In support of a legally mandated public interest determination, a U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) life cycle analysis fou
Abstract
In support of a legally mandated public interest determination, a U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) life cycle analysis found that use of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) in European and Asian electric power plants results in lower overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than if locally produced coal is used to fuel the power sector. An influential academic work came to the opposite conclusion. Examination of the technical details of both studies reveals that NETL selected methods and data that favor gas, while the academic report selected methods and data that favor coal. There is no implication that either study was driven by a desire to come to any predetermined conclusion. However, we find that, although they came to opposite conclusions, the two studies – and other recent studies of this issue – share methodological flaws that render them unreliable. This finding suggests that future life cycle analyses should be informed by the most sophisticated analytical tools available, including general circulation models of global average temperature increase. Moreover, assessments should not be restricted to the gas-coal duopoly but should include techno-economic studies of the roles renewable and decarbonized sources of energy can play in importing countries.
