Descriptions and Resources
Methane vs Natural Gas:
Natural gas is composed of 70-90% methane, a potent greenhouse gas and major contributor to global warming. Natural gas is a fossil fuel energy source. Natural gas contains many different compounds but the largest component of natural gas is methane, a compound with one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms (CH4). Natural gas also contains smaller amounts of natural gas liquids (NGLs, which are also hydrocarbon gas liquids), and nonhydrocarbon gases, such as carbon dioxide and water vapor.
Natural Gas Explained, U.S. Energy Information Administration
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/natural-gas
Natural gas used in homes contains hazardous air pollutants, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Climate and health impacts of natural gas stoves, Stanford School of Sustainability
https://sustainability.stanford.edu/news/climate-and-health-impacts-natural-gas-stoves
Gas vs. electric range: which is better, Consumer Reports
https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/ranges/gas-or-electric-range-which-is-better-a1142956590
The Dangers of Marketing Methane as Natural Gas, NowThis Earth youtube channel
Methane vs Carbon Dioxide:
Methane is more than 28 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Over the last two centuries, methane concentrations in the atmosphere have more than doubled, largely due to human-related activities. Note: Methane breaks down after a dozen years. When burned for electricity, natural gas is cleaner than coal, producing about half the carbon dioxide that coal does. But if methane escapes into the atmosphere before being burned, it can warm the planet more than 80 times as much as the same amount of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
Methane’s contribution to global warming is worse than you thought, Earth Island Journal
https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/articles/entry/methanes_contribution_to_global_warming_is_worse_than_you_thought/
Methane Emissions, U.S. EPA
https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases#methane
The Importance of Methane, U.S. EPA
https://www.epa.gov/gmi/importance-methane
Why everyone should care about methane gas pollution, American Lung Association
https://www.lung.org/blog/methane-gas-pollution
Global Warming Potential (GWP):
Most data uses a 100 year baseline resulting in a lower GWP for methane. Under a 20 year baseline, methane’s GWP grows from 29.8 to 82.5. Why does it matter? Because we don’t have a century to get serious about the impacts of runaway greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change is upon us now. And we appear to be approaching some irrevocable tipping points that will create powerful positive feedback loops, the most worrisome being the release of methane stores at the bottom of the ocean and locked into sub-Arctic permafrost.
What is Global Warming Potential and which one do I use?, Greenhouse Gas Management Institute
Understanding Global Warming Potentials, U.S. EPA
https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/understanding-global-warming-potentials
Decarbonization:
The reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the use of low carbon power sources, achieving a lower output of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Examples include using clean energy (solar, wind, water, nuclear) instead of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) or replacing fossil fuel transportation with electric vehicles.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS):
CCS involves capturing, transporting and storing greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel power stations, energy intensive industries, and gas fields by injecting the captured greenhouse gases back into the ground.
Renewable Natural Gas (RNG):
RNG is a pipeline-quality gas that is fully interchangeable with conventional natural gas and thus can be used in natural gas vehicles. RNG is essentially biogas (the gaseous product of the decomposition of organic matter) that has been processed to purity standards.
NW Natural once again misses its own targets to offset emissions with renewable natural gas, OPB
https://www.opb.org/article/2024/07/10/nw-natural-misses-own-targets-renewable-natural-gas
Methane:
Methane is a powerful heat-trapping gas. An estimated 60% of today’s methane emissions are the result of human activities. Methane (CH4) is a powerful greenhouse gas, and is the second-largest contributor to climate warming (30%) after carbon dioxide (CO2).
Methane, NASA
https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/methane/?intent=121
Leaks can make natural gas as bad for the climate as coal, a study says, NY Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/13/climate/natural-gas-leaks-coal-climate-change.html
It’s a vast invisible climate menace. We made it visible, NY Times
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/12/climate/texas-methane-super-emitters.html
A methane link, seen from space, proves to be far larger than thought, NY Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/16/climate/methane-leak-satellite.html
Satellite observations reveal extreme methane leakage from a natural gas well blowout, PNAS
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1908712116
How much carbon dioxide is produced when different fuels are burned, American Geoscience Institute
https://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/faq/how-much-carbon-dioxide-produced-when-different-fuels-are-burned
More Resources:
Environmentalists, customers raise concerns over NW Natural hydrogen project, OPB
https://www.opb.org/article/2024/08/05/nw-natural-hydrogen-project
It wasn’t just oil companies spreading climate denial, The Atlantic
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2022/09/electric-utilities-downplayed-climate-change/671361
Electric Energy Magazine Ads from1971
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/3540305/EEI-Bulletin-1971.pdf
GTN Xpress:
Washington governor, environmental groups push for rehearing on Northwest pipeline expansion, OPB
https://www.opb.org/article/2023/11/22/washington-state-environmental-groups-seek-rehearing-northwest-pipeline-expansion
Inside scoop of latest fracked gas threat, Columbia Riverkeeper
The top image is by Marina Lessa courtesy of Artists for Climate.
