The choice and manner of energy use changes where we are heading environmentally. When it comes to halting the clear and present danger of climate change, where we source our energy significantly matters. Especially since India as a rapidly advancing nation with an ever-expanding infrastructure has to contend with the balance between stability and environmentalism.
Our coal industry has seen significant growth over the years, primarily due to our dependence on it for power generation, which remains at the top, with more than 40 percent contribution. Oil is the second fossil fuel that we depend on for energy creation. With a high dependence on fossil fuels and a gradual yet slow climb towards renewable energy, we may need an alternative. An alternative that could bridge the gap between different energy generation sources.
Benefits of Using Natural Gas
There are numerous benefits to using natural gas as an energy source over other fossil fuels. Some of the benefits include:
- Cleanest of all the fossil fuels and burns quite efficiently
- Emits 45% less CO2 than coal and 30% less CO2 than oil
- Abundant supply in the US. DOE estimates 1.8 trillion barrels
- Low levels of criteria pollutants or soot when burned
- No waste (e.g. ash ) or residue to deal with
Why Do We Need A Transitioning Energy Source?
Although clean in many aspects, renewable energy sources still face numerous problems stemming from factors like geographical locations and climate conditions. For instance, uninterrupted solar power generation requires clear climates, as well as access to regions that have clear skies. Even harnessing energy from hydropower requires access to nearby rivers. Wind power on the other hand is also limited to certain locations only. Even though solar power is seen as the holy grail of renewable energy sources, even that cannot effectively provide continued energy for everyone’s needs.
India is currently planning to implement an AI-based energy grid that could solve our problem with interruptions as well as ensure planned storage for future crises. However, if we look at how natural gas is used, although non-renewable, it leaves behind no harmful residues. As a result, it makes for the perfect candidate to work as a bridging alternative, as we gradually move towards a maximum reliance on renewable energy sources. After all, the current usage of natural gas is only at 7% of the total energy harnessed from sources and can be put to better use. The Indian economy is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, and it could take decades before that changes favourable towards the environment. To compensate for this, we believe that natural gas as an energy source could be the alternative to bridge the gap. We will be delivering more such blogs on energy management and sustainability, please come back to know more.