FACT 2
We’re all used to flipping a switch and getting the electricity we need to light our homes, heat our stoves or power-up our entertainment.
But what makes that electricity powering Aussie homes?
About a fifth of the electricity we use is made by natural gas. 1
Over and above its role in electricity generation, over 5 million homes use gas directly every day. Showering, cooking, warming us in winter and fuelling our beloved BBQ. What you might not know is that gas met 27% of Australia’s energy needs in 2020-21. 1
Natural gas produces far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than coal when used to generate electricity 2,3.
Natural gas backs up renewable energy sources, to keep the lights on when the sun doesn’t shine, or the wind doesn’t blow.
When we use a mix of different sources, it means we have energy when we need it. This means hospitals and schools don’t need to worry, and you always have a hot shower ready to go.
This website is an initiative of Australian Energy Producers.
1 Australian Energy Update 2022, Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, September, Canberra
2 Independent Review into the Future Security of the National Electricity Market, Dr Alan Finkel AO (2017
3 The Role of Gas in Today’s Energy Transitions, International Energy Agency (2019)