GE pitches for faster deployment of renewables, gas power to achieve climate goals

Accelerated and strategic deployment of both renewable energy and gas power can make substantial progress in combating climate change in the near term, while securing a path to a lower carbon-emitting world in the future, according to a paper published by GE.

Accelerated and strategic deployment of both renewable energy and gas power can make substantial progress in combating climate change in the near term, while securing a path to a lower carbon-emitting world in the future, according to a paper published by GE. It noted that just one of these two power sources would not be sufficient, and when deployed in tandem, they can provide decarbonization at the pace and scale needed to help achieve substantial climate goals.

In addition, the paper outlines multiple technical pathways for gas power to achieve a lower carbon-generating footprint through the use of low and zero-carbon fuels—including hydrogen—as well as carbon capture utilization and sequestration (CCUS) technologies. ''Addressing climate change is an urgent global priority and one that we think we can do a better job of accelerating progress on—starting now—not decades from now," said Scott Strazik, CEO of GE Gas Power.

''We believe there are critical and meaningful roles for both gas power and renewable sources of energy to play, advancing global progress faster today with coal-to-gas switching while continuing to develop multiple pathways for low-to-zero carbon gas technologies in the future,'' he said. To help meet urgent climate goals while at the same time increasing power demand across the globe, the report details the merits of gas-fired generation as a complement to support and accelerate renewable energy penetration.

The paper titled ''Accelerated Growth of Renewables and Gas Power Can Rapidly Change the Trajectory on Climate Change,'' said gas is reliable, inexpensive, and doesn't require a lot of land. Besides, it is the ideal complement to renewable energy.

While renewable power is variable, the gas power is dispatchable, dependable and flexible, available as much as 90 per cent of the time, it added. The near-term impact of coal-to-gas switching represents a fast and effective win for emissions reduction in many regions around the world, the paper said.

For example, since 2007, power sector CO2 emissions in the US have dropped by about one third while total electricity generation has remained fairly constant. The CO2 emissions reduction attributed to coal-to-gas switching was greater than that from any other fuel source. The paper provides technology and market overviews of several sources of power generation including renewables, gas, coal and nuclear as well as technology breakthroughs needed to make battery storage more cost-competitive.