CGA FOR GAWDA
Update
CO2 Solutions Coalition Bridging the Gap Between Environmental Concerns and Essential Uses
BY: RICH GOTTWALD, PRESIDENT AND CEO, COMPRESSED GAS ASSOCIATION
Richard Gottwald is President and CEO of the Compressed Gas Association (CGA). He can be reached at 703788-2748 or rgottwald@ cganet.com.
As you may already know, the Compressed Gas Association (CGA), is an association made up of more than 160 companies worldwide, from multinational corporations to family-owned businesses. Compressed gases provide the invisible ingredient in millions of products used in everyday life. Together, our members supply products to industries that account for nearly 30% of the U.S. gross domestic product. Every job our industry creates generates 2.3 additional jobs elsewhere in the economy. Just this past year, we embarked on an important mission to protect a gas that we all interact with in one way or another, every day, Carbon Dioxide.
CO2: A GREENHOUSE GAS According to the U.S. EPA, CO2 is the primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities, representing 79% of total emissions, followed by methane (11%), nitrous oxide (7%) and fluo72 • First Quarter 2024
rinated gases (3%). Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, which scientists say leads to global warming. The main human activity that emits CO2 is the combustion of fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil) for energy and transportation. Certain industrial processes and land-use changes also emit CO2. However, Carbon Dioxide is also a very important and critical ingredient in many industries. Today, use of CO2 in North America for critical applications amounts to approximately 0.23% of the total industrial CO2 emissions.
ESSENTIAL APPLICATIONS In addition to our biological need for carbon dioxide, CO2 has many beneficial uses in today’s society. Here are just a few: • Carbon dioxide, either as a gas, liquid, or solid (dry ice), is often used to preserve or freeze foods. Liquid carbon dioxide or dry ice is used to quickly freeze foods. Quickly