cover image: Cover image for Net-Zero Emissions Opportunities for Gas Utilities. The outline of the US map with i

20.500.12592/nst3fc

Cover image for Net-Zero Emissions Opportunities for Gas Utilities. The outline of the US map with i

8 Feb 2022

The analysis examined the greenhouse gas emissions associated with utility operations, gas production and transportation emissions, and utility customer emissions created by the direct use of natural gas in the residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation sectors. [...] In particular, ICF and AGA focused on opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within gas utilities’ purview, including utility operations, gas production and transportation, and the direct use of natural gas by utility customers across the residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation sectors. [...] The first approach is to reduce gas demand; the second is to decarbonize the gas supply required to meet the remaining demand; the third is to reduce utility system and upstream emissions from methane leaks; and the fourth is to use negative emissions technologies to offset remaining GHG emissions. [...] The advancement of such technologies could significantly alter the kinds of pathways discussed in this report and potentially allow for higher levels of geologic natural gas to continue to be used in the gas system while enabling gas utilities to achieve net-zero emissions. [...] Given the scale of the challenge in reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the economy and the inherent uncertainty in possible pathways to achieving net-zero emissions in other parts of the economy, companies and the government should continue to increase investment in gas system RD&D opportunities.
Pages
161
Published in
United States of America