*Welfare costs of outdoor pollution in non-OECD to rise between $2,000 & &3,000 per capita by 2060
*Natural gas to reduce emissions by 30% in transportation
OpeOluwani Akintayo
21 August 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — The International Gas Union, IGU, has attributed 3.5 million deaths to household air pollution from the use of solid fuels such as firewood and charcoal in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
The union revealed this in its recently released 2017 Global Natural Gas Insights themed: NATURAL GAS: The energy for today and the future.
According to the publication, Sub-Saharan Africa and developing Asia represent over 95% of these communities that lack access to basic human necessity such as clean energy.
The group proposed that the use of natural gas will best suite the the needs of less privileged communities.
“Natural gas is perfectly suited to address this vital human need. Advancements in small-scale LNG and distributed energy technologies are unlocking new opportunities for energizing communities where no existing energy delivery infrastructure is in place. Natural gas can help communities gain access to safe, reliable, and affordable energy, which can spur economic development and improve healthcare, education, and lives”, it said.
The report said high pollution costs associated with coal makes it a more expensive option, despite its lower marginal cost, adding that the welfare costs of outdoor pollution in non-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, non-OECD, countries exceeded $500 per capita in 2015 and are projected to rise to between $2,000 and $3,000 per capita by 2060.
In the area of transportation, the IGU disclosed that natural gas will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20-30% when compared with diesel and gasoline if used as transportation fuel.
“Natural Gas in the transportation sector enables cleaner mobility. Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas mobility can deliver cost- effective solutions to reduce the emission of pollutants in applications related to short, medium, and long-distance transport of persons and goods. Proven and commercially available technologies exist for passenger, return-to-base commercial, heavier transport vehicles, rail and marine transport applications’, it said.
The IGU also disclosed that the use of natural gas in transportation is seeing rapid growth, offering significant long-term cost savings, while greatly improving air-quality.
“Natural gas is the cleanest hydrocarbon fuel available. As a transportation fuel, natural gas can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20-30%, when compared with diesel and gasoline. The exhaust emissions of natural gas vehicles, offer reductions of common urban pollutants. LNG is a low emissions marine fuel allowing operators to meet their sulphur and nitrogen oxides reduction obligations under the International Maritime Organization regulations,” it said.
Talking about electricity, the group argued that the choice of natural gas guarantees a clean, reliable, efficient, and economical energy source for electricity generation, heating and hot water supply, cooking and motor fuel.
“A key feedstock in industry across a range of sectors, from agriculture to chemicals, natural gas facilitates a wide range of life-enhancing products,” the report added.
The report said global natural gas resources are growing and are increasingly geographically diverse.
“There are sufficient technically recoverable natural gas resources to last for at least the next 235 years at current production levels,” it said.
