Reuters reported that Carbon dioxide emissions from energy use in the Q1 of this year fell to their lowest level in the US in 20 years, as demand shifted to natural gas fired generation from coal-fired electricity due to record low gas prices.

According to the latest monthly energy review by the Energy Information Administration, energy related carbon emissions fell 8 percent from the same period a year ago to 1.134 billion tonnes,

In the US the first quarter usually represents the time of year when greenhouse gas emissions are at their highest because of strong demand for fossil-fuel generated power for home heating.

Emissions from coal use fell sharply by 18% to 387 million tonnes in the January to March 2012 period the lowest Q1 tally since 1983 and the lowest for any quarter since April to June 1986.

The contribution of coal in US energy use is likely to continue its demise with plant owners and operators reporting to the EIA last month that they plan to retire 27 GW of capacity or 8.5% at 175 coal fired facilities between 2012 and 2016.

Looming federal carbon and mercury regulations being developed by the Environmental Protection Agency are also likely to force the retirement of more coal plants.

Energy analysts at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group said said that it expects around 50GW of coal capacity to be shuttered as a result of pending regulations and cheap natural gas. These closures would create roughly 5 billion cubic feet per day of incremental new gas demand in the currently oversupplied US market.

Source - Reuters

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