#BridgeTheGap
As climate change starts to pose a bigger threat for humanity, the global community looks to mitigate the risks by exploring the possibilities of other fuels such as solar, wind, geothermal and hydro. While these clean fuels are the ultimate end goal, their current supply capability does not meet the demands of many.
Natural gas has been around for decades and has been a source of safe, reliable and cleaner energy (estimates suggest that natural gas produces half the emissions that coal produces). Today as the world looks for new ways to switch to cleaner energy, natural gas has the unique capability to help bridge the gap between fossil fuels and renewable energy.
While many support this theory, many others suggest that the dependence on natural gas will lead us away from the ultimate goal of clean energy.
What to do you think? Share your thoughts on the subject in the comment section below.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Considering the present level of pollution level in our country in specific and whole world in general natural gas can be consider as a bridge to reduce the huge gap and contribute to provide clean environment for next generation and lower carbon bridge fuel.
Bridge the gap between fossil fuel and renewable sources , natural gas definitely play important role. Renewable sources can survive in the present market,,. Energy produced through coal is cheaper because there is no carbon tax levied on it, also water is provided almost free for coal based power plant Today’s We are all, using of cleanness energy is must for the protection of our environment and next generation definitly natural gas is playing a vital role in comparison to other fossil fuels because of its low carbon content.& eco friendly for our environment Moreover, using of non-conventional energy is faraway due to its cost. Therefore, I believe that Natural gas reduced the major gap and can act as the Bridge Fuel…
Of course, #natgas is less polluting than #coal but it’s growth in #India will depend on lowering the price differential between coal and gas
Agreed with your point. However we need to add value/cost to the upgradation of human lives and environment as well which will be benefitted by the shift from the conventionals to the bridge fuel and further to the renewables
What is the GAIL outlook on gas prices?
Hi Arunabha,
Currently Indian Gas Price scenario is two types; domestically produced gas price is regulated at $ 5.17 /MMBTU on NCV basis.
Majority of the Imported gas is Crude linked. The following projections by important agencies in terms of crude prices are as follows:
2015 ($/bbl) | 2016 ($/bbl)
EIA (US) : WTI: 55.51 ; Brent : 60.22 | WTI: 60.22 ; Brent : 67.04
World Bank : Brent : 55 | Brent : 65
Gas prices are driven by international market scenario.
I believe that India undermines itself as a force to be reckoned with when it come to bringing a change. For a second, draw your attention to the online retail market which has jumped directly to smartphone app based retail faster than any other market in the world. This clearly shows that there is no need for a bridge when it comes to transitioning from our dependence on something conventional.
For example, we were to see a big boom in solar lighting after the last central elections, but we still are waiting for it. What happened to the electric cars which see a huge tax discount in developed nations but are not as aggressively supported by the government in India.
We might need #natgas for this transition if government policies and our own will power, do not bring about fast changes which help in realizing this dream of tapping these renewable sources of energy.
To bridge the gap between fossil fuel and renewable sources , natural gas definitely play important role. Renewable sources can survive in the present market, where govt provide heavy subsidy, without subsidy the renewable energy is not economically viable. Energy produced through coal is cheaper because there is no carbon tax levied on it, also water is provided almost free for coal based power plant.
The fuel of the future is LNG. Cost of the market rate long term LNG on equal energy term will be around Rs. 30-35/Litre as ( in Kg term it is 44/kg) compare to the petrol cost which is Rs. 60/L. Bottle neck to utilize LNG directly in vehicles is that in India LNG vehicles are not available in local market. In China 1300 LNG fuelling stations have been set up and approximately 3 Lakh LNG vehicles are running on Chinese road. Chinese govt have declared in its national policy to ” GO GAS” and make national goal to phase out 10 % petrol and diesel with natural gas/LNG by 2020. However in India we don’t have any such plan. Just see what is happening around us in neighboring countries:,
CNG stations in China/Pakistan/India/Bangladesh are 6000/2900/950/600 respectively and no of cities with availability of CNG is 500/100/47/8 respectively. India CNG market is 1/6 of China and 1/3rd of Pakistan and almost equal to Bangladesh. In Pakistan and Bangladesh NG vehicle comprises almost 70 % of total vehicles on road, whereas in India the NGV is only 10 %. Pl. see the global data of NGV site, if you have any doubt on these data. Some people may argue , may be the delta between the petrol and CNG will be too wide for large scale conversion of petrol vehicle to natural gas vehicle in China/pakistan? Delta is almost same in all these four countries. It is the right time for India to take full advantage of CNG as govt is providing the gas to CNG project on APM price. The reason for stagnation of the Indian CNG market is non availability of pipeline in most of the Indian cities. To go further in developing the CNG market, either build massive pipeline infrastructure or alternately set up L-CNG stations in every cities. For setting up of L-CNG stations, we don’t need trunk pipeline connection, LNG tankers supply gas to L-CNG stations. Cost of one L-CNG station is approximately is Rs. 8 CR which is almost equal to conventional CNG station. However operational cost of L-CNG station is only 1/3rd of conventional CNG station. In China, in just two years 1300 L-CNG stations have been set up. In India not even a single L-CNG have been set up so far. So if we follow the Chinese foot prints and see how they been successful in implementing their national policy of “GO GAS”, set up more L-CNG fuelling stations in non pipeline area, manufacturing of the LNG vehicles in local market , we can soon be able to bridge the Gap of conventional fossil fuel and renewable energy.
In India GAIL have to take lead in setting up of LNG fuel market in India by collaborating with Indian vehicle manufacturing companies for bringing LNG vehicles on road. GAIL will set up L-CNG/LNG fuel stations for the LNG vehicles. You must have seen that as the petrol prices is slashing down and consumption of petrol/diesel is increasing,IOCL/BPCL/HPCL/Reliance/Essar is ready to set up additional 5000 fuel stations. GAIL can also plan to set up atleast 500 L-CNG station in those cities where pipeline infrastructure is not available. These 500 L-CNG station can be set up on PPP model so that GAIL is not required to invest.
We are trying since last one year to set up India’s first L-CNG at Bhopal. Bhopal is situated far away from the pipeline routes hence providing pipeline connectivity is uneconomical. Bhopal is 500 kms from Dahej. The cost of LNG including all the tax is just equal to the cost of the GAIL pipeline RLNG at Pithampur. So in a situation when pipeline gas and tanker’s LNG is almost available at same cost up to the distance of 900 KMs from Dahej LNG terminal, why to wait for pipeline, just go for L-CNG route to provide CNG/PNG connectivity to the small towns of India where pipeline is not available.
Another important factor which we need to look as a country is diversifying our energy mix which is highly loaded in favor of coal which we all know is highly polluting. Price is a important issue but long term implication of pollution on environment and associated health hazards cannot be neglected. Therefore its important that as a country we come out with slew of policy measures to encourage use of natural gas. This can be undertaken in small increments to lessen the price impact with a long term target of pushing gas to 20% of the energy mix by 2025.
Brilliantly put forward that even small increments will have a huge impact on the larger human society
In today’s World, using of cleanness energy is must for the protection of our environment and natural gas is playing a vital role in comparison to other fossil fuels because of its low carbon content. Moreover, using of non-conventional energy is faraway due to its cost. Therefore, I believe that Natural gas can act as the Bridge Fuel…
Cleaner fuel natural gas which caused little pollution is definitely the way to be, till we are able to make use more use of renewable sources of energy..
Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel—it produces less than half as much carbon pollution as coal. Recent technology advancements make affordable the development of unconventional natural gas resources. This creates an unprecedented opportunity to use gas as a bridge fuel to a 21st-century energy economy that relies on efficiency, renewable sources, and low-carbon fossil fuels such as natural gas. The use of natural gas and low-carbon energy sources will provide additional protection for our climate and communities.
Let us not forget safety especially in a country like India . Apart from being a low carbon energy source it is safe to handle also . In foreign countries Gas is the most used source of energy . Traditional fuels are only used by fixing a percentage out of total requirement . Hence # Natgas can be used or compulsorily to be used as Bridge fuel being safe for community & is less polluting .
we may say that in future our dependency on renewable sources will increase, but it is also true that those sources are yet to be proved as an economically viable. we will require a transition period to fill the gap of dependency and it must be done via a cleaner and less polluting fuel like CNG.
Energy is one of the major drivers of a growing economy like India and is an essential building block of economic development. In an effort to meet the demands of a developing nation, the Indian energy sector has witnessed a rapid growth with the help of natural gas uses.
Natural gas is like a filler to over come transition of energy dependency on different sources.
Where are we? Precariously perched from being tagged an endangered species. Why?
CO2 atmospheric concentration levels have touched 400 ppm vis-à-vis 280 ppm prevailing in 1750 (beginning of Industrial revolution). Our contribution in increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration since industrialization is 2000 Giga Tonnes.
Carbon emissions found to be highest during the decade 2000-2010 at 2 ppm/yr. About 7.8 Giga Tonne emissions lead to an increase by 1 ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere.
What are the contributors?
