A number of experts in the field of energy affirmed that natural gas currently represents the cornerstone of the transition to clean energy that the world is witnessing, and gas is characterized by its ability to provide the necessary flexibility to face the fluctuation of energy production from renewable sources and ensures a more stable and dense electrical system; and most importantly for humans and nature it contains less harmful emissions and has multiple uses.
Natural gas is by far the most prominent source of clean energy, as it is safe, economical, and environmentally friendly. The technological and industrial development witnessed by the world has led to an increase in the uses of natural gas and facilitated the possibility of transporting it through transmission lines to be a fuel and a safe alternative to other fuels that are still used in electricity generation and energy-intensive industries (EIIs).
In this context, Ahmed Tartar, an international expert in the field of energy, told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that natural gas is an essentially non-polluting fossil product, and contains a small percentage of carbon emissions, and it is used as a clean source in the process of transition to clean energy, as it is involved in the formation of many targeted renewable energy products such as green hydrogen and ammonia of all kinds, and it is also essential in the formation of electricity, and therefore natural gas is an accompaniment to the desired energy transition process.
He said that the natural gas industry will play a bigger role in the energy system of the future than it is today, so that liquefied natural gas (LNG) can be easily transported when it is needed, and carbon emissions from natural gas are about 50% lower on average than coal when used to produce electricity.
For his part, former Algerian Minister of Energy and international expert Prof. Abderrahmane Mebtoul told QNA that major international companies in the field of energy are racing to win modern strategies that limit carbon emissions, and move towards renewable energies as well as the gas industry and the marketing of natural gas as a clean alternative to coal; and major energy companies are working to reduce methane emissions.
He added that major gas producing companies seek to achieve near-zero emissions of methane gas by 2030, and that the gas industry has a great future worldwide, especially between 2040 and 2050, where gas and renewable energies with hydrogen will constitute 70% of global consumption, according to the latest studies from the US, and this is promising for this natural material, which its transformation to daily products will become a reality soon.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) says that while the crude oil demand growth rate is trending downward, the growth rate of demand for LNG will be strong and significant in the next few years.
The IEA expects oil and gas demand to peak by 2030 considering current policies to eliminate carbon emissions and efforts to combat climate change.
The IEA said in a special report issued recently that taking stronger measures to confront climate change will lead to a sharp decline in demand for oil and gas, and that governments commitment to their climate agenda at the local level would reduce demand for both types of fuel by 45% by 2050 compared to its current level. Reliance on the use of oil and gas energy may decline by 75% by the same date if efforts to maintain average global temperatures at 1.5 degrees Celsius succeed and reach the goal of completely eliminating harmful emissions by the middle of the current century.
The global energy scene is witnessing a remarkable transformation due to several factors, including the increasing pace of climate change, rising global demand, and international crises, the latest of which is the war in Ukraine.
In this context, Managing Director at Green Energy Cluster Algeria Prof. Boukhalfa Yaici told QNA that the war in Ukraine played a role in accelerating the transition to clean energy, and the European Union has classified natural gas as a clean energy source, as well as encouraging bank investments in this field, like wind and solar energy. He added that the gas industry is developing rapidly, and called on the gas-rich Arab countries to invest in this field and harness the necessary capabilities to benefit from this transformation in the energy path, because this will bring them great profits.
He said that the world is suffering from a severe climate crisis, and the negatives of global warming are clear, so the gas industry is one of the most important and indispensable solutions given the damage it has suffered due to the war in Ukraine and the interruption of Russian oil supplies, adding that the world will see more and more demand for natural gas than for coal and petroleum, and that’s where the essence of the energy transition lies.
With increasing pressure on the hydrocarbon industry to decarbonize, the gas market may witness flexibility in demand, as gas still has an important role to play in enhancing global energy supplies with a shift to renewable sources, as it is a reliable source and the least emitting type of fossil fuel. Natural gas has long been touted as a good starting point for a world looking to replace coal with renewable energy, and the theory goes that with the construction of solar arrays and wind farms, natural gas could be an effective alternative to toxic fuels such as coal and, in some cases, oil that threaten humanity from all sides.
