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Quantifying Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Water Heaters.

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|April 7, 2020
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Methane leaks from U.S. water heaters are significant, with tankless models emitting more CH4 per unit than storage models. Overall, water heaters account for 0.40% of natural gas consumed, comparable to upstream production emissions.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Atmospheric Chemistry
  • Energy Systems

Background:

  • Methane (CH4) emissions from natural gas appliances are not well understood.
  • Water heaters represent a significant component of residential natural gas consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify methane emissions from natural gas water heaters.
  • To characterize daily usage patterns and estimate activity factors for water heaters.
  • To assess the overall contribution of water heaters to U.S. methane emissions.

Main Methods:

  • Measured methane emissions from 35 northern California homes' water heaters (tankless and storage).
  • Quantified emissions during various operational states: off, on/off cycling, and steady-state.
  • Monitored daily usage patterns for 46 homes over 1-2 months to determine activity factors.

Main Results:

  • Individual tankless water heaters emitted an average of 2390 g CH4 yr-1 (0.93% of gas consumed), primarily from on/off cycles.
  • Storage water heaters emitted an average of 1400 g CH4 yr-1 (0.39% of gas consumed).
  • Despite higher CH4 emissions, tankless units produce 29% less CO2 equivalent due to lower energy use.

Conclusions:

  • Water heaters collectively emitted an estimated 82.3 Gg CH4 yr-1 in the U.S., representing 0.40% of their total natural gas consumption.
  • These emissions are comparable to estimates for upstream natural gas production.
  • Reducing methane leaks from water heaters is crucial for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the natural gas supply chain.