- Burning of Coal + Oil: ~ 60%
- Natural Gas: ~ 10%
- Land use /Deforestation/Human activity: ~30%
What happens to these emissions – absorption sink?
- Oceans + Atmosphere : ~75%
- Balance absorbed by : Land
What is the impact of higher concentrations of CO2?
- Since the industrial revolution, the ocean has become 30% more acidic. It is estimated by various corroborative researches that the oceans may be 150% more acidic by the year 2100 (a level that is higher in over 20 million years). The rate of GHG emission is higher than the absorption rate of the environment.
What if the oceans are more acidic?
- Higher CO2 concentration leads to higher amount of dissolved carbonic acid.
- Corals are bleaching i.e., lower formation of the crucial compound- calcium carbonate to facilitate growth of coral family and other crustaceans (shell formation) etc.
- The Great Barrier Reef has reduced by over 50% in the last three decades. The current Aragonite saturation state (representative of Calcium Carbonate formation environment) index is grazing at about 4 down from level 5 that was prevalent during the year 1800 (pre-industrial).
- At the current rate of CO2 injection in the atmosphere, between 2060-2100, the Coral Reef would have been history with Aragonite saturation state expected at 3 to 3.5 levels.
- In a nutshell the marine food chain is under threat for over millions of aquatic species as a Domino effect. Not to mention over a billion people thriving/surviving on marine catch.
How Global temperatures are impacted by GHG? GHG is the Sultan of climactic swing!
- Disruptive temperature changes observed- Globe actually cooled by 1.3⁰F during the preceding 5000 years up till 1900 A.D. With the amount of GHG (read CO2) emissions in a rapidly industrialising world, the temperatures have rather increased by an average 1.3⁰F in the last 100 years itself.
Humanity’s conundrum – Eco balance versus Growth imperatives:
- Announcements of the cutback by the USA by over a third (on 2005 levels) within 2030 in power plants is a bold and laudable move, yet by atmospheric concentration levels, it remains only a half measure. But, an important move and could nudge other countries to be signatories towards these targets.
- There is an urgent need to cut the global emissions of Green House gases by about 50-60% from the current levels.
- The need for ensuring average Global growth rate of above 3.5% and of the need for maintaining near double digit growth for the emerging economies to maintain social growth balance and harmony for the swathes of peoples across the globe through equitable wealth distribution is also very VITAL and an IMPERATIVE.
What about renewables and other sources with low emission fuel technologies?
- Despite the growing generation and acceptance, mainstreaming of Solar & Wind power requires massive GRID network, reliable supply, accelerating their deployment at advantageous geographies and reducing life cycle cost plus increasing efficiency. These forms of energy capture consume precarious land bank. Though the learning has been immense in Solar & Wind power generation, yet are a few decades away to be mainstreamed.
- Electrolyte based technologies are research upon to produce natural gas from Renewable energy (reversing power to gas) to address gap between generation and consumption lag w.r.t. renewables.
- Future Thorium fluoride fuel based technologies are being prototyped and currently being intensively researched for commercial deployment of the nuclear energy option for civilian usage at superior safety levels than the present generation technologies.
- Techno-economics of geothermal and its commercial success at nascent stage.
Any Global lessons?
- 81% of New power generation capacity created in the USA between 2000-2010.
- Consider the case of China which recently closed down 3.3 GW of coal based power plants that consumed over 5.2 MMTPA of Coal and spewed about 11.5 million tonnes of CO2. Thus, on an average 1 GigaWatt power produced requires about 1.6 million tonnes of COAL which in turn releases over 3.5 million tonnes of carbon emission per annum in the atmosphere. This is equivalent to a Natural Gas fired plant emissions in over TWO years for generating the same power.
- The carbon intensity is found to be highest in COAL followed by OIL and Natural Gas amongst the fossil fuel club in power generation; 1029kg/MWh, 758kg/MWh and 515 Kg/MWh respectively based on comparative sampling study conducted in the USA during the last decade. The lifecycle carbon intensities for the Renewables and Nuclear energy options are much below 100 kg/MWh.
Can Natural Gas be a Bridge fuel?
- It’s an established fact that Natural gas is the least contributor to the GHG emissions amongst the fossil fuel club at half that of Coal and a third less than that of Oil.
- The switch-over to gas for power generation t can be achieved faster as the fuel and the associated infrastructure is available. To bring down emissions any further on a drastic scale, a combination with a higher mix of efficient Renewables (Wind/Solar/Hydro/Geothermal) and safer Nuclear energy can be opted with evolving technology for maintaining socio-economic growth momentum.
- At the same time, Natural gas is now available like never before with greater investments committed by all types of energy players across the value chain.
- The availability of Natural gas is now SECULAR with many countries reporting promising reserves other than MENA region. Ah! Yes this goes without saying there should be better Global pricing order that needs to be discovered/co-opted for equitable usage of the resources. A larger body of producers/traders (and may be consuming nations included) can collaborate to discover prices and production levels through an OPEC like body.
- Globally as we switch down power based on high polluting fuels Coal/ Oil, but the vacuum in power requirement cannot be immediately be met by Renewables considering its evolving stage. As renewable technologies evolve, we can still target reducing GHG emissions by increasing Gas based energy usage in combination with other sources including renewables.
- 41% of Global electricity produced is on Coal and Natural gas fired power generation stands about 18%. Further, as per 2035 demand-supply projections ( Source: BP Energy Outlook 2015), an upside of 190 bcf/d is expected over the current levels of 300 bcf/d. About 40% of this upside availability is estimated to be committed to power sector on the demand side.
- Till the reliable and cost effective solutions do not get integrated w.r.t. renewables & nuclear options, Natural Gas can smoothly transition over as a Bridge fuel or can even be as Base load fuel (going beyond just bridging) with the energy supply chipped in by other cleaner sources. Social security and progress of the peoples is an imperative and cannot be disrupted. Natural Gas fits the demand of the choicest and cleaner fuel over the earlier generation fuels in the current circumstances.
Conclusion:
The collective purpose is to responsibly grow together transcending Nationalities and be selfish enough to pass on the priceless eco diversity to the next generation without causing any further Human induced damage. Lest we avoid being tagged as the last and the most endangered species, ironically being the MOST INTELLIGENT RACE that caused its own nemesis by triggering the eco-chain cataclysm. It is for this cardinal objective that we need to intelligently select Natural gas as ‘The Fuel’ in the present to cross-over to a Better Tomorrow.
Availability of affordable Natural gas in developing economy like India is a must requisite for achieving sustainable growth. Initiatives like TAPI Natural gas pipeline will prove as game changer.
natural gas is a clean, green and twinkling fuel so it can be considered a lower carbon BRIDGE fuel.
Natural Gas has emerged as a Cleaner Fuel that has potential to achieve the Goal of sustainable Development so as to limit the rise in Global Temperature. However, still a lot of regional disparity exist that need to be addressed urgently to make this accessible for all. As an alternative it is the best but certain new constraints are emerging in very near future. Recently, it was reported by CSIR that CNG-run Vehicles emit nano Carbon which are harmful to humans & are carcinogenic in Nature. It can really change our perception that Natural Gas is a cleaner fuel as it does not emit any visible smoke which is in contrast to smoke emitted by diesel run vehicles and perceived as harmful for humans. One can imagine the harmful effect it can have when all buses will run on natural gas particularly Delhi. It is supposed to be a clean fuel when used in Internal Combustion engine. I have a concern that, people don’t realise what they see (Smoke) is perhaps better than what they don’t see (No Smoke from CNG Vehicle). Intensive research is required for the aforesaid concern so as to confirm its effect and mitigate the same as early as possible. Although a bright future waits for this fuel across the world, once associated problems are addressed it will be a boon to the human society.
Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel—it produces less than half as much carbon pollution as coal. Recent technology advancements make affordable the development of unconventional natural gas resources. This creates an unprecedented opportunity to use gas as a bridge fuel to a 21st-century energy economy that relies on efficiency, renewable sources, and low-carbon fossil fuels such as natural gas.
Over the next 20 years, many countries seem likely to take steps toward a low‐carbon future. Looking beyond this timeframe, many analysts expect nuclear power and emergent energy technologies to hold the keys to achieving a sustainable reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In the meantime there is also a greater use of natural gas to reduce CO2 emissions however having low‐carbon policies in place is crucial. Without such policies, more abundant use of natural gas does not reduce CO2 emissions. Although greater natural gas resources reduce the price of natural gas and displace the use of coal and oil, they also boost overall energy consumption and reduce the use of nuclear and renewable energy sources for electric power generation. As a result, projected CO2 emissions are almost one percent higher.
A study finds that abundant natural gas supplies increase use in most sectors of the economy but do nothing by themselves to create a bridge to a low‐carbon future. Without a carbon policy in place, abundant and inexpensive natural gas fosters greater energy consumption and displaces the use of nuclear and renewable resources to generate electric power. Even though coal and oil use fall, the result is higher CO2 emissions.
