In your home, gas can be used to heat your house in the winter, and cool your house in the summer. Natural gas is less costly than using electricity or fuel oil. Gas can also be used to power some home appliances, like stoves, clothes dryers, and fireplaces.
In industry, natural gas is used to manufacture pulp and paper, metals, chemicals, stone, clay, glass, and to process certain foods. Gas is also used to treat waste materials, for incineration, drying, dehumidification, heating and cooling, and cogeneration. Natural gas is now finding use as a vehicle fuel, and for fuel cell operation.
Environmental Impact:
When methane is burned completely, the principal products are carbon dioxide and water. In comparison, oil and coal have more complicated molecular structures, including a higher ratio of carbon, as well as various sulfur and nitrogen compounds. Coal and industrial fuel oil combustion also produces ash particles.
The burning of natural gas results in virtually no emissions of sulfur dioxide or particulate matter, and far lower emissions of CO, reactive hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides (NOx ) than combustion of other fossil fuels. Natural gas combustion reduces ozone pollution in urban areas through the reduction of emissions of reactive hydrocarbons and NOx. Acid rain is also reduced, since natural gas combustion releases little sulfur dioxide and NOx. A boiler operating on natural gas emits, on average, only .0006 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million BTU of fuel burned. Other fuels, in contrast, emit up to 6 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million BTU.
The principal greenhouse gases that are thought to cause global warming are carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, and nitrous oxide. Carbon dioxide accounts for over half of the heat trapped, while methane is a secondary contributor. The burning of fossil fuel accounts for 75-80% of carbon dioxide emissions, and 20-30% of methane emissions. Natural gas, when burned, emits up to 45% less carbon dioxide than other fuels.
Gasoline-powered vehicles contribute about three-fourths of the CO pollution found in urban areas. They also produce most of the hydrocarbons and a significant amount of NOx.