The analysis summarized in this report examined the impact of the increased direct use of natural gas for Residential & Commercial (“R&C”) end uses. End uses considered include space heating, water heating, cooking, and clothes drying. The study analyzes the effect of the increased direct use of natural gas on expected use of gas for electric generation and the net effect in total energy use, energy costs and CO2 emissions.

Although there are several factors that drive the use of natural gas for power generation, there is a growing concern that the overall natural gas supply/demand balance could be adversely impacted as demand of natural gas for power generation continues to grow. The underlying framework of the study considers the impact of the increased use of natural gas for direct applications in a series of scenarios. This study examines the impact of future scenarios that may influence ongoing policy debate and establishes a quantitative approach that can be replicated or expanded for future analysis.