Unused natural gas behind NYC's $300 million waste of a potent greenhouse gas
Methane emissions from the New York City metropolitan area are largely driven by natural gas use, according to a new study published today in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics by researchers at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, part of the Columbia Climate School. The findings may offer cities an overlooked pathway for reducing methane emissions while potentially saving consumers millions of…
A new study reveals that inefficient use of natural gas in New York City buildings is contributing significantly to the city's methane emissions, equivalent to losing nearly $300 million worth of natural gas each year. Researchers from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory found that methane emissions from natural gas usage account for about 1.7% of all gas delivered in the metropolitan area.
These emissions are primarily due to appliances and heating systems operating inefficiently, burning gas incompletely rather than leaking from underground pipes. The study highlights that methane emissions peak during winter heating months and decrease during summer cooling months, suggesting that tracking these emissions year-round is crucial.
Incomplete combustion of natural gas, which produces carbon monoxide, was identified as the main source of emissions, while pipeline leaks were detected less frequently. This research underscores the need for better efficiency in natural gas use to reduce methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas with more than 80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
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