What is direct use?
Direct use is when natural gas is delivered directly into your home for heat and cooking, instead of being used to generate electricity for those things. This uninterrupted delivery of energy to your home wastes less energy, reduces carbon emissions and increases the efficiency of your appliances. You can feel good about natural gas as your energy choice, because you're using fuel in the most efficient way.
How you benefit from direct use
Direct use increases efficiency in your appliances because natural gas gets delivered directly to your home, with minimal energy waste compared to how other energy sources are delivered.
Source: apga.org/issues/direct-use-of-natural-gas, accessed 2021.
Direct use efficiency facts
90%
On the coldest winter days, NW Natural provides 90% of the energy needs for our residential space and water heating customers.
74%
NW Natural's pipeline system meets 74% of home heating needs in the areas we serve.
6%
Natural gas accounts for only 6% of Oregon's carbon emissions.
More benefits of the direct use of natural gas
According to the study, “Fueling the Future with Natural Gas: Bringing it Home,” published by IHS CERA with support from the American Gas Foundation:
- Natural gas prices are expected to remain in the $4-5 per mmBtu range on average through 2035.
- Switching to a natural gas-heated home saves U.S. consumers more than $5,700 on average over 15 years.
- Lower natural gas prices provided an increase in real disposable income per household of approximately $1,200 in 2012. This will steadily increase to $2,000 in 2015 and more than $3,500 by 2025.
- Households with natural gas heating, cooking and clothes drying spend an average of $654 less annually than households using electricity for the same appliances.
- A natural gas vehicle will save you an average of $4,500 in fuel costs over five years compared to a gasoline vehicle.