On the other hand, if a market‐based policy, such as cap‐and‐trade, is in place to reduce CO2 emissions, abundant supplies of natural gas can make a contribution in the transition to a low carbon future. With abundant natural gas resources, the estimated price of CO2 emissions in a cap‐and‐trade system is slightly lower and policy implementation is less costly. Moreover, the share of electric power generation from natural gas is greater in 2030 than 2010 and much greater than with less abundant natural gas resources. If the use of nuclear and renewable energy for electric power generation develops more slowly than is projected in our climate‐policy cases, natural gas could prove a more important bridge fuel to a low‐carbon future. Economic theory suggests that pricing schemes—such as cap‐and trade systems or carbon taxes—are robust in finding the most cost‐effective means for reducing CO2 emissions—regardless of how technology evolves or how much natural gas or other energy resources are available.
Natural gas is considered, by large, the world’s safest sources of energy. Natural gas is affordable by the fast growing sectors in India such as Power Generation, Fertilizer Plants, and Petrochemical production since these industries are gradually shifting towards natural gas because of its many advantages. Natural Gas is much cheaper than LNG and thus more economically viable for India in the long run. Because Natural Gas is an environment friendly fuel due to its low level of carbon emissions, it can help in India’s growth and energy security in a Green and Environment Friendly way. Natural Gas also has the Highest Thermal Efficiency as compared to other fuels. The natural gas is a type of gas that is composed of elements like methane and hydrocarbons for about 0 to 20 percent. This is actually made in two main ways. The biogenic mechanisms often generate natural gas through the use of methanogenic organisms. The natural gas that it creates is plentiful in most land fields which are harvested and used in creating fuel. The thermogenic gas is often made within the earth that comes out with a very high pressure and temperature from the buried organic elements. The risks that synthetic fuel poses to the environment are myriad. In contrast is a string of benefits associated with natural gas that almost guarantee one eco-safe, uninterrupted supply too. It’s, by far, the right fuel by most standards. For one, there’s little chance of disruption of supply. As the supply is through underground pipelines, the question of any sort of disruption or damage following storms or power outages just doesn’t arise. Also, unlike most other fuel sources, natural gas just doesn’t release by-products like ashes and odours that could create a mess.
#natgas has come a long way from being a by-product of oil rigs which used to be just flared away to domestic consumers in metro cities. We can clearly see the positive change in the environment of Delhi by the use of CNG buses. But still, the air in Delhi is not a benchmark that the NG based public transport system has set. There are cleaner and fresher cities in India which do not get a mention in the headlines.
There will be some sort of detrimental effect when it comes to using any sort of alternative source of energy. Wind energy farms spoil the landscape, solar energy farms require a lot of area, hydro energy plants affect the river ecosystems, nuclear plants have a problem of safe disposal of nuclear waste, These are just basics that everyone knows from textbooks.
Our need today is to foster research and development and implementation of use of renewable sources as a viable and dependable option. These changes need to come at policy level more than consumer level. And as far as bridging the gap is concerned, NG can be the bridge we are looking for if its use is promoted in that way.
Research is going on to make renewables viable. Till then, lets start the transition to a better human life, a better enviroonment to live in. Use Natgas
Natural Gas has indeed emerged as the cleanest fuel available to mankind. With the rising global warming problem it is imminent that countries across the world need to have a definitive strategy in place to tackle this and it cannot happen without adopting Natural Gas as the first choice fuel.
India being the 2nd most populous country need to take a leadership role to provide clean energy to its billion people. We certainly cannot afford to have our development in the way West countries carried their industrial revolution. We need to set an example by promoting and developing massive infrastructure for using natural gas and other renewable sources of energy.
Natural Gas is certainly the answer in order to achieve Sustainable development and as our PM has rightly said ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas’ we need to ensure that development of one generation does not ruin the world that we leave behind for the coming generations. Indian cities are increasingly suffering from massive air pollution levels and the question that we need to ask ourselves is ‘Do we need this kind of development?’.
India needs to cut down its dependency on coal based power plants and urgent steps are required to have gas based power plants infrastructure in the country. We need to integrate the infrastructure of gas based power plants,solar power, wind power etc. to ensure that we have provide clean energy to every corner of India and reduce our dependency on fossil fuels that pollute our environment.
We need to look at the kind of efforts made by USA to become natural gas surplus country. India needs to develop a policy for exploring more natural gas resources so that we can reduce our dependence on import of crude. This will go a long way in helping our environment and also beneficial to our economy.
GAIL being a market leader in natural gas industry in India needs to take a leadership role to #BridgeTheGap and invest in infrastructure to connect every part of India to national level grid and Government on its part needs to provide incentives to promote development of infrastructure of affordable, cleaner energy resources.
Hopefully a day will come certainly when we would definitely #BridgeThe Gap and our dependency on high emission fossil fuels would no longer be there and future generations will have better Planet Earth to live on.
Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel. it produces less than half as much carbon pollution as coal. This creates an unprecedented opportunity to use gas as a bridge fuel to energy economy .Renewable sources can survive in the present market because of subsidy provided by Government without subsidy the renewable energy is not economically viable. Natural gas has increasingly been touted as a “bridge fuel” from high-carbon sources of energy like coal and oil to a renewable energy future.
Strategies for energy sustainability must focus on reducing energy demand and optimizing the use of the fuels that must be burnt. At the end of the day, hydrocarbons that aren’t burnt produce no emissions.
Undoubtedly natural gas (of course the major NG player in INDIA is GAIL) treated as bridge between the gap of polluted environment to a cleaner environment. Till now no scientist has invented new fossil fuel other than NG ,which produces lesser carbon footage.
As specific to the point of discussion apart from comparison of prices and bla bla bla between NG and other fuels,Natural gas usage was continuously in increasing trend by looking its benefits to the individuals and global environment.
GAIL on behalf of INDIA keeps on continuous efforts by the establishment of its CGD business to serve in different segment of people/area to make globe as pollution free planet.Of course variation in prices also tried to control and attract people to switch over to greener fuel and create an opportunity to an individual to contribute a bit to make our Globe as clean.
If we dont do this we must check a living space at other clean/new planets E.g MARS.
Then we may also see in future years an entity i.e FOSSIL FUELS AUTHORITY ( MARS ) LIMITED.
in this time the traditional energy resources are in limited and availability of renewable energy not much to counter this gap, so in this situation Natural gas would surely work as a bridge to meet our current energy needs.
moreover the pollution is also a big concern caused by the traditional resources. so Natural gas also can help in reducing this level to keep environment healthy.
As other nations seek to develop their own gas reserves, communities around the world are engaged in fierce debates over whether to allow fracking and expand global trade of natural gas. The promise of jobs and economic benefits come up against concerns about the environmental and health effects of natural gas development, along with skirmishes over land rights.
But at the heart of these debates lies a broader question about where we should be focusing our efforts to meet energy demand. Can natural gas can be considered a lower-carbon “bridge” fuel, or is it simply a continuation of our dependence on fossil fuels. Natural gas is not a permanent solution to ending our addiction to imported oil. It is a bridge fuel to slash our oil dependence while buying us time to develop new technologies that will ultimately replace fossil transportation fuels.”
Natural gas is touted for its potential to reduce emissions by edging out, for example, coal as an electricity source and diesel as truck fuel. But the appeal of a cleaner, abundant fossil fuel source cuts both ways. In present scenario gas threatens to edge out renewables as well. “But it is so attractive that it threatens other energy sources we ultimately will need.
In some areas, natural gas is most certainly making way for renewables. New gas-fired “flex” power plants in Various countries, for example, are built to ramp up and down quickly to accommodate shifting supply from wind and solar. Facilities like these bolster the idea that the notion of a “bridge” is misguided; some in the energy and technology industries talk about natural gas as a “destination” fuel that we will need for many years to come. “New ‘Flexible’ Power Plants Sway to Keep Up with Renewables.i.e..why Natural gas is considered as a low carbon bridge fuel
Natural Gas is definitely a great bridge fuel - a fuel for next few decades if not centuries:“Gas is the future growth engine for India”. Arguments stem from following facts:
•## Environment friendly fuel ## – It emits lower level of pollution as compared to liquid fuels
•## Economic fuel ## – It is cost effective compared to its peers fossil as well as the renewables.
•## Safe fuel ## – Natural gas being lighter than air, disperses quickly. It has narrow flammability range and high self ignition temperature.
•## Less engine/machine maintenance ## – Natural gas has got clean burning characteristics.
•## Non toxic ## – has no potential for ground or water contamination in the event of fuel releases.
• ## Abundant availability ## Enough availability is form of “Shale gas”, “Associated gas”, “natural gas”, “Sea bed hydrates” etc. across the world to fuel the growth of our nation.
•## Many members of Gas Family ## SYN GAS, BIO GAS (garbage, cattle dung and plant waste), COAL BED METHANE etc. Hydrogen is also going to join the band-wagon of gas family very soon.
Natural gas is a cleanest and green fuel. It produces less than half carbon pollution to the environment. So it is very much favourable in retarding the rate of melting ice at antartica which in turn favouring the present challenge of global warming.
