A recent PennLive letter that extolled natural gas deserves re-evaluation | PennLive letters - PennLive

A recent PennLive letter that extolled natural gas deserves re-evaluation | PennLive letters - pennlive.com

When natural gas (mostly methane) is burned for energy, it releases 117 lbs. of CO2 per million BTUs – about half the carbon pollution of coal. But rising energy usage (appliances, data centers, EVs, etc.) will offset further reduction in CO2 emissions from switching to natural gas from coal. Atmospheric CO2, the principal cause of global warming, would increase.

Natural gas can leak – especially at the extraction site. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that raises average global temperature.

Fossil fuel prices are volatile; they shot up in 2022, hurting consumers. And PA’s grid operator reported that problems with natural gas-fired power plants accounted for 70% of PA’s power outages from Winter Storm Elliott (December 2022) and over half its total outages from Winter Storm Gerri (January 2024).