Effective public communication is critical to the natural gas industry's success. Energy businesses must understand their consumers' views and motives to engage supporters and educate the public about the benefits of natural gas. They must then design their educational initiatives to these requirements. To do so, they must first grasp each audience segment entirely.
Natural gas is a fossil energy source that emits less CO2 than coal and oil. No fossil fuel, however, is genuinely low-carbon. On the contrary, natural gas combustion is the third most carbon-intensive technique to create power, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Furthermore, a significant energy business recently retracted its claims about natural gas's low-carbon credentials, labeling them a lie.
Gas exporters may earn carbon credits by substituting coal in the power generation mix. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement is being studied. Furthermore, upstream electrification has the potential to decarbonize gas production further. These considerations may assist gas exporters in becoming more ecologically conscious and decoupling gas branding from oil. By capitalizing on these benefits, gas exporters can turn environmental pressures into assets.
By fracturing the rock, natural gas is recovered from shale reserves. Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) breaks up enormous fissures in rock formations to release trapped gas. Natural gas is pumped to the surface via wells and piped to processing plants.
In around 30 states, natural gas may be harvested from shale strata. The Texas Barnett Shale has been producing natural gas for more than a decade. Its findings aided in developing the technical blueprint for additional shale plays in the United States. However, as other plays emerged, the Barnett Shale became less critical. The Marcellus shale, which runs over Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, is another essential shale play.
The United States consumes a lot of natural gas. Shale gas contributes to around 14% of the total supply in the United States. Production is projected to climb further. Shale gas is expected to account for roughly half of the total natural gas supply in the United States by 2035. Natural gas burns cleaner than coal and oil and generates lower amounts of significant pollutants. Natural gas burning, for example, emits half the amount of CO2 as coal combustion.
Natural gas has gradually replaced coal as the principal source of electricity in recent years. Gas's contribution to energy generation was approximately half that of coal in 2018. Furthermore, coal consumption in Europe and the United States has decreased dramatically. As a result, coal-fired power accounts for less than 10% of overall energy consumption in the United States. This reduction was caused by increased natural gas utilization and renewable energy efficiency, which reduced the demand for coal-fired power.
Another reason to switch to natural gas is that it burns cleaner. As a result, it produces fewer byproducts per unit of energy than both coal and petroleum. Furthermore, it contains half the carbon and one-tenth the air pollutants of coal. As a result, natural gas has the potential to play a critical role in reducing CO2 emissions and air pollution shortly.
CO2 capture and storage (CCS) is a technology that minimizes CO2 emissions from coal-fired power stations. This technology is being researched worldwide, and the UK government has committed to funding the development of the first CCS coal-fired power station. In addition, Australia, China, and the United States are already utilizing the technology.
The technology can be retrofitted into existing power plants and is suitable for areas with few technological options. It also can manufacture long-distance synthetic fuels and is a low-cost technique for manufacturing hydrogen. As a result, the technology has the potential to significantly reduce the global economy's carbon footprint and balance emissions from other difficult-to-address industries.
The combination of biomass combustion and CCS can reduce industrial CO2 emissions even further. Biomass collects CO2 from the atmosphere and can be burned to provide energy and fuel. BECCS can produce a net reduction in CO2 emissions by capturing CO2 from industrial sources and transferring it to deep geological reservoirs.
Natural gas and energy companies must improve their communication with end users to succeed. They can adjust their messages to meet the needs of end users if they understand what they desire. Furthermore, companies must understand how to target their audience to optimize their influence. As a result, they may produce fact-based and instructional-focused marketing and outreach tools. This will assist them in identifying allies and mobilizing supporters.
Alternatives to fossil fuels are becoming increasingly popular. They do not want to be burdened by exorbitant prices and reliance on foreign adversaries. However, popular opinion has not been represented in policy debates. Instead, discussions are centered on decarbonizing the economy and lowering energy consumption. However, natural gas and energy companies can help bridge the gap between policy and public opinion.