Most of India’s population is not experiencing the benefits of economic growth. We should have a provision of electricity, energy like LPG/Natural Gas to all the people of the country. India’s demand for oil in 2020 is expected to be 50% higher than in 2015. But resources are limited and we can’t bridge the gap of energy demand by coal or oil.
Renewable energy is well positioned to play a critical role in addressing this growing energy demand. India has abundant, untapped renewable energy resources, including a large land mass that receives among the highest solar radiation in the world, a long coastline and high wind velocities that provide ample opportunities for both land-based and offshore wind farms, significant annual production of biomass, and numerous rivers and waterways that have potential for hydropower.
Potential for renewable energy technologies to expand their contribution to India’s growth is not consistent with India’s developmental plan.
So we must appreciate GAIL for transporting the natural gas to every possible zones of India, which may bridge the gap of energy demand in between the other fossil fuels and renewable energy.
GAIL is investing to bridge the consumption centres with the gas sources.
जीवाश्म ईंधन के न केवल भंडार सीमित हैं, बल्कि इनसे होने वाले प्रदूषण ने पूरी धरती के वायुमंडल को इस कदर नुकसान पहुंचाया है कि व्यक्ति इनसे निजात पाने के लिए दूसरे ग्रहों पर भी बसने के बारे में सोचने लगा है। भले ही यह काल्पनिक ही हो, परंतु प्रदूषण के बढ़ते और अनियंत्रित स्तर से त्रस्त प्राणियों का ऐसा सोचना शायद गलत नहीं है ।
भूगर्भ से अनियोजित तरीके से निकाले जाने वाले कोयले और अन्य जीवाश्म ईंधनों की वज़ह से धरती अंदर हिल गईहै। भूगर्भ के अंदर होने वाले परिवर्तनों से प्राकृतिक आपदाओं जैसे भूकंप, सुनामी आदि ने जन-जीवन को जो नुकसान पहुंचाया है, वह अकाल्पनिक है।
अब समय आ गया है कि हम जीवाश्म ईंधन के प्रयोग से मुक्ति पा कर अक्षय ऊर्जा की शरण में चले जाएं। अक्षय ऊर्जा अर्थात सौर और पवन ऊर्जा । जरूरत है कि इस संबंध बड़े स्तर पर अनुसंधान किए जाएं और इन्हें घरेलू के साथ-साथ व्यापक तौर पर व्यावसायिक और औद्योगित इस्तेमाल के काबिल बनाया जाए । अभी कुछ ही दिनों पहले हमने देखा था कि सौर ऊर्जा से चलने वाले वायुयान ने दुनिया सफ़र पूरा किया था ।
अभी जब तक अक्षय ऊर्जा को हम व्यापक तौर पर इस्तेमाल के काबिल नहीं बना पाते हैं, तब तक हमारे पास प्राकृतिक गैस अकूत सम्पदा है। यह प्रदूषण मुक्त ऊर्जा का सुगम साधन है । इसमें कोई दो राय नहीं कि नेचुरल गैस को ब्रिजदिगैप के तौर पर देखा जा रहा है।
अगर हम एक बेहतर दुनिया में एक बेहतर जीवन बिताना चाहते हैं तो हमें जीवाश्म ईंधनों से आगे बढ़ के दीर्घकालिक ईंधनों और तरीकों का इस्तेमाल करना होगा।
Blessed with high calorific value, less carbon imprinting on on our earth green canvass and black smoke free flame, Natural gas can stand out as a potential fuel that which on being used prudently can protract significantly our energy dependence on fossil fuel. we should continue strive to remove hurdles coming in the path of Renewable energy sources becoming a stand alone energy bank catering our all energy demands, that can be accomplished only when we could give enough time to our researchers in devising such technology by the time we were taken over by Renewable energy sources for our energy needs and still we be blessed with a handsome volume of natural gas. Thus natural gas can play a central role as a bridge fuel between the other fossil fuels and renewables in India.
Natural Gas is the cleanest fossil fuel. With the rapid advancement in the technology, it has become possible to reduce the pollution, arising out of the growing fuel usage, substantially.
The Times of India reported today that Natural Gas is safe and as clean as Euro-VI compliant diesel. Center for Science and Environment (CSE) has highlighted that Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a vehicle fuel performed much better on pollution parameters such as carbon monoxide, non-methane hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. Both Carbon Mono Oxide (CO) and Non-Methane Hydro Carbon (NMHC) emission from CNG buses in use are close to the limit values of Euro VI norms.
The strong opposition from liquid fuel lobby, may not allow the Natural Gas to become the fuel to bridge the gap easily. Further, availability of alternative renewables is some time away because these are yet to become commercially available, which goes in favour of the natural gas. .
With TAPI pipeline becoming a reality, availability of Natural Gas is bound to increase. PM Mr. Narendra Mod’s visit to Turkmenistan in July and India last week agreeing to joint ownership has lent a new impetus to the TAPI project. However, the industries in our country are highly sensitive to the price differential between the natural gas and coal.
In view of above, it can be easily said that Natural Gas will be the fuel to Bridge the Gap.
In the short terms & mid terms , natural gas can be termed as green fuel to reduce emission in comparison to more traditional energy sources like coal and Oil. But in long run it is also a source of emission & global warning when we will be able to commercialize more the all renewable sources like wind, hydro electric, solar, tidal, geo-thermal etc. with the advent of new technology. Development of more safe & reliable atomic energy conversion will totally change the dependency on fossil fuel including natural gases.
OVERVIEW
It is a fact that we wish to move to renewable source of energy as soon as possible.
Said that, it is also an established truth that with the current levels of technology present in our generation, it is sure that we won’t be able to meet our energy requirements if we solely depend on renewable sources .
Hence need of a fuel is imminent.
What is important in now the choice of the fuel .
WHICH FUEL TO CHOOSE FROM
Natural Gas can truly act as a bridge between renewable and fossil fuels .
The reserves of conventional fossil fuels are limited and are a lot more environment predatory in nature than when compared to natural gas .
Natural gas being a gas burns more completely than liquid or solid fuels, hence the enhanced efficiency is observed .
Crude , for example, is neither as efficient as natural gas, nor is it as clean in burning as natural gas .
Though both points are interconnected, still we can say that natural gas trumps crude both on efficiency and environment protection .
Rather we can say that, using Natural gas is a lot more
”ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE” than using crude .
INDIAN ECONOMY / EXPLORATION-shale gas- coal bed methane
Considering Indian economy in perspective, it becomes all the more important to focus on natural gas, rather than on oil .
As out of 250 MMTPA crude we require in the country, we only produce 30 MMTPA .
However gas has an advantage that we are able to meet our requirements with more than 70% contribution by the indigenous gas .
Moreover with the shale gas technology coming (and also the coal bed methane), we can not only become energy sufficient, we can also become an exporter of gas , just as ”USA” - HAS BECOME IN THE LAST DECADE .
This can solve the persistent problem of ”CAD” (current account deficit ) of our Indian economy.
Simply put it will be like use of ”SWADESHI” in economic sense .
CONCLUSION
Going by the definition of the famous RIO DE Janeiro 1992 – ”EARTH SUMMIT” – and ”Brundtland commission” report on the definition of ”SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT” – we say that it is the development in which we meet our requirements without affecting the future generation to meet its own requirements.
It does not mean that we give up on development work ,to save the environment.
We can exploit resources but we should not plunder them.
This is what ex CJI Sathshivam said in a conference when he said that caring for environment does not mean that we do ZERO development work .
Rather putting it simply as Gandhiji said world has enough for ones need , but not for ones greed .
Thus we have to develop and that is the way forward, and for that we need a fuel .
The best choice of fuel or energy can be renewable source, however it is a known fact that with the current knowledge of engineering –we wont be able to meet our requirements of energy if we solely depend on renewable source.
We need a fuel, and that fuel is Natural Gas at the moment.
Though it cant serve all the purpose of energy requirements, however it can best act as a ”BRIDGE” between the conventional fossil fuels and the renewable resources of energy .
This also helps in economic strengthening of our country as well .
NATURAL GAS PRODUCE LESS HARMFUL GASES ON BURNING & ALSO NO LEAVE THE REDIDUE AFTER BURNING OR COMBUSTION OF NATURAL GAS, BUT COMBUSTION OF NATURAL GAS PRODUCES NANO CARBAN PARTICLE WHICH IS RESPONCIBLE FOR CANCER SO PLEASE AWARE THIS.
RAVI GUPTA
FRUITFUL DISCUSSION
When industrial revolution lead to an enormous change and improvement in our lifestyle no one thought about its effect on environment. The recent concern about protecting the environment from global warming which may lead to an ultimate end to the world has forced us to look for alternate sources of energy/power. Since the technological advances have not been successful yet in making renewable energy (from sun, wind or water) cheap enough to enable them to use as the chief sources of energy, utilization of natural gas is for sure the transition fuel needed to balance the overall situation.
