4 Reasons Why Natural Gas is Effective

natural gas effectiveness

Natural gas is a fossil fuel used as a source of energy for heating, cooking and electricity generation. There are many benefits to using it that go above and beyond the home. Natural gas is an all-round efficient fuel because it can help the environment, drive energy solutions, generate power and improve lives.

Promotes Cleaner Air

According to the International Gas Union (IGU), when natural gas is used as a power source, air quality significantly improves and smog clears up.  Burning natural gas, as opposed to other fossil fuels, is said to be both the most economical and efficient way for countries to meet the growing demands for energy, while also reducing the carbon footprint and improving overall air quality for its citizens. The population is growing at an exponential rate, in order to deal with the inevitable increase in demand for energy, as well as mitigate effects of climate change, countries need to be savvy with their fuel selection and utilise natural gases that can reduce the negative effects of emissions on the environment.

Provides Energy Solutions

Using natural gas in transportation is also invaluable. A vehicle powered by natural gas will produce 20-30% fewer CO2 emissions, when compared with gasoline. For large vehicles, like trucks, public transport buses and trains, natural gas is also beneficial and generally more environmentally friendly than other power solutions. Natural gas is also a cleaner source of fuel, it produces 50% fewer emissions than coal.

Natural gas is innovative in nature, it has changed the way we work, live and travel. Methods used to safely extract gas from hard-to-reach places has contributed to the changes in global energy. Natural gas is also the driving force behind smart energy systems, i.e. renewable gas, integrated energy systems and load response.

Power Generation

The utilisation of natural gas is highly efficient because it is readily available and accessible. It is estimated that “60% more coal needs to be burned to generate the equivalent power of a natural gas power plant” (IGU) This undeniably makes natural gas the most efficient fossil fuel and provides further evidence for its effectiveness in providing the population with energy.

Positive Effect on Lives

Natural gas improves quality of life on a societal level. It provides millions of people with employment opportunities. There are workers who are directly employed to explore, produce, transport and distribute natural gas. It is vital to the 21st century economy because it provides the base of economic growth in countries around the world. For example, fertilisers, plastics amongst other products are processed using natural gas.

In addition, natural gas also improves lives on an individual level. Of course, many families use it in their homes to heat spaces during winter, produce hot water supplies and cook on a daily basis, amongst other things.

Natural gas is also reliable, unlike electricity, where blackouts can happen, natural gas is located underground and so the chance of an outage is quite rare. Many industries have profoundly benefited from the use of natural gas. It is clear that there are many advantages of using a naturally occurring fuel to power and advance society on both the global and individual level.

Natural Gas: The Most Popular Energy Source

The number and ways to use natural gas have grown exponentially in recent years and its value has become a core aspect of our modern economy. Primarily made from methane, this gas is naturally occurring, created when layers of decomposing plant and animal matter are exposed to extreme heat and high pressure underground. Plants retain energy from the sun and this power is then stored as chemical bonds. These chemical bonds can be found and collected from deep underground.