Improved air quality results from using clean burning natural gas. Natural gas is the cleanest of all the fossil fuels. Composed mainly of methane, the main products of the combustion of natural gas are carbon dioxide and water vapor, the same compounds we exhale when we breathe.

Pollutants emitted in the United States, particularly from the combustion of fossil fuels, have led to the development of many pressing environmental problems. Natural gas, emitting fewer harmful chemicals into the atmosphere than other fossil fuels, can help to mitigate some of these environmental issues. These issues include:

Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Smog, Air Quality and Acid Rain
Industrial and Electric Generation Emissions
Pollution from the Transportation Sector – Natural Gas Vehicles

Greenhouse Gas Emissions
In a nutshell, global warming or the “greenhouse” effect is an environmental issue that deals with the potential for global climate change due to increased levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases. Scientists theorize that an increase in these greenhouse gases will cause higher temperatures around the world which would lead to disastrous environmental results.

Carbon dioxide is one of the main greenhouse gases. Even though it is less potent than other greenhouse gases, the volume of carbon dioxide emissions is very high in the United States. Reducing the carbon dioxide emissions can play a huge role in lessening the greenhouse effect and global warming. One important way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is through the end use of natural gas. The combustion of natural gas emits almost 30 percent less carbon dioxide than oil and just under 45 percent less carbon dioxide than coal.

Methane, the principle component of natural gas, is itself a potent greenhouse gas. However, in 1997 a study was done by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Gas Research Institute (GRI) that concluded that reduction in emissions from increased natural gas use strongly outweighs the detrimental effects of increased methane emissions. Thus the increased use of natural gas in place of other, dirtier fossil fuels can serve to lessen the emission of greenhouse gases in the United States.

Smog, Air Quality and Acid Rain
Smog, the primary constituent of which is ground level ozone, is formed by a chemical reaction of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and heat from sunlight. As well as forming that smoggy haze commonly found over large cities, particularly in the summertime, smog and ground level ozone can contribute to respiratory problems.

The use of natural gas doesn’t significantly contribute to the formation of smog, as it emits low levels of nitrogen oxides and almost no particulate matter. That’s why it can be used to help fight smog. The main sources of nitrogen oxides are electric utilities, motor vehicles and industrial plants. Increased natural gas usage can help reduce smog causing chemicals and result in cleaner air. A 1995 study by the Coalition for Gas-Based Environmental Solutions found that in the Northeast, smog and ozone-causing emissions could be reduced by 50 to 70 percent through the seasonal switching to natural gas by electric generators and industrial installations.

Particulate emissions such as soot, ash, metals and other airborne particles can degrade air quality. Natural gas emits virtually no particulates into the atmosphere. In fact, emissions of particulates from natural gas combustion are 90 percent lower than the combustions of oil and 99 percent lower than burning coal.

Acid rain is another environmental problem affecting much of the Eastern United States, damaging crops, forests, wildlife populations and causing respiratory and other illnesses in humans. Acid rain is formed when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with water vapor and other chemicals in the presence of sunlight to forma various acids in the air. The principle source or acid rain causing pollutants, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, are coal fired power plants. Since natural gas emits virtually no sulfur dioxide and up to 80 percent less nitrogen oxides than the combustion of coal, increasing natural gas use can lower acid rain causing emissions.

Industrial and Electric Generation Emissions
Pollutant emissions from the industrial sector and electric utilities contribute greatly to environmental problems in the United States. The use of natural gas to power both industrial boilers and processes and the generation of electricity can significantly improve emissions levels.

Coal fired power plants are the greatest contributors to these types of emissions. Natural gas is becoming an increasingly important fuel in the generation of electricity. In fact, only 3 percent of sulfur dioxide emissions, 5 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, 2 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions, and 1 percent of mercury emissions come from non-coal fired power plants.

Essentially, electric generation and industrial applications that require energy, particularly for heating, use the combustion of fossil fuels for that energy. Because of its clean burning nature, the use of natural gas wherever possible, either in conjunction with other fossil fuels, or instead of them, can help to reduce the emission of harmful pollutants.

Natural gas fired electric generation, and natural gas powered industrial applications, offer a variety of environmental benefits and environmentally friendly uses, including fewer emissions and reduced sludge.

New technologies such as reburning, cogeneration, combined cycle generation and fuel cells are all ways to significantly reduce the emissions associated with the generation of electricity. Natural gas plays an important role in each of these technologies.

Pollution from the Transportation Sector – Natural Gas Vehicles
Transportation (particularly cars, trucks, and buses) is one of the greatest contributors to air pollution in the U.S. Emissions from vehicles contribute to smog, low visibility, and various greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), about half of all air pollution and more than 80 percent of air pollution in cities is produced by cars and trucks.

Natural gas can be used to cut down on these high levels of pollution from gasoline and diesel powered cars, trucks, and buses. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), compared to traditional vehicles, vehicles operating on compressed natural gas have reductions in carbon monoxide emissions of 90 to 97 percent, and reductions in carbon dioxide emissions of 25 percent. Nitrogen oxide emissions can be reduced by 35 to 60 percent, and other non-methane hydrocarbon emissions could be reduced by as much as 50 to 75 percent. Also, because of the relatively simple makeup of natural gas in comparison to traditional vehicle fuels, there are fewer toxic and carcinogenic emissions from natural gas vehicles, and virtually no particulate emissions.