The production of one MWh of electrical energy from coal releases about 2000 pounds of Carbon Dioxide (one of the main green house gases) in air while an equal amount of energy is produced by natural gas with almost half the CO2 emmission. This limiting of greenhouse gases serves as the source of respiration to the international communities concerned about global environment. Now we have the flexibility to leave our coal reserves un-utilized without the risk of decrease in energy production. This is evident from the rapid growth in gas based power plants in India and abroad.
Natural gas as fuel is the support that is required to save environment until better sources of energy become exploitable.
We are well conversant with the fact that Natural gas is mainly composed of methane and a small percentage of other hydrocarbons (e.g. ethane). This simple composition makes natural gas a valuable energy resource and a great asset to the global economy. It is the cheapest fossil fuel presently. Its use is becoming more and more popular since it can be used in a variety of sectors (industrial, commercial, residential, electric power generation, transportation, etc.). The main advantages of using this benign fuel are – its economical, its environmental friendly & cleaner than other fossil fuel and it also does not pollute the air or ground or the underground water because its byproducts are in gaseous form. It has multi-uses: Natural gas is a multi-use fuel. It is used inside the house for cooking, heating, drying, etc. It can be used for generating electric power, powering vehicles (by substituting for diesel and gasoline), producing plastics, paints, fertilizers, and many more uses.
The major disadvantages of this fuel are : Availability is limited to pipeline catchment areas. Transportation is limited by way of pipeline or cascade/tankers. Natural gas leaks are proven to be extremely dangerous since it is odorless, and such leaks may be the cause of fire or explosions. The gas itself is extremely toxic when inhaled in large amounts. It has some detrimental environmental Impact also. When natural gas burns, carbon dioxide, monoxide, and other carbon compounds are emitted in the atmosphere contributing to the greenhouse effect. Although it is cleaner than other fossil fuels (oil, coal, etc.) as far as byproducts are concerned, natural gas leaks can become more hazardous since methane is 21 times more dangerous than carbon dioxide. As per another research by CSIR, in Delhi the CNG busses emit ultrafine particles which may cause cancer, although it is still a better fuel than any liquid fuel. There some issues related to its processing also. In order to use it as a fuel, all constituents other than methane have to be extracted. The processing results in several byproducts: hydrocarbons (ethane, propane, etc.), sulfur, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and even helium and nitrogen. Lastly the whole pipe installation may be very expensive to construct since pipelines, receiving terminals need to be used. Although CNG has proven its efficiency in Transportation sector, the mileage is lower than gasoline although this compensated by its cost which may be lower than liquid fuel.
Considering the above the hall mark of an efficient & clean fuel is its universal appeal and its affordability. Natural Gas will not be able to replicate the ease of use of a liquid fuel and for the major part of the globe this fuel is still unheard of or out of reach. Issues linked to its supply chain mechanism and its affordability in the long run has cropped up in the developing nations like India etc., unless these issues are sorted out by way of improved infrastructure and a stable pricing in consonance with the price of alternate fuel, Natural gas may remain like the “promised elixir “.
Considering all the pros and cons of this fuel, at best Natural gas maybe considered as a fuel which bridges the gap towards a lower carbon emission fuel where the conventional fuel has failed and where the unconventional fuels have failed to reach. Nature has bestowed us with other unconventional sources of fuels like Solar, Nuclear, Wind ocean waves etc. Apart from this India has abundant coal resource which we should utilize for power generation mainly. We need to focus our efforts and energy into harnessing these natural unconventional resources and few conventional sources and extracting energy without harming our environment. Natural gas should be used in selected areas like public transportation, space heating, cooking and in industries like fertilizer, ceramic, glass etc.. At best Natural gas shall always remain an “Alternative” to the other fossil fuels like coal, oil. Natural Gas being a non-renewable fuel source at best may be considered as a fuel for the niche sector and thus cannot be considered a long-term solution to our energy supply problem. As responsible global citizen, we have an obligation towards our children that we hand over this plant to them in a better way so that life sustains and thrive for the future generations. Natural Gas may act as the bridge towards the cleaner environment when we pass the baton to the next generation.
Balancing our energy needs on a seesaw against sustainable use of natural gas considering its pivotal role to play in provisioning renewable energy technology enough time to become a commercially viable fuel for us and generations to come, can make natural gas a bridge fuel for sure. As conspicuous is the human tendency to arrogate that which is not even his/her creation but of God, has very since been dis-balancing that seesaw; sometimes by boasting its super power instinct in usurping naturally bestowed pockets of natural gas, other times by orchestrating war in that discovered area, either case leads to a geo-political fracas where the super power one saves that pocket for the time when others, inferior ones, feasting on a common pocket have even run out of that pocket, to sell that resource at inhumanly higher price to gain devilish surplus money.
likewise is the scenario when superiors by boasting hell of development projects, that is merely adding another milestone to their superiority but, one day, that development would become a major reason of apocalypse, is exploiting energy resources at such tremendous pace. If pace of this exploitation was not slowed down, not for too long Natural gas would survive this transition and world will get embroiled in a severe energy crisis, and only God knows we could see the same face of world as today or once again a stone age.
Natural gas indeed has a significant role to play as India moves to a clean energy future. It has the lowest emission factor among fossil fuels, it is significantly cleaner than coal and can be promoted as a clean cooking fuel. Also, since renewable energy is intermittent in nature, it requires energy storage technology. Until energy storage technology becomes viable, natural gas can complement renewable energy.
Affordability, good infrastructure and appropriate regulation will determine the success of natural gas. TERI’s status note on natural gas can be accessed here: http://www.teriin.org/projects/nfa/pdf/working-paper-No19-Centre-staging-Natural-Gas.pdf
The shift to clean energy is a must and the ultimate goal but, we as humans require copious amounts of energy, at the same time we require energy that does the least harm. As our current need for energy is expanding, the need for cleaner energy only grows. Currently, natural gas is the only serious candidate that can bridge the gap between fossil fuels and renewable energy.
Natural Gas- bridge fuel between the Renewables and Fossil fuels.
What is a bridge? Technically speaking, a bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle. In layman terms, a bridge would connect two points A & B over an obstacle. Likewise, the Bridge between the Past and the Future has to overcome the challenges of the present.
Man and Machines, both are becoming hungrier by the day. Man for food whereas Machines for Energy. As the demand increases, and supply remains constant, the Demand Supply Ratio keeps getting skewed. The only way to deal with it is to either stub the demand or increase the supply. Stubbing the demand is next to impossible and thus the only solution would be to increase the supply, feasibly.
Perhaps it can happen only in an Indian movie like SWADES in which the protagonist scientist , to alleviate poverty & drought ridden Indian Villages, takes special efforts to convert the energy of the nearby waterfall into electricity which in turns lights the electric bulb. In that gripping sequence on a 70 mm screen, we could see the potential of renewable energy which could bring forth change in the Indian rural scenario. But truth is stranger than fiction.
Renewable energy is undoubtedly the future but it has not evolved to that extent yet where Renewable Energy can be termed feasible. Renewable energy is close, yet far. It’s good, but not good enough to replace the primary sources of energy - Fossil Fuels.
Our country too has is endowed with various sources of renewables energy.A sunny tropical country like ours with warm weather conditions offers potential for Solar renewables .With its long coast line ,the Tides with Wind too offers its potential of energy to cater to the local population.The long Mountaineous regions are bestowed with perennial swift streams of water for creating various micro generation units to cater to local population .
Hydroelectricity might not be costly, but it brings considerable environmental impact and human relocation in its wake. Solar Energy is not only costly due to high material costs of making a photovoltaic solar cell but also quite efficient yet. Wind Energy is very regional specific and that is why you might see Wind Farms in Gujarat or Tamil Nadu but not in Punjab or Haryana.
The Nation presently is in throes of economic crises and needs to kick-start its ‘Make in India’ thrusts immediately. This calls for special efforts on providing a Big Industrial and Manufacturing platform in diverse areas to serve not only our growing country but also to assume an enviable position of exporter of goods and services. This again increases our energy requirements which could be met from fossil sources but for the short term.
Thus we are at a juncture wherein we have to deal with the challenges of the ever dropping reserves yet increasing dependence on non-renewable source of energy on one hand and the constraints of Renewable Energy on the other. This is precisely where Natural Gas steps in and plays a perfect counter balancing role.
With natural gas being cleaner fuel than coal ,it has made steady progress to provide feedstock for Power,fertilisers and other manufacturing sectors.The increased portability of natural gas and increased movement from one geographical area to another by LNG has also heralded the worldwide growth in use of natural gas .
Our efforts needs to be well balances considering that renewables like solar,wind etc to cater to Rural areas which would require evacuation and transmissions in local areas.But it may fall yet insufficient for densely populated cities for which the energy to be sourced from fossil fuels.
The affordability of the energy is yet another issue to be given cognizance.With heavy reduction in the cost of solar power equipments ,the rates could be well within affordable range in foreseeable time frame. While the rural population would well be able to afford the Renewables,the energy for industries and urban agglomerations could be provided from Fossil Fuels.
Thus it would be in the national interests that the natural gas be considered as bridge fuel between the Renewables and Fossil fuels.
