Effectiveness in the Use of Natural Gas for the Reduction of Atmospheric Emissions: Case Study—Industrial Sector in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to quantify the potential of natural gas to reduce emissions from stationary combustion sources by analyzing the case study of the metropolitan region of Santiago, Chile. For such purposes, referential base scenarios have been defined that represent with and without natural gas settings. The method to be applied is an emission estimate based on emission factors. The results for this case study reveal that stationary combustion sources that replaced their fuel reduced particulate matter (PM) emissions by 61%, sulfur oxides (SO x ) by 91%, nitrogen oxides (NO x ) by 40%, and volatile organic compounds (VOC) by 10%. Carbon monoxide (CO) emissions were reduced by 1%. As a result of this emission reduction, in addition to reductions caused by other factors, such as a shift to cleaner fuels other than natural gas, technological improvements, and sources which are not operative, emission reduction goals set forth by the environmental authorities were broadly exceeded.

Estudio Preliminar del Material Particulado de Fuentes Estacionarias: Aplicación al Sistema de Compensación de Emisiones en la Región Metropolitana, Chile

“…En el período 1997-2000, se ha podido cuantificar una notable reducción de las emisiones de material particulado desde fuentes estacionarias en la Región Metropolitana de Santiago (Corvalán et al, 2003), y varias fuentes emisoras existentes cumplen con el estándar de 32 mg m -3 , que se utiliza para definir las cuotas de emisión desde diciembre del 2004. Este hecho implica un enorme potencial de compensación de emisiones de nuevas fuentes, lo que podría significar un aumento neto de emisiones, como lo demuestran los resultados de este estudio.…”