Natural gas is considered a bridging technology in the energy transition
because it produces fewer carbon emissions than coal, for example.
However, when leaks exist, methane is released into the atmosphere,
leading to a dramatic increase in the carbon footprint of natural gas,
as methane is a much stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Therefore, we conducted a detailed study of methane emissions from
gas-powered end-use appliances and then compared their climate impacts
with those of electricity-powered appliances. We used the Munich
Oktoberfest as a case study and then extended the study to 25 major
natural gas consuming countries. This showed that electricity has been
the more climate-friendly energy source at Oktoberfest since 2005, due
to the extensive use of renewable electricity at the festival and the
presence of methane emissions, particularly caused by incomplete
combustion of natural gas appliances. Further, our global study shows
that using electric appliances for cooking and heating would be more
climate-friendly not only at Oktoberfest but also in several countries
around the world, depending on the energy mix used and the leakage rate
of natural gas. With this study, we demonstrate one way in which
countries with a high renewable share in power generation, in
particular, can reduce a significant amount of carbon emissions in the
future.