Natural gas electricity generation will provide an average of 3.8 million megawatt-hours per day this year in the U.S. is projected to break power production as the hot summer months approach and demand for air conditioning rises.
Natural gas electricity generation will provide an average of 3.8 million megawatt-hours per day this year, a 4% increase from 2015, according to the Energy Information Administration.
In its recent short-term energy outlook, natural gas-fired generation is expected to reach a record level in July and August when the demand for air conditioning peak and levels push well over normal.
Beating out coal by a long shot, natural gas has become the top supplier of electricity in the U.S over the last few years. The switch is spurred by the extreme upswing in shale oil and gas production from fracking, which has transformed the nation into one of the largest fossil fuel producers in the world. Natural gas has also reduced U.S. greenhouse gas emissions significantly.
Here is a chart conducted by U.S. Energy Information Administration showing pounds of CO2 emitted per million British thermal units (Btu) of energy for various fuels:
- Carbon (anthracite) → 228.6
- Coal (bituminous) → 205.7
- Coal (lignite) → 215.4
- Coal (subbituminous) → 214.3
- Diesel fuel and heating oil → 161.3
- Gasoline → 157.2
- Propane → 139.0
- Natural Gas → 117.0
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