IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-41527-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of methane leakage on the role of natural gas in the European energy transition

Author

Listed:
  • Behrang Shirizadeh

    (6 Place de La Pyramide Tour Majunga Deloitte
    CIRED, 45 bis avenue de La Belle Gabrielle)

  • Manuel Villavicencio

    (6 Place de La Pyramide Tour Majunga Deloitte)

  • Sebastien Douguet

    (6 Place de La Pyramide Tour Majunga Deloitte)

  • Johannes Trüby

    (6 Place de La Pyramide Tour Majunga Deloitte)

  • Charbel Bou Issa

    (6 Place de La Pyramide Tour Majunga Deloitte)

  • Gondia Sokhna Seck

    (IFP Energies Nouvelles, 1-4 Avenue Bois Preau)

  • Vincent D’herbemont

    (IFP Energies Nouvelles, 1-4 Avenue Bois Preau)

  • Emmanuel Hache

    (IFP Energies Nouvelles, 1-4 Avenue Bois Preau)

  • Louis-Marie Malbec

    (IFP Energies Nouvelles, 1-4 Avenue Bois Preau)

  • Jerome Sabathier

    (IFP Energies Nouvelles, 1-4 Avenue Bois Preau)

  • Malavika Venugopal

    (Carbon Limits, C. J. Hambros plass 2)

  • Fanny Lagrange

    (Carbon Limits, C. J. Hambros plass 2)

  • Stephanie Saunier

    (Carbon Limits, C. J. Hambros plass 2)

  • Julian Straus

    (SINTEF Energy Research, Sem Sælands Vei 11)

  • Gunhild A. Reigstad

    (SINTEF Energy Research, Sem Sælands Vei 11)

Abstract

Decarbonising energy systems is a prevalent topic in the current literature on climate change mitigation, but the additional climate burden caused by methane emissions along the natural gas value chain is rarely discussed at the system level. Considering a two-basket greenhouse gas neutrality objective (both CO2 and methane), we model cost-optimal European energy transition pathways towards 2050. Our analysis shows that adoption of best available methane abatement technologies can entail an 80% reduction in methane leakage, limiting the additional environmental burden to 8% of direct CO2 emissions (vs. 35% today). We show that, while renewable energy sources are key drivers of climate neutrality, the role of natural gas strongly depends on actions to abate both associated CO2 and methane emissions. Moreover, clean hydrogen (produced mainly from renewables) can replace natural gas in a substantial proportion of its end-uses, satisfying nearly a quarter of final energy demand in a climate-neutral Europe.

