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US liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports: Boom or bust for the global climate?

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  • Gilbert, Alexander Q.
  • Sovacool, Benjamin K.

Abstract

Due to surging natural gas production, the United States is now a growing exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to overseas destinations. However, the potential greenhouse gas implications from increased US natural gas remain unclear. Through a hybrid lifecycle energy strategy analysis, we investigate potential greenhouse gas scenarios of US LNG exports to Asia, the largest source of global LNG demand. We find that the climate impacts of US exports to China, Japan, India, and South Korea could vary tremendously. Annual global lifecycle emissions range from −32 to +63 million metric tons CO2e per billion cubic feet (Bcf) per day of exports. Despite this range, emissions are not likely to decrease and may increase significantly due to greater global energy consumption, higher emissions in the US, and methane leakage. However, international climate obligations are a critical uncertainty underlying all emissions estimates. Our results indicate the need for further research into quantifying the climate impacts of LNG exports, and energy exports more generally.

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  • Gilbert, Alexander Q. & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2017. "US liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports: Boom or bust for the global climate?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 1671-1680.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:141:y:2017:i:c:p:1671-1680
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2017.11.098
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    2. Gilbert, Alexander Q. & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2018. "Carbon pathways in the global gas market: An attributional lifecycle assessment of the climate impacts of liquefied natural gas exports from the United States to Asia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 635-643.
    3. Paul S. Ciccantell, 2020. "Liquefied Natural Gas: Redefining Nature, Restructuring Geopolitics, Returning to the Periphery?," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 79(1), pages 265-300, January.
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    7. Vaillancourt, Kathleen & Bahn, Olivier & Roy, Pierre-Olivier & Patreau, Valérie, 2018. "Is there a future for new hydrocarbon projects in a decarbonizing energy system? A case study for Quebec (Canada)," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 114-130.
    8. Najm, Sarah & Matsumoto, Ken'ichi, 2020. "Does renewable energy substitute LNG international trade in the energy transition?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    9. Pospíšil, Jiří & Charvát, Pavel & Arsenyeva, Olga & Klimeš, Lubomír & Špiláček, Michal & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír, 2019. "Energy demand of liquefaction and regasification of natural gas and the potential of LNG for operative thermal energy storage," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 1-15.
    10. Huerta, Felipe & Vesovic, Velisa, 2019. "A realistic vapour phase heat transfer model for the weathering of LNG stored in large tanks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 280-291.

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