New IGU study underscores role of natural gas in improving air quality
A new report from the International Gas Union highlights the case studies of four cities—Beijing, Shanghai and Urumqi in China, along with Santiago, Chile—that have benefited from dramatic improvements in air quality by switching to natural gas.
The new research focuses heavily on the reasons behind and the positive benefits following a widespread shift from coal to natural gas in residential and industrial energy production.
“This report, the third of its kind from the IGU, yet again demonstrates the significant contribution that natural gas can make in cleaning up the dirty and polluted air in our cities,” Menelaos Ydreos, director of external affairs for IGU, told American Gas. “What is most revealing is how fast the improvements can be delivered when gas replaces mainly coal in generation, industrial use, and domestic heating and cooking.”
In 2013, Beijing was experiencing a pollution crisis: More than 50 percent of the days that year were ranked as unhealthy or worse for air quality. In 2015, the city implemented an aggressive coal-to-gas substitution policy, and in 2017, particulate matter concentrations had dropped by 54 percent from their 2016 levels.
In 2012, Shanghai became the first city in China to embark on a coal-fired boiler retrofit program. Supply was enabled with the completion of transmission and distribution pipe networks, and measures were enacted to replace coal boilers with gas boilers. The city established a fund for gas project incentives and stipulated that the entire metropolitan area must become coal-free by the end of 2015. By 2016, these actions had resulted in a measurable reduction of all major air pollutants.
The city of Urumqi had one of the worst air-quality rankings in China because of coal combustion, heavy traffic and the burning of biomass, all of which emitted harmful aerosols. Air-quality improvements launched in 2012 that called for replacing coal-fired heating with natural gas led to substantial drops in particulate matter concentration. More importantly, the city’s population saw a 73 percent reduction in pollution-related lung cancer.
The final case study highlights Santiago, Chile, a city once known for its poor air quality, where a switch to natural gas has played a central role in air-quality regulation and improvement.
“More must be done to tackle the severe impact [poor urban air quality] is having on human health without sacrificing economic growth,” said David Carroll, president of the IGU. “Shanghai, Beijing, Urumqi and Santiago are four prime examples of how this is achievable, with natural gas playing a leading role.”