America’s natural gas utilities are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through smart innovation.

Natural gas utilities invest more than $1.5 billion every year in energy efficiency programs and new technologies that help customers reduce their residential energy use and make natural gas an even more efficient fuel.

Natural gas efficiency and the growth of renewable energy have led to energy-related carbon dioxide emissions hitting 40-year lows. Carbon emissions from the average natural gas home decline 1.3% per year, and carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation have declined 61% due to the increased use of natural gas.

Renewable Natural Gas

Renewable natural gas (RNG) is any pipeline-compatible gaseous fuel derived from biogenic or other renewable sources that has lower lifecycle CO2e emissions than geological natural gas. The majority of the RNG produced today comes from capturing emissions from existing waste streams found in landfills, wastewater treatment plants and animal manure. This gas must be treated and cleaned, raising it to a standard where it can be injected into existing gas pipelines.

RNG can also be produced using renewable electricity, such as wind or solar power. The electricity is used to power an electrolyzer, which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen can be captured, stored and used, or combined with a source of carbon to produce renewable methane: RNG. Power-to-gas also offers a long-term energy storage solution for renewable electricity.

RNG combines low- to negative life-cycle carbon emissions with the high-energy density, storage capability and transportability of natural gas. Thus, RNG is highly valued in the transportation sector, but its attributes are equally valued in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors to meet heating needs.

Go deeper: Read the American Gas Foundation study on Renewable Natural Gas.

Hydrogen

The integration of clean hydrogen into gas systems can expand options, and accelerate our nation’s ability to reduce emissions.

Widescale hydrogen deployment offers the next great evolution in our nation’s energy networks and will impact how energy is produced, stored, delivered and used. The U.S. possesses the most extensive gas pipeline delivery network in the world, and with rigorous research and testing already underway, we can further leverage gas infrastructure to enable clean hydrogen delivery across the economy. 

Go deeper: Download the fact sheet to learn more.