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The Value of Natural Gas in the Pacific Northwest: Demand

September 22, 2020 /0 Comments/in , /by

In today’s blog, we’ll discuss natural demand in the Pacific Northwest.

The overall demand for natural gas in the Pacific Northwest is forecast to grow at nearly the same rate as reported over the last few years: a modest 1.0 percent per year (see forecast demand growth by sector in Table 1). Natural gas as a fuel to generate electricity paces overall expected to increase in regional gas use (see Figure 2), in part due to the retirement of coal generation units in 2021-2022.

The Value of Natural Gas in the Pacific Northwest: Emissions

September 8, 2020 /0 Comments/in , /by

In today’s blog, we’re going to focus on the role of natural gas in greenhouse gas emissions in the Pacific Northwest.A better understanding of methane emissions released from natural gas production and delivery systems helps clarify how the proper deployment of natural gas can deliver significant environmental benefits. Let’s take a closer look at the numbers.

The Value of Natural Gas in the Pacific Northwest: Prices

August 25, 2020 /0 Comments/in , /by

In today’s blog, we’ll discuss natural gas pricing.

The commodity cost of natural gas has plummeted with the surge in supply over the last decade (see Figure 1 below), saving Northwest consumers across all economic sectors hundreds of millions of dollars. Commodity prices are expected to remain below $4/Dth through 2050 (see Figure 2). High demand, coupled with infrastructure constraints, may periodically cause short-lived regional price volatility.

The Value of Natural Gas in the Pacific Northwest

August 11, 2020 /0 Comments/in , /by

Natural gas is a crucial part of the Pacific Northwest’s energy mix providing heat and power to 10 million people and more than 300,000 businesses across the region. The direct use of natural gas for cooking, heating, and producing a variety of goods (e.g. toilet paper, cement, steel, glass, french fries, etc.) helps reduce global and regional emissions paving the way to a cleaner environment for future generations.

Grilling on the Fourth of July

July 4, 2020 /0 Comments/in , /by

According to a Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association survey, 73 percent of Americans will spend their Fourth of July holiday cooking outdoors. And natural gas is by far the most popular type of grill with 64 percent saying that’s their preference over charcoal or electric. Grilling is simply synonymous with the holiday. Whether you’re planning […]

Cooking with Gas

December 4, 2019 /0 Comments/in , /by

The American Gas Association recently announced a partnership with Food Network star Amber Kelley to highlight natural gas as the tool of choice for chefs everywhere. 

The simple turn of a knob on a gas range gives chefs the control they need to make anything they can imagine. There is no other technology that allows the control and high heat content that natural gas offers, and chefs around the world rely on our resource as a critical tool in the cooking craft. 

NWGA RNG Incentives Become Law in Washington State

March 23, 2018 /0 Comments/in , /by

On Thursday, March 22, Governor Jay Inslee signed into law a bill that will encourage the increased production of renewable natural gas (RNG) as an energy source for Washington State. HB 2580 passed the Legislature just hours before the end of legislative session on March 8th. Nearly unanimous legislative backing for the bill signals strong interest in and support for further development and adoption of this renewable energy resource.

GUEST BLOG: Coming Solar Eclipse Further Proves that Renewables Need Natural Gas

August 17, 2017 /0 Comments/in , /by

Anti-fossil fuel activists like 350.org’s Bill McKibben often pretend the United States can run on 100 percent renewable energy without the use of any traditional fuel sources. McKibben recently wrote in Rolling Stone that “the sundown problem is being solved fast, as batteries are able to store the energy from the morning sun and the wind from a gusty evening to keep the power running overnight.”

McKibben’s claims simply aren’t true though, and preparations for next week’s total solar eclipse illustrate this cold, hard fact.

Because storage technology to allow for solar power to stand alone — even during a brief loss of sunlight — doesn’t currently exist, the solar industry has been actively preparing for how to mitigate the issue in places like sunny California where that industry thrives. The solution? Natural gas.