One of many large rallies in Oregon against NG.
Corporations, some politicians and even environmental orgs have been calling natural gas a solution to climate change. Lets talk about that.
Although natural gas burns a bit cleaner on-site. That is not the whole story.
There are currently dozens of proposals for Liquefied Natural Gas importation terminals in the US, along with proposed natural gas power plants and thousands of miles of pipelines proposed from coast-to-coast. This introduction of a new generation of fossil fuels directly competes with the energy future we need to be building.
Putting tons of money, energy and political leverage into building new fossil fuel infrastructure directly competes with the renewable energy movement.
Here is a short introduction to LNG:
1. Natural Gas is a fossil fuel.
2. LNG is almost as dirty as coal. While natural gas burns 40% cleaner than other fossil fuels, that is not the whole story. Currently there are over 40 proposals in the U.S. for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) importation terminals. The process of liquefaction, transportation and re-gasification of natural gas into LNG, increases the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of the fuel by around 30%, making natural gas almost as dirty as coal.
3. There are unaccounted for greenhouse gas emissions. While California has set a policy standard based on the cleanliness of natural gas plants, California would be getting the natural gas to power 14 new proposed natural gas power plants from LNG imported from Russia or Indonesia and piped down through Oregon farms and forests. The emissions would only be accounted for at the natural gas plant. All of the greenhouse gas emissions from the lifecycle of the fuel would not be counted.
4. LNG brings the same problems as oil. Outside of the greenhouse gas emissions, the impact of natural gas hits international communities as well as local areas with intense environmental destruction and social injustice. Natural gas comes from the same geo-political locations as oil, it is often in the same ground cavities. This is not progress.
5. LNG competes with renewables. Far from being the bridge fuel to sustainability that the industry claims, natural gas development and LNG would just lock us into 40+ more years of dependence on foreign fossil fuels. That money and infrastructural overhaul could be used for the development of renewable sources, investment in efficiency and the development of local green jobs.
6. Local communities don’t want LNG. Communities all over the country have fought the development of LNG infrastructure because of the environmental, economic and safety concerns. LNG Companies have targeted areas, then after being pushed out, continue to simply move up the coast line in search of less politically powerful communities to house the large importation terminals. After LNG developers were driven out of California by opposition, the companies simply packed up and moved to Oregon, where they are now up against organized communities and state politicians that oppose the plans.
If you are at Power Shift 09, please join us for discussion about natural gas.
Natural Gas: Sunday 11:15AM RM: 204B.
Also, please check out these resources:
www.lngpollutes.org
http://www.energyjustice.net/naturalgas/
That is good to know, thank you for the post. I will Tweet the link for my friends. =) @AndreaTannouri the @HolisticMamma
We support your efforts, and agree. twitter schoodic, I’ve posted your page.
thanks Monica – I really appreciate this…
Folks need to understand that natural gas – like oil – is becoming a “fungible” commodity. In other words, you can’t just say “oh, this is domestic natural gas, not LNG” because it’s increasingly all mixing together. More demand for natural gas = more demand for LNG.
~b
btw, nice action photo!
“the impact of natural gas hits international communities as well as local areas with intense environmental destruction and social injustice.”
Before making such sweeping statements it might be a good idea to build your case and give examples. I can think of many LNG projects where the opposite is the true and one can demonstrate how environmental destruction and social injustice has been eased by the development of an LNG project.
By the way, did the quote come from a renewables report? Possibly one about biofuels?
For those who so dislike natural gas, they can always take cold showers, cook on wood stoves, and do without space heating in the winter months. For those who so dislike fossil fuels in general and nuclear power, they can always ride bicycles, use candles at night, do without air conditioning in the summer months, and do without washers and dryers, television, computers, vacuum cleaners, etc.
Or better still, they can always get their butts in gear and create their own roof-top solar energy
systems, windmills, or whatever, but if they do, they should really not expect their neighbors to help fund those marvelous energy projects that they so desire.
LNG or liquified natural gas (which represents most of the natural gas we import) makes up a VERY small percentage of the natural gas we use, its averaged around 3% the past few years. Natural gas that is produced here, in the United States domestically, is a great asset for our country and its disengenous for you to paint natural gas in an unfair light just because you dont like IMPORTED natural gas. The reality of our energy situation isnt going to get us to 100% wind or solar anytime soon and we need a bridge to get us there. Natural Gas is a great option. There is a ton of it here in the US too. Employ americans, use our own energy and do it cleanly and cheaply!! Everyone wins.
hey liz, if natural gas is such a GREAT option, you can come to my farm and take the gas well off it and put it on yours. i’m sure you’ll enjoy smelling gas, drinking gas, not being able to grow food, and those wonderful endocrine disruptors. you can have your land sucked dry for over consumption and capitalism too, it’s a great option, everyone wins!