Experts in Mexico suggest natural gas as a transitional fuel

There is clear tension between advanced and emerging economies over how to achieve the energy transition, and while Europe insists that it is time to accelerate the pace of transformation, Asia, Latin America and Africa are witnessing a slowdown in economic growth, hindering the huge leap towards wind or solar power generation.

Amid this debate, there is a suggestion from experts and authorities that natural gas be used as a transitional fuel, as it is less polluting than other types of fossil fuels, easier to obtain, and is seen as a first step towards renewable energy.

In this context, Mexico stands out, as it is a large importer and consumer of gas for electricity generation purposes, although the use of electric vehicles is still marginal.

According to a study conducted by Ember, a think tank specializing in clean energy, the country’s demand for gas to generate electricity has increased five-fold since 2020.

This led to an increase in imports from the United States, amid a decline in domestic production, and international purchases increased more than 22-fold.

It is estimated that about half of the electricity consumed in 2024 came from gas pipelines belonging to Mexico’s northern neighbor.

The current situation reveals great energy fragility in the country, but the Ember study estimates that if Mexico can generate up to 45% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030, it may be able to reduce its import costs by $1.6 billion annually.

For the Mexican gas sector, achieving this goal will require a series of decisions that include innovation, new public policies, as well as strengthening domestic production, storage and distribution.

It is necessary to open the door to dialogue to discuss all points of view, to reach a consensus that enables development, according to Guillermo Gomez, technical director of the Mexican Natural Gas and LNG Vehicles Association and director of the sustainable consulting company D2H.

Gomez explains: “We must consider natural gas as a transitional fuel that allows interaction or diversification of energy consumption with other types of energy sources, such as wind energy or photovoltaic energy. Even at the national level, biofuels, specifically biogas, which is chemically very similar to natural gas, have been gradually adopted in a very surprising way.”

Burning natural gas generates about half the carbon dioxide of the same amount of coal, according to the Environmental Cooperation Commission, and when it comes to vehicle use, it reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 35% compared to gasoline or diesel, which still fuel the vast majority of the vehicle fleet.

The use of natural gas also contributes to reducing suspended particles that deteriorate air quality and cause respiratory diseases in highly polluted areas, such as Mexico City.

As for biogas, it can be used in the same thermal processes in which natural gas is used. It is extracted from the decomposition of organic materials, including urban solid waste, agricultural waste, or animal waste, which is collected and refined later. Gomez adds: “This will make it possible to apply the concept of ‘greening’ in some natural gas processes.”

These scientific developments will be critical in the next decade of development in Latin America, especially as governments, businesses and consumers increasingly feel the effects of a hotter, more polluted and more vulnerable planet. About “El Pais”

• If Mexico can generate up to 45% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030, it may be able to reduce its import costs by $1.6 billion annually.