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SUMMARY:Methane Leakage and the Greenhouse Gas Footprint of Natural Gas - 
 Prof. David Mays\, University of Colorado\, Denver
DTSTART:20170907T133000Z
DTEND:20170907T143000Z
UID:TALK79131@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Vanessa Blake
DESCRIPTION:In order to minimize adverse impacts of global climate change\
 , the need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electricity gener
 ation is now widely recognized. In this context\, natural gas has been pro
 posed as a bridge fuel offering short-term reductions in GHG emissions pri
 or to long-term deployment of renewable sources such as solar\, wind\, and
  hydroelectric. Natural gas has been proposed as a bridge fuel because\, w
 ithout leakage\, its carbon dioxide-equivalent emission (i.e.\, its GHG fo
 otprint) is approximately half that of coal per kilowatt-hour of electrici
 ty generated. However\, the primary component of natural gas is methane\, 
 whose global warming potential (GWP) is significantly larger than the refe
 rence gas carbon dioxide. This means leakage reduces natural gas’s GHG a
 dvantage over coal. Indeed\, with enough leakage\, natural gas has a large
 r GHG footprint than coal. This seminar answers the question: How much lea
 kage renders the GHG emissions from natural gas equivalent to coal? This q
 uestion is answered using a simple model that assumes the GHG footprint fo
 r each fuel is the sum of emissions from (1) electricity generation and (2
 ) methane leakage. Emissions from electricity generation are taken from pu
 blished life-cycle assessments. Assuming natural gas is 80% methane\, emis
 sions from leakage are converted to carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions us
 ing GWP factors provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
  Results are presented on a single figure showing the GHG footprint of ele
 ctricity from natural gas\, coal\, and renewables as a function of methane
  leakage and time horizon. This figure shows what leakage allows near-idea
 l GHG emissions\, what leakage makes coal-equivalent GHG emissions\, what 
 leakage renders GHG emissions exceeding coal\, and how these rates depend 
 on the time horizon selected. The conclusion of this analysis is that cont
 rol of leakage is essential for natural gas to offer reduced GHG emissions
  compared to coal.
LOCATION:Lecture Theatre 3\, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotec
 hnology\, West Cambridge Site
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