How do we use natural gas?

  Methane, which is the main component of natural gas, is a very combustable chemical. It has the ability to heat 21 times more effectively than Carbon Dioxide, which is why much of our concerns about climate change relate to the amount of Methane in the atmosphere along with Carbon Dioxide.
However, Methane is what is being burned when natural gas is used to heat our homes, water and create electricity.
    According to the Energy Information Administration, natural gas 24 percent of the total energy consumed in the US. This chart from the EIA shows the breakdown of how natural gas power is used.

According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, natrual gas - fueled generation provides roughly one-fifth of all US electricity. This is simply a fraction of the electricity used in the country today, but it is one of the cleanest solutions, because natural gas electric power generation emits about half as much Carbon Dioxide as coal powered electricity generation per kilowatt hour.