AGA’s 2022 Playbook details natural gas usage, benefits
Today, the American Gas Association released its 2022 Playbook, which included data on how many Americans use natural gas and its benefits.
Specifically, the Playbook stated that 187 million Americans and 5.5 million businesses use natural gas and touted its benefits, including its affordability, reliability, and safety, as well as its environmental benefits.
“There is a critical conversation taking place in the United States about our energy future, and we owe it to the American people, more than half of whom use natural gas in their homes, to have an honest, fact-based discussion,” AGA President and CEO Karen Harbert said. “With the devastating war underway in Ukraine and disruption to Europe’s energy markets, natural gas prices for America’s homeowners and businesses remain stable. We see gasoline prices jumping, continued inflation looming and cold weather bearing down, but our domestic supply of natural gas is keeping Americans warm and bills affordable. Our nation’s domestic supply of natural gas and reliable delivery system provide stability and certainty for Americans and insulate us from chaos and volatility across the globe.”
The report found that people who use natural gas for heating, cooking, and clothes drying save an average of $1,041 per year compared to homes using electricity for those applications. This is an 18 percent increase since the publication of the 2021 AGA Playbook.
Also, it said unplanned outages affect about 1 in 800 natural gas customers per year, while electric distribution systems have an average of one outage per year per customer.
Further, the Playbook said emissions from the natural gas distribution system have declined 69 percent since 1990. It has helped carbon dioxide emissions hit 30-year lows.
In addition, it highlighted how the industry is investing $125 million to advance low- and zero carbon energy technologies and reduce emissions, including renewable natural gas. AGA recently released an analysis detailing how America’s natural gas, natural gas utilities, and delivery infrastructure will be essential to achieving net-zero emissions.
“We are seeing, in real-time, the disastrous alternative to not investing in natural gas,” Harbert said. “Natural gas customers in Europe have paid as high as the equivalent of $43 per MMbtu because they turned their backs on natural gas and the delivery infrastructure. As outlined in the 2022 AGA Playbook, natural gas is projected to be 1/2 to 1/3 the price of other fuels through 2050. That is a foundation we can build on to double-down on our shared goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making sure our customers and communities have safe and affordable energy every single day.”
Harbert said the industry stands ready to work with President Biden, his administration, and the U.S. Congress to advance the nation’s energy position at home.
