The Role of Natural Gas in the Socio-Technical Transition to a Carbon-Neutral Society and a Review of the European Union’s Framework

Abstract

The urgent need for a significant reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions indicates that the change in the world’s energy mix is inevitable. In the power production sector, this would be achieved through decarbonization with renewables, and within the transport sector, this would be achieved by switching to alternative fuels and electric vehicles. However, this transition is neither fast nor cheap, and it will be gradual. The main goal of this article is to propose a feasible change in the present energy mix and to compare natural gas with other fuels used in power production and transport. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the current system (traditional fossil fuels) and the potential future system (higher share of natural gas) in energy generation and transport were identified, and the influence of recent global trends was analyzed. Natural gas seems to be a viable solution that can help in the transition to a zero-carbon-emissions society.