With hot summer days upon us, many Americans are cranking up their air conditioners to stay cool. This means more electricity is needed, and as a result, more natural gas.
Natural gas is the leading source of electricity generation in the United States (43% in 2023), according to EIA, followed by renewables, nuclear and coal. Demand for natural gas follows the seasons, peaking in the winter for home heating and again in the summer when electricity demand soars with high temperatures.
Williams, one of the largest natural gas infrastructure companies in the United States, is focused on reliably handling approximately one third of the nation’s natural gas so it is there to generate electricity when consumers need it most, especially during peak periods.
Our dedicated workforce is committed to working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to keep gas flowing through a sophisticated infrastructure network that spans the country. There’s no summer break for the natural gas industry – that includes holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.
To prepare for high-demand periods of summer and winter, our industry stores away huge quantities of natural gas every year. The most common way to store natural gas is in large caverns underground. It can also be stored in smaller quantities in tanks above ground.
The gas is injected into underground storage typically late in the spring or early in fall. These periods are known as the “shoulder months” when natural gas demand declines with milder weather. Building up gas inventories during these times ensures there is enough supply on hand when the seasons change and demand returns.
As the world moves to a low-carbon future, Williams is well positioned to support the continued replacement of higher-emitting fuels such as coal domestically and abroad. According to EIA projections, the displacement of emission-intensive coal with natural gas and renewable energy will allow the U.S. to continue reducing carbon dioxide emissions into 2035.
In addition, natural gas remains an indispensable partner in supporting society’s ambitions to add more renewable energy to the power grid. Natural gas ensures reliable power generation when intermittent wind and solar resources are unavailable. Concurrently, the ability of the U.S. to export liquefied natural gas will also provide other countries with the environmental benefits of replacing more carbon intensive energy sources.
Demand for clean energy is on the rise and natural gas is playing a critical role in moving the world to a low-carbon future. This summer, as families depend on natural gas-powered electricity for air conditioning – and during every season of the year – Williams and its employees will be there to safely and reliably provide the natural gas that is used each day.