India is the world’s fourth-largest energy consumer and will likely overtake China in the next decade as the primary source of growth in global energy demand. India must overcome a number of challenges to meet its rising energy demand and sustain growth. Our prime minister, Mr. Narendra Modi has also called for an “Energy Revolution” to harness the country’s coal, natural gas, hydro, nuclear, solar and wind resources to promote energy security and economic development in a sustainable manner.
Are renewable sources only the answer to India’s energy demand?
No, they aren’t because they are subject to natural fluctuations. Natural gas is the partner that takes over when production from renewable sources slows down. Gas can be stored and can therefore compensate for supply bottlenecks at any time. For power generation, the flexibility of natural gas makes it the perfect balancing source of energy when sun, wind and water can not produce enough. Modern gas-fired power stations can also be used flexibly, because due to their short start-up times they can respond very quickly to supply fluctuations in renewable power generation and thus guarantee reliable energy supplies.
As a result, the growing use of wind and solar power is likely to increase the demand for natural gas. Recent studies suggest that as increased amount of wind and solar power are added to the electric grid, diverse sources of back up of capacity will be needed to operate the grid reliably. These studies recommend that the back up capacity be anchored in natural gas fired plants, working in cooperation with resources such as energy efficiency, energy storage and smart grid technology. Natural gas’s critical role in supporting renewable sources has led to conclude that increased gas-fired generation capacity would facilitate the expansion of renewable energy.
With global crude prices spiral ling and coal becoming increasingly unacceptable, gas may suddenly find itself attractive, viable and competitive. It could greatly contribute to enhancing India’ quest for energy security.
Burning natural gas results in less carbon dioxide than burning coal, which means in principle that gas does not contribute as much to global warming. So natural gas is a viable option for a carbon constrained world. The technology to explore, produce, liquefy and transport natural gas is extremely safe and well established. A versatile fuel that finds use in a wide range of applications such as fuel for power generation, industrial processes and in automobiles and as feed stock in fertilizers and petrochemicals, natural gas is also an ideal cooking fuel whether piped to houses or bottled as LPG cylinders. Indeed, the advantages of natural gas make it the ideal “bridge fuel” between the dominant fossil fuels of today and the renewable fuels of tomorrow for the next 50 years until solar photo-voltaic and nuclear fusion become affordable
In India we are yet to reach a point where we could decide whether natural gas can help bridge the supply demand energy gap or using natural gas will increase our dependence on fossil fuels. Therefore this debate will mostly be hypothetical.
The more relevant debate would be whether we can do something about climate change and how India needs to conduct herself in the global arena on this front. How do we bring down our plant emissions and whether gas will help? The increasing use of fossil fuels will dump more and more carbon into our environment. How do we balance emissions with our own ambitious growth plans? That will be the challenge for India and our success will be determined by our judicious use of fossil fuels including natural gas with renewable fuels.
Currently I do not see a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer to your question.
We think big is beautiful, a concept based on the economics that promotes the thinking that economies of scale brings in better profits. However, it also generates higher concentration of pollutants per unit area. Also, it results in lower job creations.
We often quote Mahatma Gandhi on n number of occasions but we forget his thoughts on making the villages self reliant. We can do this if the villages utilize their own sources of energy by integrating power generation through bio gas, wind, solar and micro turbines (if the village is located near a river). It can have its own small grid for local power distribution.
The local youth may be trained in operating and maintaining the assets, collection and utilization of agricultural waste.
And all this can be achieved without large scale land acquisition.
Companies like GAIL may up grade the usage of natural gas by acquiring and promoting research in fuel cells for power generation and automotive use.
Definitely natural gas can bridge the gap. The vision our honorable PM has and the mission he has set is highly appreciable. A target is achievable only when whole hearted effort and energy put in the channel. World is moving towards green energy to thrive sustainable development. For India has huge potential in clean energy specially solar energy, technology being developed to integrate renewable energy with grid which is a challenge. An organization to flourish it needs to be focused, same way India focusing strongly to tap its renewable resources and targeting for sustainable development. China development is great learnings for India. We should not go for short term target, we should go for energy which is going for sustainable. Parting electrical energy aside natural gas would be idle to replace other primary sources of energy like oil. Like solar energy, natural gas would be one day only sustainable, viable for transport system. So as a whole it’s renewable and natural gas that would be future of Green India
Natural Gas can’t be a fuel for long to use it lavishly; having value addition feedstock properties, If NG is still viewed as fuel it will be a great blunder and it may amount to wastage of precious resource. Compared to renewables affordability of NG getting escalated day by day whereas on the other side becoming down trend. So it is imperative to exploit NG to create more value instead of simply burning it at the same time finding ways to bring more renewables in to energy requirements substituting fossil fuel. The situation will be a win win for both.
Most economies globally have explored every fuel option in their campaign to achieve energy self sufficiency to fuel broader growth and thereby insulate economies from volatility in energy markets. And, in the Indian context, natural gas would in all probability be one major source fueling the campaign for energy self sufficiency and reliability. I do not expect natural gas to disappear from the energy scene in near future either for India or other emerging economies. Switch over to alternate and renewable sources would depend on transfer of technologies from industrial world, cost competitiveness and capacities that could be scaled to meet demand. In short and medium terms, either for India or for most countries on high growth trajectory, natural gas will continue to fuel their expanding economies. I guess, natural gas would be more than a bridge fuel and cannot be wished away in near future. A national debate on the issue is in order.
KA Badarinath
Associate Editor
Financial Chronicle
New Delhi
The drift towards clean energy is a must and the demand of time but options are few like renewable energy since renewable energy is intermittent in nature, but we require huge amount of energy 24 hours, 7 days and for all 365 days, at the same time we require energy that does the least harm to us, minimally pollute our environment, our current need for energy is expanding day by day, the need for cleaner energy grows very drastically. At present, natural gas is the only substitute that can bridge the gap between fossil fuels and renewable energy. It has the lowest emission rate amongst fossil fuels, it can be promoted as a clean fuel.
N P Sinha :
Natural gas is ‘naturally’ a demand of the time in view of the rising demand of fuel .It can be lasting and prove of great help to meet regular energy needs of human being , In overall perspective it needs to be addressed properly .
But then “There is an urgent need to stop subsidizing the fossil fuel industry, dramatically reduce wasted energy, and significantly shift our power supplies from oil, coal, and natural gas to wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy sources.”
Bill McKibben
“Natural gas is a better transportation fuel than gasoline, so if that’s the case, it’s cheaper, it’s cleaner and it’s a domestic resource.”-
T. Boone Pickens
Finally, natural gas willy nilly is the only option to bridge gnawing gap between fossil fuels and renewable energy. Its lowest emission rate amongst fossil fuels is worth noticing . There is a need for more thrust to promoted it as a clean fuel.
Natural gas is emerging as one of the growing fuel / feedstock across various end user segments and is becoming an integral part of economic development of India. It can act as Repositioning as clean paths for the future. It is Realistic fossil option that can produce electricity through a clean system. The use of natural gas in power generation provides a cleaner alternative to coal and other fossil fuels, reducing carbon and other emissions and resulting in both immediate and long-term benefits for public health and the environment.
The reality is that natural gas also presents a cleaner alternative to other non-emitting fuel sources, such as nuclear. It is apt for it to be considered as lower carbon bridge fuel between other fossil fuels and other renewables in India for the following reasons:
1. Clean Fuel - Natural Gas can contribute to a more sustainable world. It has significant environmental advantages as a clean energy source.
•When burned, natural gas releases up to 50% less CO2 than coal and 20-30% less than oil;
•When used in power generation, natural gas emits as much as 50% less CO2 than coal, results in negligible emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), mercury (Hg), and particulates compared with other fuels.
•On-going technology developments aimed at enabling the capture and storage of CO2 (CCS) further reduce emissions coming from natural gas-powered generators;
•The increased use of natural gas offers a significant contribution to improved local air quality and public health;
2. Ample Supply: Natural Gas consumption is projected to double worldwide by 2030 due to expected growth in energy demand
•Definitely it has potentials to replace other fossil fuels in the energy basket unlike world which has natural gas as 23.71% in energy mix; India has a meagre 7.14% for the year 2014.
•Worldwide proven reserves of conventional gas alone total 187.49 trillion m³ with a reserve production ratio of more than 60 years India reserves stand at 1.4 tcm.
•Worldwide unconventional gas potential is boosting available reserves which may extend current production by a century or more.
3. Easy Transportation: Natural Gas can be transported across the globe with minimal environmental impact
•Natural gas has become a global commodity and can be transported safely and efficiently in its liquefied form (LNG) by specially-designed LNG tankers, or delivered from country to country, and even across continents, via a network of pipelines. It can be transported and delivered very efficiently in these ways over both long and short distances, with minimal fuel losses during transportation
4. Efficient Fuel for Power Generation : Natural Gas is the most efficient fossil fuel in conventional power generation
•Natural gas has a higher conversion efficiency leading to lower loss of energy than other fossil fuels when producing electricity or heat. Among the other advantages of natural gas-fired power stations are:
a.comparatively low costs,
b.speed of construction and
c.flexibility in use
•Replacing an old coal-fired plant with a CCGT can reduce the CO2 emissions by up to 70%. In the future, carbon capture and storage (CCS) may reduce CO2 emissions from gas-fired plants yet further.
