Gas utilities critical to achieving net zero: AGA
SUMMARY
Member utilities are investing $95mn/day to achieve net-zero aspirations.
By Dale LunanPOSTED IN:
The American Gas Association (AGA) issued a new report February 8 detailing how America’s natural gas infrastructure will be essential in the US meeting its emissions reduction goals, including achieving net-zero by 2050 aspirations.
The study, Net-Zero Emissions Opportunities for Gas Utilities, builds on the AGA’s climate change position statement of January 2020 and presents a range of pathways that underscore the technology opportunities available at the local, regional, state and national levels as emissions reduction plans unfold.
“Our industry is proud that we have made significant progress on the climate change commitments made two years ago,” AGA chair Kimberly Greene said. “We knew then what we know now: climate change is a defining challenge across the globe and this industry and natural gas are part of the solution.”
The gas industry, she said, invests $95mn every day in infrastructure upgrades that will allow it to meet its environmental goals. “We are living up to our commitments, and we have no plans on slowing down.”
Alongside AGA CEO Karen Harbert, Greene outlined the natural gas utility industry’s progress to date: a 69% reduction in methane emissions since 1990, a 47% improvement in residential emissions per customer since 1971, a $125mn research initiative to drive innovation and deploy next-generation technologies, including renewable natural gas and hydrogen.
“Policymakers at every level continue to wrestle with the questions of how we get to net-zero emissions, yet the natural gas industry is advancing practical solutions and making investments that are enabling our country’s energy and environmental goals today and into the future,” Greene said. “This study demonstrates how natural gas and gas infrastructure are not only valuable, but essential for building pathways to achieve our ambitious environmental goals.”
The AGA, Harbert said, is focused on seven key areas to enable net-zero advances: improved energy efficiency and energy management, methane mitigation, advanced gas end-use technologies, renewable and low-carbon fuels, negative emissions technologies, infrastructure modernisation and workforce development.
“To meet our nation’s environmental goals, we must ensure we align rules and regulations with investment opportunities to accelerate innovative technologies and fuels,” she said. “All sectors of the economy must play a role, and all emissions reduction options should be on the table to help ensure the broad availability of cost-effective and flexible solutions.”
