Natural gas flexibility, growth benefits examined

The American Gas Association (AGA) is touting the results of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) recently released World Energy Outlook 2019 (WEO-2019), which noted natural gas flexibility and growth variables.

“The World Energy Outlook 2019 confirms that natural gas is key to meeting the world’s energy needs and serves as a solution to achieve our economic and environmental goals here in the United States and around the world,” AGA President and CEO Karen Harbert said.

Gas grids provide a mechanism to bring energy to consumers, delivering more energy than electricity networks while providing a source of flexibility, the analysis says. Natural gas provided 45 percent of the growth in the world’s energy last year.

The report focused on natural gas and the role the nation will play in the production, consumption and trade of the commodity, officials said. The IEA report also determined the United States would continue to lead the world in natural gas production and could contribute over 40 percent of total global gas production growth through 2025.

America has more recoverable natural gas than at any point in history at 3,374 tcf, which officials said represents a 20 percent increase from two years ago. Natural gas utilities are committed to leveraging and utilizing America’s domestic, affordable and clean natural gas to help meet the nation’s energy and environmental needs.