a nearly 50x greater mean benzene …