AGA Foundation releases study on the role of natural gas in energy resilient future

The American Gas Foundation (AGF) released a study on the role natural gas plays in creating a more resilient future.

The study — Building a Resilient Energy Future: How the Gas System Contributes to US Energy System Resilience – seeks to provide a framework for policymakers and stakeholders to use when evaluating the countries energy future. It found that recent high stress events—like storms and other weather events—have shown the natural gas system is a key component in an energy resilient future.

“If there is one thing that is clear from this study, it’s that natural gas is the essential backbone of our energy system,” Karen Harbert, president and CEO of the American Gas Association, said. “This analysis proves that in order to achieve a resilient, prosperous, and cleaner energy future, our nation benefits from a diverse supply of energy assets, including natural gas.”

The study said that system resilience needs to be defined as a measurable and observable metric, similar to how reliability is considered on the system. Further, it said that methodologies need to be built for valuing resilience, such that it can be integrated into a standard cost-benefit analysis. The value must also consider the avoided direct and indirect costs to the service provider, customers, and society. The study added that resilience solutions must be considered from a fuel-neutral perspective and across utility jurisdictions, requiring electric, gas, and dual-fuel utilities to work together to determine optimal solutions.

The American Gas Association represents more than 200 local energy companies that deliver clean natural gas throughout the United States.