The Roll of Natural Gas in a Deeply Decarbonized World

There are many pathways to decarbonize natural gas. Do we replace it, full stop? If so, with what? Or do we blend natural gas with alternatives, or rip up the old infrastructure and replace it with something new? 

There's a lot to unpack here. But also a lot of opportunities for innovators in the climatetech world. To dig into it, Shayle turns to Andy Lubershane, the senior vice president for research & strategy at Energy Impact Partners.

Andy and Shayle talk about natural gas’ existential threat: upstream methane emissions. 

And remember the utility death spiral? Andy argues that, if solar and DERs continue on their current rise, natural gas infrastructure might actually face a death spiral itself.

They talk about capturing methane emissions, replacing gas with hydrogen, recovering solid carbon, and renewable natural gas.

And where might natural gas stay strong? Andy says to keep an eye on distribution-level building heat. 

Catalyst is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.

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