Natural Gas: A Long Bridge to a Promising Destination

摘要

Supporters of efforts to replace hydrocarbons with carbon-free renewable resources as our primary source of electricity often refer to natural gas as a "bridge fuel" fuel."~1 That reference reflects a reluctant recognition that renewable resources cannot replace hydrocarbons as our primary generating fuel in the near term. It also reflects recognition that, while natural gas is a hydrocarbon, it is less damaging to the environment than other fossil fuels. In particular, displacement of coal with natural gas as a generating fuel reduces emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, by about 50%. Thus, the "bridge fuel" metaphor refers to the expectation of many policy makers that we can move in the direction needed to mitigate climate change in the near term by displacing coal with natural gas, but that we will replace all hydrocarbons with carbon-free renewable resources in the long term.