The Dash for Gas – No Climate Cure Without CCS

The authors contend that natural gas cannot solve the climate problem without carbon capture and storage (CCS), as it only offers a 50 per cent carbon dioxide reduction relative to coal, assuming no methane leakage. Given that fossil fuels are projected to remain a major energy source to meet growing global demand, particularly in developing countries, the document asserts that large-scale CCS is essential for all fossil power. While post-combustion capture (PCC) is commercially available for natural gas plants and faces fewer technical hurdles than coal PCC, the authors warn that relying on cheap, unabated natural gas may delay the commercialization of CCS. They recommend stricter CO2 emission limits, expanded incentives for enhanced oil recovery, and increased governmental support to scale up CCS technology.

• Switching from coal to natural gas without carbon capture and storage (CCS) is insufficient for climate goals because natural gas can only reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50 per cent compared to coal, provided there is no methane leakage.
• Fossil fuels will likely remain a primary energy source for decades because renewable energy and energy efficiency increases are unlikely to keep pace with the rising energy demands of developing countries.
• Post-combustion capture (PCC) for natural gas combined cycle plants is commercially available and presents fewer technical challenges than coal PCC due to fewer contaminants in gas emissions.
• The UK government intends for gas without CCS to serve only as backup power after 2030, while seeing a long-term role for gas equipped with CCS.

APA

Skriung, C. S., & Thompson, J. (2012). The Dash for Gas – No Climate Cure Without CCS. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2012/10/the-dash-for-gas-no-climate-cure-without-ccs/

Chicago

Skriung, Camilla Svendsen, and John Thompson. The Dash for Gas – No Climate Cure Without CCS. Clean Air Task Force, 2012. https://www.catf.us/2012/10/the-dash-for-gas-no-climate-cure-without-ccs/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Skriung |first1=Camilla Svendsen |last2=Thompson |first2=John |title=The Dash for Gas – No Climate Cure Without CCS |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=29 October 2012 |url=https://www.catf.us/2012/10/the-dash-for-gas-no-climate-cure-without-ccs/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{skriung2012dash, author = {Skriung, Camilla Svendsen and Thompson, John}, title = {{The Dash for Gas – No Climate Cure Without CCS}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2012}, month = oct, url = {https://www.catf.us/2012/10/the-dash-for-gas-no-climate-cure-without-ccs/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }