What are the environmental benefits of liquified natural gas (LNG)?

The 21st century demands adaptable energy solutions that not only sustainably meet the economic needs of energy companies and their customers but also protect the environment in the face of climate change and pollution. Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) is the answer. LNG is the fuel of the future—and the future has finally arrived.

You have no doubt heard a lot about LNG and its tremendous potential as a cost-effective, environmentally friendly fuel source for your operation. LNG is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel and has numerous environmental advantages, providing operators a smart, safe, and affordable way to meet regulations. This includes states with some of the strictest environmental regulations and labor laws, like California.

What is LNG?

LNG is natural gas that has been cooled to minus 259-degrees Fahrenheit, making it a clear, odorless, and colorless liquid. During the liquefaction process, the natural gas is cooled below its boiling point,  which removes compounds like most hydrocarbons, water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, and some sulfur compounds. The remaining liquefied natural gas is mostly methane with only trace amounts of other hydrocarbons.

How much cleaner is LNG?

As the cleanest-burning fossil fuel, the increased use of LNG can significantly improve local air quality as well as reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. LNG releases 45-50% less CO2 than coal, 30% less CO2 than fuel oil, dramatically reduces nitrogen oxide emissions, does not emit soot, dust or fumes, and produces insignificant amounts of sulfur dioxide, mercury, and other particulates compared to other fuels.

In fact, thanks to the increased use of natural gas, energy-related carbon emissions reached an 18-year low in 2012. A 2015 study by Pace Global also concluded that if five major industrialized states—Germany, Japan, South Korea, China, and India—continued to use coal to generate electricity instead of LNG, their greenhouse gas emissions could increase up to 194-percent higher than their current emission levels. Just imagine the environmental benefits if more companies and countries switched over to clean-burning LNG.

Switching to LNG is the smart, cost-effective move.

LNG isn’t just beneficial for our global environment—it’s a smart investment for your business as well. LNG’s volume has been reduced to 1/600th of its un-liquified state, making it easier to contain and transport. LNG also weighs less than one-half as much as water, so it is not only lighter, but it also floats on top of the water, making it easier to skim off the top in the unlikely event of leaks or spillage.

LNG can play a critical role in your renewable energy mix.

LNG offers a flexible addition to your operation’s renewable energy mix. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory concluded: “Power generation based on natural gas offers the flexibility and increased dispatchability that complements renewable energy power generation.” By incorporating LNG into your operation’s energy mix,  you can continue to produce electricity when wind or solar resources fluctuate, providing essential power when you need it, while still limiting carbon dioxide emissions. This makes LNG an affordable, flexible solution for meeting carbon emission standards in states with even the strictest regulations.

We can help operators meet the demands of California’s labor laws.

Matrix NAC is uniquely prepared to help you capitalize on LNG’s tremendous potential, especially given the ever-changing political and economic landscape in the nation’s most populous states.  For example, California Senate Bill 54 (SB 54) went into effect in 2014 and effectively removed non-trades contractors from refinery construction work. Our unionized workforce has the skills and training your operation needs, and states such as California require. As the direct-union hire division of Matrix Service Company, Matrix NAC has provided unionized professional workers in the construction, maintenance, and repair services to energy and industrial markets across North America since 1986.

In a complex, ever-shifting marketplace with complicated regulations, LNG is the adaptable, affordable, and environmentally friendly solution your operation demands. Matrix NAC is the partner you need to realize its potential.

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