Consumption of natural gas set a new record last year, reflecting increased demand from natural gas-fired power producers and bouts of extreme weather, The Houston Chronicle reports.
Natural gas consumption increased 10% last year to 82.1 billion cubic feet per day, according to a new report from the Department of Energy.
Electric power producers accounted for 35% of the natural gas consumption last year, representing 29.1 billion cubic feet per day. New natural gas generator capacity continues to replace less efficient coal-fired power plants. The U.S. added about 14.5 gigawatts of natural gas capacity last year while retiring nearly 13 gigawatts of coal-fired capacity.
Last winter’s bitter cold days followed by record-setting heat during the summer also drove demand for natural gas, the dominant source for space heating and increasingly, air conditioning. Read the full story.
