More than 90% of NYC’s electricity is from natural gas. About 2% of that gas is leaking and escaping into the air.
About 2% of New York City’s natural gas is leaking into the air, costing city customers who pay for the gas $300 million a year. Researchers discovered the leak by tracking the amount of methane in NYC, which natural gas is primarily composed of. Methane is 80 times more potent for global warming than carbon dioxide, meaning NYC’s leak is also contributing to climate pollution in the city.
“According to the study’s lead author Yuwei Zhao, the city’s thousands of miles of underground pipelines and its stoves and boilers are the most likely sources of leaking uncombusted natural gas,” Rosemary Misdary writes for Gothamist. “More than 90% of the city’s electricity is from natural gas, which is mostly composed of methane.”
The methane measured by researchers was uncombusted, confirming its source was a leak rather than the result of burning natural gas. From 2023 to 2024, most methane leaked during summer and winter, consistent with the times NYC residents use more fuel to cool and heat their homes.
Read the full story: New Yorkers are paying $300 million for natural gas they don't even use
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