Report: Decarbonizing Minnesota’s Natural Gas End Uses

Natural gas is an important energy source for Minnesota’s homes and businesses. But it’s also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. So what do we do?

July 13, 2021, Minneapolis -家庭和靠谱的外围竞猜app使用的天然气是明尼苏达州温室气体排放的主要来源, and has been increasing over the last 15 years. These rising emissions threaten our ability to meet state emissions reduction goals. At the same time, natural gas is an especially important fuel in our state, providing heat for most of our buildings and fueling many of our largest businesses. 为了更好地了解明尼苏达州减少天然气排放的复杂挑战, 非营利组织能源与环境中心和大平原研究所汇集了利益相关者的广泛联盟, including gas and electric utilities, labor representatives, and clean energy advocates.

Decarbonizing Minnesota’s Natural Gas End Uses was released today by Center for Energy and Environment and Great Plains Institute. 该报告总结了为期18个月的过程和25项共识建议，重点是使明尼苏达州家庭和靠谱的外围竞猜app消耗的天然气脱碳. 全经济脱碳所需的行动按以下类别分组:

• Large commercial and industrial
• 劳动力
• 住宅 and Small Business
• Utility and Regulatory
• Cross-cutting

由于明尼苏达州极端寒冷的天气条件，解决以天然气为燃料的最终用途的排放问题尤其具有挑战性, 这产生了一个高热负荷，主要是由天然气燃料的供暖设备满足. Beyond home heating, 明尼苏达州也有高水平的工业最终用途，由天然气为燃料的技术来满足.

这份长达85页的报告反映了代表天然气和电力公司的20多个主要利益相关者的意见, utility regulators, natural gas consumers, clean energy advocates, clean energy implementers, environmental advocates, consumer advocates, workforce advocates, and state and local governments. 值得注意的是, the City of Minneapolis, CenterPoint Energy, Xcel能源, and the 非营利组织 Fresh Energy each have seats on the initiative’s advisory committee.

Underscoring the value of consensus strengthened by diverse perspectives, 该报告总结了将天然气公用事业和基础设施更充分地纳入明尼苏达州清洁能源经济的显著机会. To maximize the energy and carbon savings of natural gas for all Minnesotans, 该小组建议政府各部门采取具体行动, 非营利组织, and corporate entities.

“To do our fair-share to meet the challenge of climate change, 明尼苏达州和明尼阿波利斯州都需要将天然气的最终用途转变为无碳替代品,” explained Luke Hollenkamp from the City of Minneapolis’ Sustainability Division. ”居民, 房主, businesses and energy utility companies will jointly need to make significant, 通过将我们目前在建筑物中使用天然气的许多方式电气化，带来有益的变化. To successfully accomplish this technological change, 我们也都需要改善人们的日常生活，促进公平的过渡.”

As our electric supply becomes less carbon-intensive, electrification offers great promise to decarbonize energy end uses. 仍然, 在相当长的一段时间内，天然气可能会成为我们空间供暖和工业用途中成本最低的燃料.

“天然气是一种能源主力，几十年来一直为我们明尼苏达州的客户提供安全保障, reliable and low-cost way to effectively heat their homes and businesses,” said Greg Chamberlain, Regional Vice President - Regulatory & Government Affairs for Xcel能源. “To transition for the future, we’ll need a portfolio of solutions including more efficient buildings, 有益的电气化和低碳燃料，如氢和可再生天然气. From offering customers new options, to reducing methane throughout the gas supply chain, Xcel能源公司正在实施一项战略，既能减少温室气体排放，又能保留客户的选择权, affordability and equity.”

该小组探索了明尼苏达州天然气最终用途的全部组合，以及可以为这些最终用途服务的广泛技术和替代燃料, 以及可能的政策变化或公用事业商业模式的变化，这可能会使脱碳成为可能. “这些建议为减少碳排放的复杂挑战提供了有用的指导，同时继续可靠和经济地满足明尼苏达州目前由天然气提供的供暖需求,” said Brad Tutunjian, Vice President - Minnesota Region for CenterPoint Energy. “该报告认识到，天然气公用事业公司在明尼苏达州的清洁能源未来中发挥着至关重要的作用，并与新通过的《足球外围app哪个靠谱》保持一致，该法案将扩大明尼苏达州新的清洁能源技术和资源的机会。.”

Fresh Energy’s Dr. Margaret Cherne-Hendrick added, “实现并超越明尼苏达州的温室气体减排目标，以避免气候变化的最坏影响，将需要科学以及受天然气过渡影响最大的社区和劳动力采取实质性和迅速的行动。. 我们知道，脱碳需要投资和扶持政策以及监管来推动市场. This is our opportunity to achieve not only carbon neutrality by 2050, but also 网-negative emissions after 2050. As a first step, 我们的建议明确指出，我们必须重新设想对天然气和电力公用事业的监管，以支持创新，促进脱碳经济.”

“Natural gas utilities don't just keep us warm in the winter, they also provide high-quality jobs that support thousands of Minnesota families,北美劳工全国联盟MN/ND分会的凯文·普尼斯说, among the participating stakeholders. “Decarbonizing the gas sector presents an historic challenge, and will require putting the skills of laborers, 水管工, and other trades to work on renewable natural gas, 氢, and strategic electrification projects. If we do it right, that adds up to badly needed jobs and economic opportunity for all Minnesotans, including underserved communities of color and rural areas.”

Among the group’s goals, 该报告旨在提高对所有明尼苏达州人需要做些什么的认识和理解，以促进天然气最终用途的脱碳, and why this issue is important for all. Through the process, 利益相关者一致认为，要实现该州的温室气体减排目标，需要立即采取行动, 彻底改变了我们目前在建筑和工业中增加天然气使用的轨迹.

Said Trevor Drake of the Great Plains Institute, “After frank discussion and, 最终, endorsement by key stakeholders, 这份报告的建议提供了一个强有力的蓝图，将帮助明尼苏达州减少碳排放，同时继续为家庭和靠谱的外围竞猜app提供可靠的供暖.”

“Minnesota has a reputation for crafting ambitious, non-partisan clean energy goals to serve our greater good,” explained Audrey Partridge of the Center for Energy and Environment. “If we act swiftly, we can build on that history. 我们可以使明尼苏达州成为天然气终端使用脱碳的领导者，并为其他州树立一个现实世界的榜样.”

使明尼苏达州的天然气最终用途脱碳是e21倡议的一项努力, 由大平原研究所和能源与环境中心召集，旨在推进脱碳, customer-centric, 通过确保公用事业商业模式与公众利益相一致，在明尼苏达州建立技术现代化的能源系统. More information about the initiative at e21initiative.org/natural-gas/.

Download the report:

Decarbonizing Minnesota’s Natural Gas End Uses

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