In July, due to public utility companies' record demand for natural gas for electricity generation, the CO2 emissions from gas-powered electricity in the United States reached a record 96.66 million tons. The market anticipates that this month's emissions could exceed 100 million tons.
Hot weather increased the demand for electricity from air conditioning and other cooling devices, while low rainfall and reduced wind speeds decreased the supply of hydroelectric and wind power, forcing utility companies to increase the proportion of natural gas in their power generation mix to the highest level in many years.
Data from the think tank Ember shows that in the first seven months of this year, U.S. gas power's CO2 emissions were 495 million tons, a 7.2% increase compared to the same period in 2022, and 26% higher than the emissions from all gas power companies in Asia.
The CO2 emissions from natural gas electricity generation in the United States also exceeded those in Europe by 51%. However, this comparison does not take into account the reduction in gas-powered electricity in Europe due to the natural gas shortage following the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Currently, temperatures in most parts of the United States are above the long-term average, and the peak of gas-powered electricity is expected to last at least until September. The market predicts that emissions from gas-powered electricity will further climb in the coming weeks.
Due to the high temperatures in summer, especially the sustained heat in July and August, the use of air conditioning and other cooling devices has increased, often causing the CO2 emissions of the U.S. power sector to reach peak levels during the summer. This seasonal emission peak contrasts sharply with Europe and Asia, where power demand and pollution typically peak in winter.
In recent years, continual high temperatures globally have also led to a rising trend in power demand and pollution in Asia and Europe during the summer. The International Energy Agency (IEA) states that due to climate change causing rising summer temperatures, the use of air conditioning is expected to grow rapidly in all regions.
IEA data indicates that by 2030, air conditioning in the European Union is expected to increase by 28%, and in India by more than 200%. Air conditioning use in Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and other regions is also expected to rise further. This could push the mid-year emissions in these regions to new highs and might reshape their current CO2 emission patterns to match those of the United States.
Meanwhile, echoing the increase in summer emissions, emissions during the winter season in most regions are also expected to continue to grow. This suggests that even if the capacity of clean energy continues to accelerate in the coming years, global power sector CO2 emissions may still continue to rise.
