Natural Gas Is Vital in Cutting Facility Carbon Emissions" /> Facility managers face increasing pressure to cut their buildings’ energy use and carbon emissions. Innovative technologies supplying more sustainable sources of energy have led to a drop in the country’s energy consumption. Wind and solar grab much of the focus, deservedly. But natural gas is vital in the global push to lower CO2 emissions. That’s the conclusion the International Energy Agency (IEA) reached this past spring.
An international energy forum of 38 industrialized countries, IEA tracks and analyzes global key energy trends, promoting sound energy policy, sustainable energy sources and multinational energy technology cooperation. The U.S Department of Energy calls the IEA’s energy analysis “unique and highly regarded.”
Natural Gas is “Our Most Vital Fuel”
The IEA has noted that, since peaking in 2000, U.S. CO2 emissions have plummeted nearly 1 billion tons. Much of this reduction has happened in the power sector, where affordable, abundant and flexible natural gas has taken center stage in the strategy both to replace coal and to backup intermittent wind and solar power.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) agrees, pointing to the significant reduction in coal use for electricity production that was offset by both an increase in renewable energy as well as in natural gas generators, which consume less energy.
Because of the abundant and inexpensive natural gas supply, energy prices in the U.S. have remained low during this transition. Summing it up, RealClearEnergy notes that as net-zero goals become more popular, natural gas is surpassing oil as “our most vital fuel.”
Natural Gas Powers Sustainable Energy Solutions
Facility managers are turning to Combined Heat and Power (CHP), an energy-cutting, cost-saving solution that uses natural gas to generate electricity and capture the heat that would otherwise be wasted to provide useful thermal energy. As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes, CHP achieves efficiencies of over 80 percent, compared to 50 percent for traditional technologies.
The EPA states that over 4,400 national facilities now rely upon CHP, including buildings in the commercial, residential, educational, municipal and manufacturing industries. As a leader in CHP technology, Aegis Energy, EDF Group helps facilities in sectors like these make the switch to a more efficient and less expensive source of heat and power.
Our solutions include CHP systems with EPA-certified, natural gas-fueled engines that conform with the Clean Air Act. Our CHP systems deliver more efficient energy, helping facilities meet increasingly stringent local and state laws regarding CO2. In times of severe weather or infrastructure failures, CHP also provides reliable power, freeing facilities from aging grids.
Take the First Step in Your Facility’s Transition
The shift to more sustainable energy is underway. Is your facility ready? We partner with businesses in industries nationwide. Start with a free energy analysis. We can help you determine the amount of energy your building is consuming, how much you’re spending and opportunities to reduce both.
