The STEM Behind the Flame
When you think about STEM, your mind might go straight to coding, robotics or a school science fair. But science, technology, engineering and math also work in places we encounter every day, including the energy that keeps our homes comfortable and our communities running. Which makes National STEM Day a perfect opportunity to look at some of the innovations happening across the natural gas industry.
Renewable natural gas (RNG) can be produced from waste streams including farms, landfills and wastewater treatment facilities. One of the most common ways to produce RNG today is through anaerobic digestion, a process where microorganisms break down organic materials like animal or plant waste to create methane.
Yes, even microorganisms are getting in on energy innovation.
Thermal gasification can transform forestry waste or crop residue into RNG through a high-pressure chemical process. It’s a great example of what can happen when science and engineering come together to look at something familiar in a completely new way.
Innovation is also helping the industry look ahead.
Through a process called electrolysis, renewable electricity can be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. That hydrogen can then be blended into a pipeline or combined with CO2 to create RNG. Research and testing are also underway to explore how the United States’ extensive natural gas pipeline network could help connect hydrogen production with customers.
These ideas matter as our energy needs continue to grow. Natural gas utilities have already met rising demand with nearly 50% growth since 2006. Meeting tomorrow’s needs while maintaining reliability and affordability and reducing emissions will take new ideas, new technologies and plenty of STEM problem-solving.
That’s really what National STEM Day is all about! A day to celebrate asking questions, experimenting and finding new ways to solve the challenges in front of us.
From turning waste into energy to exploring what’s possible with hydrogen, there’s a lot of STEM behind the flame. And somewhere in a classroom today could be the scientist, engineer or innovator who comes up with what’s next.