What is natural gas? Is it renewable? You’ve got questions and we’ve got answers! Let’s dive in.
What is Natural Gas?
Natural gas is typically found in association with petroleum deposits and coal beds. It is a fossil fuel that is composed mainly of methane. Natural gas is often referred to as fossil methane, or fossil fuel methane. Natural gas is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. It is also known as coal bed methane, biogas, or biomethane.
The vast majority of methane in the United States produced from natural gas (about 88%) comes from the fermentation of organic matter underground. The largest source of naturally-occurring methane in the U.S. is the biological degradation of organic matter in landfills and land mines.
Renewable Energy vs. Nonrenewable Energy
What is Renewable Energy?
Renewable energy is a type of energy that can be cycled and regenerated naturally. Renewable energy sources are commonly defined in contrast to nonrenewable ones such as fossil fuels derived from petroleum or coal, which have finite reserves and will eventually run out if not constantly replenished.
Technically, renewable resources are those that can be reused without having depleted in the process of being consumed. This includes solar power, wind power, hydropower, etc. Such resources are said to be renewably produced because they recycle themselves within a given region over time.
What is Nonrenewable Energy?
Nonrenewable energy sources include most fossil fuels, including oil and coal, as well as nuclear power. No matter how much it may be used, each source can only be consumed once.
Nonrenewable energy sources often require more processing before they can be used, and the process of extracting non-renewable resources may not occur in a sustainable manner if they continue to be extracted.
Why is it important to know the difference between natural gas, renewable energy, and nonrenewable energy? Because there are many forms of energy that are nonrenewable.
We use nonrenewable energy to power our mobile devices, heat our homes, or heat our cars. We use nonrenewable energy to power our factories and homes. Nonrenewable energy comes from finite sources, and when it runs out, we’ll need to find another source of energy.
Is Natural Gas Renewable?
Well, that depends on what kind of natural gas we are talking about. Most natural gases are not fully renewable, but it is better for the environment. When burnt, natural gas emits up to 45% fewer greenhouse gases than coal. A ton of coal produces 2.7 tons of CO2 and natural gas produces only 1 ton of CO2 when burnt. That’s a vast difference! However, the extraction and processing stages may release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than other sources such as wind or solar energy since we’re still drawing from fossil fuels at this stage in the process.
As stated above, MOST natural gases are not fully renewable, but biomethane or biogas is a natural gas that is renewable.
What is Biomethane and Why is it Renewable?
Biomethane is gas produced by the anaerobic fermentation of organic matter. All forms of methane can be used to make biomethane, as well as many other useful forms of energy.
Biogas is a mixture of natural gas and biomethane that can be used as a substitute for natural gas in vehicles, industries, and portable fuel appliances. Biogas is a renewable fuel because bacteria convert organic matter in the soil or sewerage into methane, which can then be captured in the form of biomethanation gas for use in vehicles.
Do we have a source of renewable energy?
We certainly do! In fact, we have access to the most powerful renewable resource in the world–the sun. Going solar is an excellent way to get renewable energy and we are here to help you get clean energy!
Research has shown that solar energy provides a better return on investment than wind and hydro-power and it also provides many benefits. For example, it is a clean renewable source of electricity and the sun’s rays can be used for industrial purposes such as heating water, drying crops, and producing electricity or heat. Solar energy is free, reliable, and naturally replenish-able. They require no fuel to operate, thus they are truly renewable sources of energy.
Let’s recap: What is natural gas? Natural gas is a fossil fuel that is mainly comprised of methane. Is natural gas renewable? In short, no. In fact, it is not fully renewable, but is better for the environment. What kind of natural gas can be used to produce renewable energy? Biogas. Is biogas renewable? Yes!
