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> But when you consider the methane leaks from wellheads and pipelines and facilities it is roughly as bad as coal for climate. This makes intuitive sense. But
by dcolkitt 7y ago
> But when you consider the methane leaks from wellheads and pipelines and facilities it is roughly as bad as coal for climate.
This makes intuitive sense. But do you have a source for how that calculation was determined. My understanding is that the impact of methane viz-a-viz carbon is highly sensitive to the time frame that you're considering. Methane is highly potent in terms of warning but quickly breaks down in the atmosphere.
- Dumblydorr 7y agoQuickly is a relative term. Methane won't exist for millennia like CO2, but it will contribute to positive feedback loops in the coming decades in the climate that lead to further warming. Ideally, gas should be deployed as a transitional and backup energy source; let's use it to kill coal, then let's use it as flexible generation once renewables are much higher %. This is assuming batteries and other storage don't ramp quickly enough.