5. Natural Gas enables Renewable Energy Sources (RES) due to its flexibility
•Natural gas generation can be switched on and off quite quickly, making natural gas-fired generation the fuel of choice to accommodate sudden changes in electricity demand or supply. This is especially important in countries where there is a lot of wind and solar energy, which are intermittent renewable sources.
6. Natural Gas can make an immediate contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector
•Natural gas should have an increasing role in transportation. There is general consensus that use of dedicated Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs) results in 20% to 25% less CO2 emissions compared to petroleum fuels, thus contributing to cleaner and healthier ambient air.
In the current world order where all the traditional sources of energy are being exhausted, the demand for natural gas is certainly going to rise sharply. However, for it to become our livelihood need and a boost to green economy, governmental, industrial and civil society’s support is highly required. It certainly holds the potential much more than just a bridge.
Natural gas as a fuel is no doubt is bridging the gap at present but in long perspective, this will continue be a most liked fuel in the country because of its affordness and govt. is looking ahead for making the fuel available, you see a dramatic change within two years.
By the present situation it’s no other way out than Natural gas but in long term future prospects, Renewables can only save the warming globe with economic sense.
“We should not just consume hydrocarbon fuel but use it to develop nuclear energy, hydro power and renewable energy sources”.
Vladimir Putin
I think natural gas acts as an intermediary clean source of energy before we completely reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.. NG is a natural progression in our journey towards alternate (and hopefully cleaner) fuels. Usage of NG has also supplemented innovations like the retro-fitting CNG kit for conversion of petrol vehicles.
The natural gas can act not only a bridge fuel to lower carbon emmission but it can act as main souce of clean fuel of future. Natural gas burns cleaner than oil or coal, produces less greenhouse gases, and is found in abundance world wide. The technocrates, environmentalists and energy analysts has always been advocating natural gas as a bridge fuel from petroleum to renewable, low-carbon energy sources.
The times ahead shall be very exciting for the gas industry. The newer discoveries of shale gas will change the dynamics of gas industry. The natural gas shall be the the integral part of enegry generation rather than a bridge fuel to cleaner & safer energy.
In Indian context considering the large popullation and varied demografic condition natural gas shall be the main souce of clean enegry in future.
Price of gas i mean its affordability is the main issue?
The concern about cost needs a fresh dialogue given the following :
- India’s power consumption mix has 70% dependency on coal based generation
- Rs. 3 lac cr is the combined losses of all discoms and they are not in position to buy more power
- our power T&D losses are 30% global benchmark is 14% for aggregate loss.
- From the above even coal based power is unviable.
- Further, consider the comparison :
1. Life cycle requirement of land for 1000MW coal based power is 8800 ha (ash disposal, mining, water reservoir + power plant) vs. 260 ha for that of NG.
2. Water consumption by coal based power generation is 3 times over NG.
3. fixed cost for coal generation is atleast 50% more than that of NG.
4. Sulphur leaching from ash ponds, fresh water depletion, emissions, Mercury release are freebies for the ecosystem to grapple vide coal power generation.
Life cycle costs with associated impact needs to be the basis for NG as a choicest fuel. Additional blended tariff benchmarking (combining power purchased from all types of fuel sources) and purchase indexing for each type of fuel can help for discoms in, one base price for NG, another for coal. Can’t make fuels compete with each other. Power price blending would prove advantageous over blind bid per unit rate irrespective of the fuel. You can still bid unit rate but on like to like basis and ultimately blend tariff.
As India is growing, population is rising as well (quite fast actually). Accordingly the rise in the energy demand. In this context, we should be thinking of what future we are looking forward to offer to our next generation. Will it be an earth devoid of good health and environment to live in or otherwise. I think we should be adding this costs when we are selecting a fuel type. agreed that we are a developing country with financial constraints. so let us take small steps at a time towards a bigger cause. Switch wherever it is possible, to a more eco-friendly fuel till renewables become viable. #Natgas is the #BridgeFuel
Natural gas could play an important role in facilitating a low-carbon energy which would play an important role in sustaining the development of Growing economy of India.
The argument that using natural gas increases our dependence on fissile fuel is not correct. Its use shows our commitment to move towards cleaner fuels. at present natural gas is cleaner in all available energy sources such as coal, petrol, diesel etc because it produces lowest level of CO2 or other undesirable gases. going for the renewable sources of energy will be the next step. we have to make them economically viable and within reach of common man. till than natural gas will definitely act as the Bridge fuel of the masses.
Natural gas is a temporary bridge gap arrangement.
Natural gas is a fossil fuel and non-Renewal fuel. The availability of non-renewal fuel is limited and can not be replenished. So, is it justifiable to say Natural gas Bridge the gap? Only we can say Natural gas is a temporary bridge gap arrangement.
Widely believed Natural gas is a cleaner fuel. Is it true? Natural gas produces about 29% and 44% less carbon dioxide per joule delivered than oil and coal respectively, and potentially fewer pollutants than other hydrocarbon fuels. However, in absolute terms, it comprises a substantial percentage of human carbon emissions, and this contribution is projected to grow. According to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, in 2004, natural gas produced about 5.3 billion tons a year of CO2 emissions, while coal and oil produced 10.6 and 10.2 billion tons respectively. According to the Special Report on Emissions Scenario by 2030, natural gas would be the source of 11 billion tons a year, with coal and oil now 8.4 and 17.2 billion respectively because demand is increasing 1.9 percent a year. From these statistics, we can not say natural gas a cleaner fuel.
Natural gas mainly consists of Methane. Atmospheric methane has half the life of Carbon dioxide. But Methane is more efficient at trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2. So Natural gas is thus a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Natural gas extraction also releases an isotope of radon, ranging in activity from 5 to 200,000 becquerels per cubic meter of gas. From these stastics we can consider natural gas is a clean fuel?
So let us discuss the alternatives to the Non-Renewal sources. India is a country with diverse geographic formations, and lot of natural resources. If we look at the glance of geographic formations of India, 13.52 % Desert area, 24.01% forest area and vast stretches of Northern area is having natural rivers flowing through it. Without exploring our Natural resources effectively depending sole on the non-renewal fuels is a suicidal thing.
With vast desert areas and Natural Rivers flowing through in northern part of India, we can explore various methods to use these natural resources. Almost 6 to 7 months we have sunlight, it can be utilized effectively to produce electricity. Initial cost may be higher but in the long run it will more efficient and cost effective. Every year Himalayan based rivers are causing havoc to northern states as floods. To escape this havoc we can combine rivers and built dams to produce electricity. The electricity produced in the monsoon season will be stored, so that we can use that at that time of scarcity. This system of storing electricity is widely used in western countries. Similarly we can explore other renewal sources like geothermal energy, wind energy etc.
We should not follow 3 frogs story, where frogs are satisfied with the water (source) available at their disposal instead of exploring other avenues. Once the Water dried up all the frogs died. So depending on Natural gas is only a stop gap arrangement to fill the gap between Non-Renewal fossil fuels like coal, petrol and Renewal sources like Solar, wind, geo-thermal etc.
Till the renewable fuels become viable and accepted by masses we have to use natural gas as the cleanest fuel available.
With the intensive usage of Natural Gas in our day to day lives we are moving towards low carbon future. The usage of natural Gas is addressing many issues related to Global Warming. It is also addressing the demand of clean fuel for our vehicles, kitchen cooking gas, Industries, Commercial units and many more . Although , the “Gas Clean bridge” between the Coal Age to Green Age is a short term substitute. We expect more of nuclear power and other renewable source of energy to fulfill the future demand. Till then, with the walk on the gas clean bridge where there is fewer impurities, and is less chemically complex, Natural Gas fuel is definitely going to help us.
But we need a practical alternative source. in renewable energies we have mainly solar, wind, geothermal, biomass etc. Now just see their progress and level of production. The solar power produced in the entire world is about 350 megawatts. this is just enough for a city of 300,000 people. That is a drop in the ocean compared to our needs. the condition of other renewable energies is more miserable. So the government and corporates have to contribute a lot to make renewable energies viable for common masses. Till than Hi to natural gas and Bye to coal and other fossil fuels.
1) Till date there is no substitute energy available as primary resource of energy other than fossil fuel.
The primary resource liquid petroleum is about to get exhausted within a short period of time, solid fuel coal is available but it is not environment friendly because of this all European, American and developed countries are discarding coal utilization and they are favoring NG as their primary energy resource. though hydral renewable energy can be used as primary energy resource but for aviation sector this is not useful, though on trial basis scientists are trying to use solar energy in aviation sector but it is learnt , that to produce solar cell there is a requirement of energy and which is about three times the cell produce. Looking all these aspects it is sure that NG will be the only source of primary energy in future.
