PPI: Gas Key Part of Transition

Democratic Group Urges Increased U.S. Gas Production, Doubling LNG Exports, and Continuing to Reduce Methane Leaks.

Paul Bledsoe of the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) argues in The Climate Case for Expanding U.S. Natural Gas Exports that the United States can help become a clean energy superpower by leveraging both green innovations and exports of low-emitting U.S.-made natural gas. The issue brief is the first of a series authored by Mr. Bledsoe on the role of U.S. natural gas in the ongoing domestic and global clean energy transition.

Bledsoe: “The policy question for America is: Can and should the U.S. systemically produce and export more gas to reduce domestic and global emissions? This study suggests the answer is emphatically: Yes. But achieving large security, economic, and climate benefits from increased gas production will require additional actions, especially major reductions of methane emissions.”

Key policy recommendations from the issue brief include:

• Increase Domestic Gas Production
• Double U.S. Gas Exports
• Cut Life Cycle Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas to 0.3%
• Retire Coal Plants More Quickly
• Improve Gas Infrastructure
• Set Goal of Zero-Net Emissions from Gas by 2040
• Establish Accurate Global Methane Emissions Data Center; and
• Urge Gas-Importing Nations to Establish Methane Emissions Content Standards

According to the PPI website, the Institute “is a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to create radically pragmatic ideas for moving America beyond ideological and partisan deadlock. PPI started as the intellectual home of the New Democrats and earned a reputation as President Bill Clinton’s idea mill.”