Natural gas is considered the most environmentally friendly fossil fuel, but it still produces greenhouse gases. Emissions occur during production and use, and controlling them is difficult due to the large scale of usage. Emissions come from refining and burning, with methane being a concern. However, natural gas can be an important tool for reducing overall greenhouse gas production if treated differently and emissions are trapped. Using natural gas to power city buses can greatly improve environmental conditions.
Natural gas emissions are emissions generated during the production or use of natural gas. Research indicates that natural gas is probably the most environmentally friendly fossil fuel, but it still produces greenhouse gases, making it a topic of concern among environmental advocates. One of the biggest problems with natural gas is that it’s used on such a large scale; Natural gas emissions are produced everywhere, from kitchen stoves to city buses, and as a result can be difficult to control.
There are two different sources of emissions when it comes to natural gas. The first natural gas emissions occur when natural gas is refined. When the gas is purified, the by-products are discarded. Some of these byproducts can simply be burned, which generates emissions, although some companies are working to find active uses for natural gas byproducts to reduce emissions associated with natural gas. Cleanliness of the refinery process is also a concern for other fossil fuels, as numerous by-products are generated in the course of fossil fuel processing.
The other source of natural gas emissions comes when natural gas is burned for energy. Natural gas produces about half as much carbon dioxide as coal, and its emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, nitrous oxide, and sulfur dioxide are much lower than those of coal and oil. One of the largest emissions of natural gas is methane. Increasing natural gas use may reduce overall greenhouse gas production, but will also cause a demonstrable increase in methane, which can be a cause for concern.
Natural gas proponents argue that the cleaner nature of this fossil fuel can make it an important tool for reducing overall greenhouse gas production. Treating natural gas differently can reduce natural gas emissions during both production and use, and developing better systems to trap emissions could further reduce natural gas emissions. Methane, for example, could be trapped and used as an energy source.
Vehicles that run on natural gas are often advertised as clean vehicles. Natural gas is especially popular for city buses, which have been known to spew particulate matter along their routes as they criss-cross the city. Using natural gas to power a fleet of buses can substantially reduce particulate matter, greatly improving human health and overall environmental conditions. The reduction of other greenhouse gases that would occur as a result of fleet conversion is also a topic of interest among climate researchers.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
