Today, Dave Schryver, president and CEO of APGA, testified before the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.
In his written testimony, Schryver highlighted the need for Congress to prioritize an “all of the above energy policy,” pursuing solutions that invest in affordable, reliable, and efficient natural gas-fired appliances and the infrastructure required for the industry’s transition to a cleaner energy future.
“Natural gas has been delivering emission reductions in the energy sector for decades. With the development of the renewable natural gas industry and the potential of hydrogen, the gas industry can continue to deliver clean energy for American families in the future, utilizing our existing infrastructure and skilled workforce,” noted Schryver, as part of his testimony.
“Tremendous cost savings and emission reductions are associated with operating natural gas appliances in the home. APGA believes the Energy Star program should be revamped to include natural gas appliances,” expressed Schryver while also noting that the direct use of natural gas outperforms electricity in affordability, reliability, and energy efficiency.
- Natural gas saves customers an estimated $1,000 annually compared to customers who use all electric appliances.
- Due to the inherently secure nature of the underground pipeline network, only one in 800 natural gas customers experience an unplanned outage in a given year while electric customers experience an average of at least one outage on an annual basis.
- Natural gas is nearly three times more efficient when used directly in the home compared to electricity; when using electricity to power home appliances, almost two-thirds of the energy from the original source is used or lost before it ever reaches the electric outlet, versus less than ten percent for natural gas.
Speaking before the Committee, Schryver testified that Congress must preserve a role for natural gas if the United States is going to transition to a clean energy future without compromising reliability and imposing an unnecessary financial burden on American families. He urged lawmakers to prioritize solutions that leverage natural gas’s proven ability to deliver emission reductions and invest in the promise of emerging technologies like hydrogen and renewable natural gas to ensure affordable, clean, and reliable energy for future generations.
For questions on this article, please contact Emily Wong of APGA staff by phone at 202-470-4262 or by email at
ewong@apga.org.