Wells to Wire

This book introduces readers to the field of LCA using natural gas-fired electricity as a case study, as well as providing a comprehensive review of the state of the art in life cycle data, research, and scientific debate related to this product system. The author also elucidates data and methodological challenges inherent to the field of LCA, exemplified using published research. The text explores how to conduct LCA, describing the analysis from the perspective of a numerator and denominator. With each chapter, the complexity of undertaking a LCA of gas-fired power is unravelled beyond a simple fraction to the expansive network of infrastructure examined in this type of research. Students, instructors, LCA practitioners, and energy professionals will benefit from not only the introduction to data and methods, but also this useful summary of the state of the art in the field.  Policymakers and the interested public can learn more about the implications of LCA results for decision-support and the commentary about the economics of natural gas and its role as a bridge fuel.  This book provides not only a useful reference, but also a springboard for researchers and experts interested in specializing in LCA, natural gas, or both.