天然气在美国的作用.S.
在能源消耗方面，美国仅次于中国.S. draws from a variety of energy sources to support its population of roughly 330 million people. 这种能源结构中最突出的是天然气, 多亏了当地的丰富资源, 可购性, 与其他碳氢化合物相比，可靠性和排放量更低.
世界上最大的天然气生产商
美国.S. 是世界上最大的天然气生产国吗, drawing from basins such as the Marcellus and Utica Shale formations in Appalachia and the Haynesville Shale formation in Louisiana and East Texas. 事实上，美国.S. 地质调查局估计了阿巴拉契亚山脉的地层 估计平均持有214万亿立方英尺 of undiscovered, technically recoverable continuous resources of natural gas. Advancements in drilling and extraction technologies have made it possible to produce large quantities of natural gas 安全 and at a reasonable cost, 为消费者提供本地供应来源.
消费者需求不断增长
美国的天然气消费量.S. 与产量同步增长. 长期用于家庭供暖和为工业部门提供燃料, natural gas in recent years has become a primary fuel source for power generation. This marked change is reflected in a few recent datapoints from the U.S. 能源情报署(EIA):
- 2020年4月，天然气消费量实际上增长了2%. 一年前.
就在这个月，美国经济总体下滑.S. energy consumption fell to its lowest level in more than 30 years. 可能受到居家令的影响, residential consumption of natural gas was 15% higher in April 2020 vs. 一年前. - Natural gas-fired power generation in the Lower 48 jumped 9% in the first half of 2020 vs. 一年前.
目前，天然气发电机组占美国能源供应的最大份额.S. 发电能力. - More than 100 coal-fired plants have been replaced or converted to natural gas in the U.S. 自2011年以来.
The decision for plants to switch from coal to natural gas has been driven by stricter emission standards, 天然气价格低, 以及更高效的天然气涡轮技术.
可再生能源发展带来的稳定性
“Natural gas is a key power generation resource because it has the flexibility to supply electricity at any time, 包括在需求高峰时期,环评解释道. This contrasts with some renewable energy technologies and nuclear power plants that may not be able to adjust their generation to meet shifts in power load.
As renewable technologies evolve and take on more generation capacity in the U.S. electric power sector, natural gas will continue to serve as a lynchpin in the U.S. energy mix—ensuring the lights stay on when our communities need them the most.
天然气保险
看看天然气是如何支持我们的. It provides energy when renewables don’t have enough power stored, 来帮助我们跟上现代的生活方式.