Energy-associated CO2 emissions from natural gas are expected to surpass those from coal for the first time since 1972, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Even though natural gas is less carbon-intensive than coal, increases in natural gas consumption and decreases in coal consumption in the past decade have resulted in natural gas-related CO2 emissions surpassing those from coal.
EIA’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook projects energy-related CO2 emissions from natural gas to be 10% greater than those from coal in 2016.
From 1990 to about 2005, consumption of coal and natural gas in the United States was relatively similar, but their emissions were different; coal is more carbon-intensive than natural gas. The consumption of natural gas results in about 52 million metric tons of CO2 for every quadrillion British thermal units (MMmtCO2/quad Btu), while coal’s carbon intensity is about 95 MMmtCO2/quad Btu, or about 82% higher than natural gas’s carbon intensity. . . .
