Challenges and Opportunities for Gas As the International Gas Union celebrates its 90th anniversary, the energy landscape and the debates that inform it are shifting at an unprecedented pace
By Matthew Doman X China is the biggest importer of natural gas both via pipeline and as LNG through terminals such as Guangdong Dapeng in Guangdong Province.
Rapid change is nothing new to the gas
called town gas that was used in many cities
than 30 importing ones. And, as liquefied
industry. It is important to remember that when
was produced from coal; hence the more
natural gas, it is shipped from 20 countries
IGU was established in 1931, the bulk of the
appropriate term manufactured gas.
to customers in 43 importing countries
world’s primary energy needs were met by coal
Today, natural gas supplies almost a
and territories.
or traditional biomass (wood fuels, agricultural
quarter of global primary energy demand
by-products and dung). Oil played a relatively
(see the graph over). It is exported by pipelines
over 100 countries and has played a signifi-
small role and natural gas a smaller one. The so-
by more than 20 exporting countries to more
cant role in giving millions of people around
Gas helps meet the energy needs of
the world access to safe, sustainable and affordable energy for the first time. Gas is the source of 23% of the world’s electricity, and is enabling the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar in many countries. Natural gas does more than generate electricity. It is an essential feedstock in the production of a wide range of products such as glass, plastics, building materials, electrical appliances, clothing, health and sporting equipment. The global gas industry has also been an investor and innovator in the development of renewable gases (including hydrogen), decarbonised gases and low-carbon gas. This capacity for innovation and change will be critical to the industry in the years ahead. 142
Challenges and Opportunities for Gas
