A Path to a Cleaner Energy Future with Natural Gas and Batteries

Reducing global emissions has become a focus for many countries around the world. Natural gas, the cleanest traditional fuel source, has been highlighted by experts as crucial to the transition to a clean energy future.

“Natural gas is one of the mainstays of global energy. Where it replaces more polluting fuels, it improves air quality and limits emissions of carbon dioxide”, says Dr Fatih Birol, an Executive Director and the International Energy Agency.

However, the process of extracting and shipping natural gas is energy intensive and therefore releases emissions.

That’s why some of the natural gas industry initiatives to reduce emissions from their operations are not only ground-breaking, but globally important.

In Darwin, natural gas company ConocoPhillips is installing a 4MW lithium-ion battery. The Darwin LNG facility currently operates on turbines, but requires back-up turbines to run constantly. The addition of a battery means that won’t be necessary, reducing emissions by about 20%.

Another company introducing batteries to its operations is Woodside. The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), has been installed on an offshore platform 135km off the coast of Western Australia. The battery system allows the platform to run on fewer turbines, improving efficiency and reducing emissions.

For more on how natural gas compliments renewable energy and clean energy technology, visit our gas and renewables page.