Natural gas expected to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions

Natural gas is expected to play a leading role in reducing greenhouse-gas emissions over the next several decades, according to the study “The Future of Natural Gas.” The 2-year study conducted by a group of MIT researchers concludes that natural gas will be the primary replacement for older, inefficient coal-burning plants with highly efficient combined-cycle gas generation.

The study, managed by the MIT Energy Initiative, examined the scale of U.S. natural gas reserves and the potential of this fuel to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The report looks at the future of natural gas through 2050 from the perspectives of technology, economics, politics, national security and the environment. It includes specific proposals for legislative and regulatory policies, as well as recommendations for actions that the energy industry can pursue on its own, to maximize the fuel’s impact on mitigating greenhouse gas. The study also examined ways to control the environmental impacts that could result from a significant expansion in the production and use of natural gas especially in electric power production. 

Pictured: Researchers at MIT concluded that natural gas will be the primary replacement for older, inefficient coal-burning plants.