ENERGY MATTERS
Charting the world's energy landscape through the next generation
Charting the world's energy landscape through the next generation
EIA’s International Energy Outlook 2016 gazes ahead to 2040
Can Natural Gas be a renewable source of energy?
You may look at natural gas as a ‘fossil fuel’ created through millennia by decaying organic matter trapped in rock layers formed hundreds of millions of years ago. And while you're correct—did you know we have other sources of natural gas available to us today?
The Canadian Gas Association explains another, renewable, source of natural gas that is increasingly becoming part of our energy mix:
“Renewable Natural Gas is produced from organic waste from farms, forests, landfills, and water treatment plants. The gas is captured, cleaned, and injected in pipelines to be used in the same way as natural gas by homes, businesses, institutions, and industry. Harnessing even 10 per cent of Canada’s RNG potential would generate enough clean energy to heat 1 million Canadian homes for a year.”
Sometimes referred to as biogas, renewable natural gas is often produced through a biological chemical process known as anaerobic digestion. The U.S. Department of Energy defines anaerobic digestion as:
"[A] series of processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen"
Some facilities also use chemical reaction processes based on heat or pressure to produce RNG. Whether the RNG comes from landfills, livestock operations, wastewater treatment facilities or other sources, the produced gas can be upgraded to the quality necessary to heat our homes, fuel our vehicles or power our electricity generators.
ENERGY MATTERS
Is natural gas environmentally friendly?
Is natural gas environmentally friendly?
Natural gas is a fossil fuel – but it’s cleaner and more efficient than other traditional fuels.
In the world's conversation about energy, one point is beyond debate: Energy makes a vital contribution to people's quality of life, to society and to human progress. This is true today, and it will remain true in the future. That's why Energy Matters was created. We believe it's important to equip people with unbiased information so they may form opinions, join the conversation and feel confidence in the work and accomplishments of the energy sector. Energy Matters is an initiative that provides transparent information and perspective on energy. Here, we'll cover a range of topics: the scale of global energy; the ways energy is sourced and produced; current energy technology; forthcoming innovations; the world's future energy needs; and the sustainable sources of energy that will fill them. Because energy matters to everyone, we hope you'll rely on Energy Matters as an ongoing source of balanced information.
