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Clean Air through Technology Innovation - We examine two known problems that affect the air we breathe and the health of our planet.
Nitrogen Oxide, or NOx emissions, a precursor to ozone, commonly known as smog, and Carbon
Dioxide, or CO2 emissions, contribute to the greenhouse gases affecting climate change.
When you talk about NOx emissions and CO2 greenhouse gas emissions, the first thing
to remember is that these are two very different problems.
The first affects our health and the second directly impacts our planet.
Smog, that familiar murky haze of modern life, occurs when Nitrogen Oxide, or NOx, a by-product
of the combustion of carbon-based fossil fuel,
interacts with volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and sunlight in a chemical reaction
in the atmosphere
to produce an inversion layer of airborne particles and ground-level ozone, which is
dangerous to our health.
That’s right; cars, trucks, and buses along with industry are some of the biggest contributors to smog.
Almost 80% of the NOx in the atmosphere in Southern California comes from the exhaust
of vehicles, rail, aircraft, and sea-faring vessels.
The remaining 20% comes from the combustion of other fossil fuels, including some natural
gas, by residential and industrial equipment, as well as power plants.
While ozone high up in the atmosphere is good and protects our planet from harmful radiation,
ground-level ozone, or NOx trapped in the inversion layer, is harmful to human health.
This is why the Federal Government enacted the Clean Air Act, which directs the Environmental
Protection Agency to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards to reduce ozone, airborne
particulates, NOx, and other air pollutants
to levels that protect public health.
One of our objectives at SoCalGas is to encourage new technology that helps industry and consumers
alike meet our state’s strict air quality requirements
by reducing air pollutants through the development of innovative natural gas technologies.
For example, by converting to natural gas-powered vehicles, or NGVs, you’ll see a
20% reduction in NOx emissions.
While NOx affects our health by polluting the air we breathe, carbon dioxide, or CO2
greenhouse gas contributes to climate change on a global scale,
and plays a role in ozone depletion high in the atmosphere.
When we talk about greenhouse gases, we’re mainly talking about CO2, which is a by-product
of carbon-based fuel combustion.
CO2 produced by industry and manufacturing is the primary source of these emissions.
One way to help reduce the CO2 from combustion
is by making engines more fuel-efficient.
If you use 10% less fuel, you just reduced your emissions by 10%.
Less fuel consumption means less CO2.
SoCalGas is encouraging new technologies to help reduce both NOx and CO2 greenhouse gas
emissions for cleaner air and a healthier world.
Our Technology Innovations series highlights just some of the ways we’re working with
industry partners to make a better world through clean energy technology.
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Technology