Suggested Citation

  • Behrang Shirizadeh & Manuel Villavicencio & Sebastien Douguet & Johannes Trüby & Charbel Bou Issa & Gondia Sokhna Seck & Vincent D’herbemont & Emmanuel Hache & Louis-Marie Malbec & Jerome Sabathier & , 2023. "The impact of methane leakage on the role of natural gas in the European energy transition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-41527-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41527-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41527-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-41527-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Julianne DeAngelo & Inês Azevedo & John Bistline & Leon Clarke & Gunnar Luderer & Edward Byers & Steven J. Davis, 2021. "Energy systems in scenarios at net-zero CO2 emissions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Jeffrey D. Sachs & Guido Schmidt-Traub & Mariana Mazzucato & Dirk Messner & Nebojsa Nakicenovic & Johan Rockström, 2019. "Six Transformations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(9), pages 805-814, September.
    3. Oytun Babacan & Sven Causmaecker & Ajay Gambhir & Mathilde Fajardy & A. William Rutherford & Andrea Fantuzzi & Jenny Nelson, 2020. "Assessing the feasibility of carbon dioxide mitigation options in terms of energy usage," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 5(9), pages 720-728, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Wanying Wu & Haibo Zhai & Eugene Holubnyak, 2024. "Technological evolution of large-scale blue hydrogen production toward the U.S. Hydrogen Energy Earthshot," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chi Zhang & Zhongchang Sun & Qiang Xing & Jialong Sun & Tianyu Xia & Hao Yu, 2021. "Localizing Indicators of SDG11 for an Integrated Assessment of Urban Sustainability—A Case Study of Hainan Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Sonika Redhu & Pragati Jain, 2024. "Unveiling the nexus between water scarcity and socioeconomic development in the water-scarce countries," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(8), pages 19557-19577, August.
    3. Keeheon Lee, 2021. "A Systematic Review on Social Sustainability of Artificial Intelligence in Product Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-29, March.
    4. Ida Kubiszewski & Kenneth Mulder & Diane Jarvis & Robert Costanza, 2022. "Toward better measurement of sustainable development and wellbeing: A small number of SDG indicators reliably predict life satisfaction," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 139-148, February.
    5. Oliver Reader, M. & Eppinga, Maarten B. & de Boer, Hugo J. & Petchey, Owen L. & Santos, Maria J., 2024. "Consistent ecosystem service bundles emerge across global mountain, island and delta systems," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    6. Björnemalm, Rickard & Sandström, Christian & Åkesson, Nelly, 2023. "A Public Choice Perspective on Mission-Oriented Innovation Policies and the Behavior of Government Agencies," Ratio Working Papers 366, The Ratio Institute.
    7. Puertas, Rosa & Guaita-Martinez, José M. & Marti, Luisa, 2023. "Analysis of the impact of university policies on society's environmental perception," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    8. Amin Jan & Mário Nuno Mata & Pia A. Albinsson & José Moleiro Martins & Rusni Bt Hassan & Pedro Neves Mata, 2021. "Alignment of Islamic Banking Sustainability Indicators with Sustainable Development Goals: Policy Recommendations for Addressing the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-38, March.
    9. Koundouri, Phoebe & Theodossiou, Nicolaos & Stavridis, Charalampos & Devves, Stathis & Plataniotis, Angelos, 2022. "A methodology for linking the Energy-related Policies of the European Green Deal to the 17 SDGs using Machine Learning," MPRA Paper 122118, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Lejla Terzić, 2024. "An investigation of the interlinkages between green growth dimensions, the energy trilemma, and sustainable development goals: Evidence from G7 and E7 economies," Ekonomista, Polskie Towarzystwo Ekonomiczne, issue 1, pages 24-53.
    11. Iban, Muzaffer Can & Aksu, Oktay, 2020. "A model for big spatial rural data infrastructure in Turkey: Sensor-driven and integrative approach," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    12. Paola Perez-Aleman & Tommaso Ferretti, 2023. "Creating innovation capabilities for improving global health: Inventing technology for neglected tropical diseases in Brazil," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 84-114, March.
    13. Mehmet Çağlar & Cem Gürler, 2022. "Sustainable Development Goals: A cluster analysis of worldwide countries," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 8593-8624, June.
    14. Zhang, Dongyang & Kong, Qunxi, 2022. "Renewable energy policy, green investment, and sustainability of energy firms," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 118-133.
    15. Jan Anton van Zanten & Rob van Tulder, 2020. "Beyond COVID-19: Applying “SDG logics” for resilient transformations," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(4), pages 451-464, December.
    16. Denise Anselmi & Idiano D’Adamo & Massimo Gastaldi & Ginevra Virginia Lombardi, 2024. "A comparison of economic, environmental and social performance of European countries: a sustainable development goal index," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(8), pages 20653-20677, August.
    17. Rozenn Perrigot & Komlanvi Elom Gbetchi, 2023. "Social franchise chains operating in African countries: are their social goals aligned with the 2030 United Nations sustainable development goals?," Post-Print hal-03715585, HAL.
    18. Peterson K. Ozili & Paul Terhemba Iorember, 2024. "Financial stability and sustainable development," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 2620-2646, July.
    19. Reyes-Menendez, Ana & Clemente-Mediavilla, Jorge & Villagra, Nuria, 2023. "Understanding STI and SDG with artificial intelligence: A review and research agenda for entrepreneurial action," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    20. Shirizadeh, Behrang & Quirion, Philippe, 2023. "Long-term optimization of the hydrogen-electricity nexus in France: Green, blue, or pink hydrogen?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-41527-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.