01 How It Works
Natural gas (primarily methane) is burned in gas turbines to produce electricity. Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT) capture waste heat from the gas turbine to power a steam turbine, reaching efficiencies of up to 64%. Gas peaker plants provide rapid-response capacity during demand spikes. Gas is also widely used for heating, cooking, and as an industrial feedstock.
02 Pros & Cons
โ Advantages
- Lower COโ than coal
- Flexible, fast-ramping
- Extensive infrastructure
- High energy density
โ ๏ธ Disadvantages
- Methane leakage (potent GHG)
- Price volatility
- Fossil fuel depletion
- Carbon lock-in risk
03 Future Outlook
Natural gas is in tension between serving as a "bridge fuel" away from coal and becoming a stranded asset as renewables scale. Blue hydrogen (gas + carbon capture) and biomethane (from organic waste) may extend its usefulness. Methane leakage rates are a critical variable - if too high, gas can be worse than coal on a short-term climate basis.
04 Fun Fact
The USA produces more natural gas than any other country - over 900 billion cubic metres per year.