The fossil fuel industry promotes natural gas as a bridge fuel, an energy source that emits fewer carbon emissions than coal when burned. The claim is it is a bridge fuel until enough solar and wind electrical generation can be built. Natural gas is promoted as if it's like a magical fuel for society. Unfortunately, magic involves misdirection and that is the fossil fuel industry’s tactic. To get an accurate picture of the contribution of natural gas to global warming, one needs to look at the entire life cycle of natural gas, from production to combustion.
Natural gas does produce fewer carbon emissions at the point of ignition but that is only part of the story. Natural gas can leak in its production and transmission. Natural gas, made up predominantly of methane, is a greenhouse gas that is 84 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has known of natural gas leakage for many years. (POLITICO Pro | Article | Permian pipelines leak more methane than EPA estimates — study) The Permian Basin in the southwest is one of the country’s major natural gas production areas. However, a recent study conducted by Stanford University, the University of Arizona and the Environmental Defense Fund found there is 14 times more natural gas leakage from this area than previously estimated by the EPA, enough natural gas to power 2 million homes.
Natural gas facilities have also been the victims of large-scale accidents and sabotage. In 2015/2016 a natural gas well in Aliso Canyon, California leaked massive amounts of natural gas. Estimates show that over 97,000 tons of methane, the major component of natural gas, were released during the approximately four-month course of the incident. (Aliso Canyon gas leak - Wikipedia)
More recently, the Nord Stream pipelines which cross the Baltic Sea appear to have been sabotaged. These incidents are responsible for the largest natural gas leak ever recorded. According to an Associated Press analysis, up to half a million tons of methane were released. These issues undercut the effect of any of the benefits of "clean" burning natural gas. (The Nord Stream gas leak emitted up to 500,000 tons of methane: NPR)
According to Essential Energy and Environmental News (E&E News), "Wind and solar generation surged 22 percent through the first nine months of the year…But emissions impact of the renewable boom has been blunted by the growth of natural gas generation, which is up 7 percent, and falling output from nuclear facilities." (Wind and solar are booming, but emissions aren't falling - E&E News (eenews.net) ) All of these downsides of natural gas led the Sierra Club to vigorously protest the recent construction of a natural gas facility by DTE.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), before man started dumping large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, the concentration level was about 280 parts per million (ppm). (Climate Change: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide | NOAA Climate.gov) According to James Hansen, former director of NASA's Goddard Institute, who has a doctorate in physics, to avoid the consequences of the climate crisis atmospheric carbon levels need to be kept under 350 ppm. (350 ppm - World Energy Data) Currently, CO2 levels are approximately 420 ppm. The story is worse when atmospheric methane enters the equation.
Bill McGuire is the author of the book "Hothouse Earth" (2022). Bill McGuire is a professor of Geophysical and Climate Hazards at the University College London. In his book, Professor McGuire explains that by including the effects of methane into the atmospheric carbon equation, the planet is actually at 500 PPM CO2 equivalents. Natural gas is indeed a bridge fuel but it is a bridge to disaster.
Society needs to quit the use of all natural gas as soon as possible. There are many blocks to the development of sustainable energy projects. To help in the effort to promote clean, renewable energy projects, become an Energy Sentinel for the Michigan Sierra Club. There are many roles to play. Call 810-444-8564 to find out how to join this effort.
Comments or questions can be directed to Mike Buza at theoriginalzuba@yahoo.com.