Synthetic gas from coal also causing environmental damage
December 17, 2013 Category Alternative energy, Environment
Environmental experts say a green project to convert dirty coal to cleaner natural gas is draining scarce water from grasslands, causing irreparable damage. Beijing is anxiously awaiting its first batch of synthetic natural gas – a material converted from coal and piped 300 kilometers from Heshigten Banner in Inner Mongolia. The gas will power some of Beijing’s central heating systems, replacing coal to cut harmful emissions of particulate pollutants. When the pipes are fully pumping next year, Beijing will receive 4 billion cubic meters of synthetic gas a year – nearly half of last year’s natural gas consumption. But environmental experts say the water-intensive conversion process could drain already scarce water resources in the country’s drylands in the northwest, eroding land and causing more sandstorms. “If water depletion continues, not only will the local people suffer, the environmental impact could be profound,” Chinese Academy of Sciences Ecology Researcher Xie Yan said. Nationwide, replacing dirty coal with cleaner natural gas is a key measure in reducing smog. Because of the country’s limited conventional natural gas and abundant coal reserves, converting coal to natural gas seemed a convenient choice. Beijing’s demand for natural gas is expected to rise rapidly, reaching 18 billion tons in 2015 and 28 billion tons in 2020, as all its heating systems and industrial boilers make the switch from coal to gas. Beijing Gas Group, which is fully-owned by the municipal government, has invested in the coal-to-gas project in Inner Mongolia to meet the demand. The conversion of coal into gas requires vast quantities of water not just for production, but also for cooling and the removal of contaminants. On average, one cubic meter of synthetic natural gas needs six to 10 tons of freshwater. Moreover, China’s northwest, where coal is abundant, is already experiencing chronic water shortages. Five provinces – Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang – which possess 76% of the country’s coal reserves, have just 6.14% of its total water resources. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has approved 18 coal-to-gas projects, most of them in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, the South China Morning Post reports.
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