Fossil Fuel Emission Levels - Pounds per Billion Btu of Energy Input | |||
Pollutant | Natural Gas | Oil | Coal |
Carbon Dioxide | 117,000 | 164,000 | 208,000 |
Carbon Monoxide | 40 | 33 | 208 |
Nitrogen Oxides | 92 | 448 | 457 |
Sulfur Dioxide | 1 | 1,122 | 2,591 |
Particulates | 7 | 84 | 2,744 |
Mercury | 0.000 | 0.007 | 0.016 |
Source: EIA - Natural Gas Issues and Trends 1998 |
Natural gas, as the cleanest of the fossil fuels, can be used in many ways to help reduce the emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere. Burning natural gas in the place of other fossil fuels emits fewer harmful pollutants, and an increased reliance on natural gas can potentially reduce the emission of many of these most harmful pollutants.
Natural gas combustion produces almost 45 percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions than coal, emits lower levels of nitrogen oxides and particulates, and produces virtually no sulfur dioxide and mercury emissions. The lower levels of these emissions mean that the use of natural gas does not contribute significantly to smog or acid rain formation. In addition, because natural gas boilers do not need the scrubbers required by coal-fired power plants to reduce SO2 emissions, natural gas plants create much less toxic sludge. (Natural Gas .org)
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