Natural Gas (NG) is more environment friendly fossil fuel than Coal or Oil. Domestic production of NG for 2011-12 stood at 47.55 bcm . But , thereafter the production in KG Basin operated by Reliance Industries Ltd., (RIL) started declining. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved an increase in the price of domestic NG to USD 8.4 per mmbtu from USD 4.2 per mmbtu.
Imports of NG in India commenced in 2003-2004 and in the past decade these have increased from less than 1 bcm to 14 bcm. India buys 7.5 MMT a year of LNG from Qutar on a long term contract indexed to a moving average of curde oil price. LNG price was USD 2.53 per mmbtu from 2004 to 2009. The present price is close to USD 13 per mmbtu (contractual) . The major consumers are Power sector ( 44%) followed by Fertilizer Industry( 25%). In both the sectors the price at which the product is sold to key consumers is not fully market determined, thus the absorption of gas at higher prices is limited.
In the international market, the crude oil prices fell sharp and the current price is USD 42 per bbl, which is a 5 years low price. The spot LNG prices have also fallen and the current price is about USD 6 per mmbtu.
On the other hand the Renewable energy is becoming increasingly cost competitive compared to fossil fuel based generation. Prices of solar modules have declined by almost 80% since 2008 . Wind turbine prices have declined by more than 25% during the same period.
From barely 20 MW in 2011, India’s installed solar capacity has increased to 1686 MW at the end of 2013. It has opened unlimited growth potential for the solar photovoltaic industry. India has vast untapped renewable energy resources. Wind energy has installed capacity of 21 GW with an estimated potential of over 100 GW. India is the world’s 5th largest wind energy producer. Mini Hydro has installed capacity of 3.8 GW with an estimated potential of over 19 GW. The Government of India has set a capacity addition target of 30 GW which will take total renewable capacity to 55 GW by 2017.
India’s economic growth , growing rate of urbanisation and rising per capita energy consumption has widened access to energy. I read in Hindustan Times recently that Delhi Government received an offer from an solar power producer to supply electricity @ Rs. 5 per unit on a long term contract which is cheaper than the electricity cost Delhi Government purchase from neighbouring states so far.
In view of current prices of NG in India, renewable energy has edge over NG . In addition, once installed the renewable energy production cost is not effected by any internal and external changes. However, NG can assure availability of large capacity at any location but the price is variable due various parameters both internal and external.
Source: 1. A status note by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI – NFA working paper series No. 19)
2. makein [email protected]
Natural Gas contains Methane which emits less carbondioxide (Co2) than other fuels like petroleum oil, and coal. Coal produces approx. 205-228 pound of Co2 , Diesel produces approx. 161.5 pound of Co2, propane produces approx 139 pound of co2 and Natural Gas produces 117.0 pound of Co2 for one million British thermal units (Btu) of energy. Natural Gas is cleaner that coal and other petroleum fuels. It is better than worst till best is produced economically. Natural Gas is a ‘bridge’ fuel until economical production and storage of renewables.
It may not be appropriate to say that the world looks for new ways to switch to cleaner energy. Western world realised it much earlier and already switched to Natural gas still reaping it’s endless benefit now it’s high time for India and developing world to exploit it. To cross the liquid fuel and coal trap, Natural gas bridge certainly carry forward the growth agenda satisfying environmental concerns to a large extent at least to the sustainable to the present level. Combating Pollutants and handling of Natural gas is a quit easier task compared to coal and LHCs. It’s high time to wakeup and build the Natural gas bridges to cross the barriers “Better early than Late” Below link can be referred for extensive details.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0734975014000470
Natural Gas in its purest form is the cleanest and safest means of fossil fuel available currently. The bulk transportation of this fuel is safely and easily possible as technological advancement has made it possible. This makes it the widely accepted fuel future. Though renewable energy is currently available, its mass production and distribution is limited to a certain extent, For the complete energy security of this nation, and as a reliable fuel for the future, the systems have to be developed, for the mass production, distribution and its use as this fossil fuel is abundantly available in India.
Clearly natural gas is one of the safest and cleanest fossil fuel, but methane is more harmful for the environment than CO2. I wish natural gas was abundantly available in India, the truth is that we have a huge gap between demand and supply and part of this demand is met through import of LNG.
“Energy (or fuel)-an omnipotent factor” plays a predominant role in overall economic growth of any country. The rapid development in economic activity has been coupled with energy consumption. Every section of society, whether agriculture, industry, transport, business or households consume energy for their day to day affairs. This growing consumption of energy has led to increasing dependence on fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas to meet the energy demand. But meeting the growing demand for energy in a sustainable, clean and safer manner remains a key challenge.
The best source of energy so far identified world over is Natural gas. Energy can be generated by various sources of fuels such as fire, electricity etc. and natural gas is best one, readily available, fuel efficient, cheap as compared to other fossil fuels and eco-friendly. Natural gas is more versatile than oil or coal and can be cheaply used for heating, electricity generation and powering vehicles. Also unlike oil and to a lesser extent coal, there is lot of gas left in the ground. The estimates of how much are buried underground and available to humanity have been increasing exponentially over the past fifty years. These discoveries have been driven by rising interest in gas and a corresponding surge in gas exploration around the world and thus started discussion over whether natural gas play a role of bridge fuel. New technologies have allowed for development of so-called unconventional gas reserves, like shale gas, tight gas and methane hydrates. This very recent development is a game changer for the global energy system and means that NG can meet much of the world’s energy needs for perhaps a century or more.
Another major factor driving interest in gas is its reduced environmental impact. On burning gas gives off much fewer toxic emissions than coal or oil for the same amount of energy produced. NG emits 30% less carbon dioxide when burned than oil and 45% less than coal. So, NG burns cleaner than coal and oil, produces less Greenhouse gases. Thus NG could serve as ‘Bridge Fuel’ to Low-Carbon future. Efficiency of combined cycle natural gas based power plants is 50-60%, highest of nay fossil fuel. This will give NG an economic leg up over these more traditional fossil fuels in the decade ahead when carbon taxes or cap and trade systems are likely to come into play. Newly discovered gas ‘Shale gas’ is totally changing the market. Thus because of availability of NG in abundance and its use as clean energy, there is lot of energy analyst and environmentalist have begun touting natural gas as bridge fuel from petroleum to renewable, low carbon energy sources.
Low priced gas sets a competitive price benchmark for other energy sources to compete against. But if the technology for wind and solar power advances and drives down prices, that will also cut into gas use. The largest impact on the use of gas for electricity generation could come from nuclear power.
On the other hand, there are still some climatic issues on usages of natural gas. We can not solely rely on abundant gas to solve the climatic change problem. Abundant gas could be great for any number of things, but it is not going to solve climatic change problem. A recently released report by international panel on climatic change shows that Methane, which leaks from NG pipelines and wells, is far more potent greenhouse gas with 34 times the heat trapping intensity of CO2. EPA collected data suggested that leakage from the drilling, production and pipelines process runs close to 1.5%. In the near term (20 years) the 2% or so of natural gas (methane) that leaks has 75 times the GHG effect. Shale gas wells are drilled in a way that releases considerable volume of unburned methane into atmosphere, in this way shale gas is worse than coal. Fracking process of NG extraction results into polluted drinking water and atmosphere.
Enough pros for Nat-Gas as a low carbon bridging fuel. That’s really good news. But there are few questions need to be asked
1. How big the gap is – for how long and how much Nat gas we can burn?
2. How Indian Nat- gas companies can do it or create a competitive advantage over other fossil fuels?
I will try to answer first question …frankly speaking… Not enough gas is there to replace coal or other liquid fuels and also there is no Leapfrog Technology available to jump to renewable directly. In fact, for country like India, it will take long time and huge subsidy burden on infrastructure development, land and Technology to reach renewable goals. Therefore we can’t say only Nat gas can bridge the gap. in fact ,we need strict emission laws, investment in CCS technologies in coal fired power plants, regulation of small scale sector in terms of unrated fuel use. All these measures will help Nat Gas to step in energy sector and provide greener solutions.
Secondly,apart from help of environmentalists, what is the competitive advantage of Nat gas companies which can really prove very attractive? In my view it is actually decentralization of Technology or scaling down of the technology. GAIL has done a tremendous job by reaching home more effectively and efficiently in terms for PNG and CNG. For example, few decades ago, water treatment was the job of municipal Corporations but today decentralization of water treatment technology has taken place. Today every home has RO syetem to treat water . This is what Nat Gas can also do. Nat gas can directly power homes by home fuel cell. The competitive advantage of Nat gas is the it can bring energy independence for individuals. Another aspect is that Nat Gas can shift their gears smoothly towards Hydrogen economy.
In conclusion, journey towards total renewables is challenging for Nat gas companies. They need to innovate, come out with decentralization of technology or home solutions for energy independence or grid independence. It is much easier for Nat gas Companies to work for hybrid solutions like Nat gas –solar or Nat gas – wind . This really requires strong R&D and innovation based road map supported with stout hearted Business Development decision making.