"Much has been said about natural gas as a bridge to a low-carbon future, with little underlying analysis to back up this contention. The analysis in this study provides the confirmation -- natural gas truly is a bridge to a low-carbon future," said MIT Energy Initiative Director Ernest J. Moniz in introducing the report.

"The Future of Natural Gas" examines the role of various energy sources that could play a role in meeting future demand, given carbon dioxide emissions constraints. Nuclear power was the focus in a 2003 report and coal in 2007.

The MIT study states that by using a level playing field, in which the relative prices of various energy sources were set according to the amount of carbon dioxide produced, gas could nearly entirely displace coal burning in the United States by 2035.

The report estimates the United States has natural gas deposits of about 15,000 trillion gallons, including unconventional sources such as natural gas produced from shale. Based on current domestic consumption rates, the researchers say this could last the country for 92 years.

However, "in the very long run," the report states, "very tight carbon constraints will likely phase out natural gas power generation in favor of zero-carbon or extremely low-carbon energy sources such as renewables, nuclear power or natural gas and coal with carbon capture and storage. For the next several decades, however, natural gas will play a crucial role in enabling very substantial reductions in carbon emissions."

While natural gas could be used to fuel fleet vehicles, buses and long-haul trucks, the researchers said, its greatest potential for growth is in producing electricity.

The authors estimate that by shutting down inefficient coal-fired plants and boosting gas-powered generators, the United States could decrease greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector by 10 percent or more virtually overnight.

Unconventional resources such as shale will play in an important role in the growth of natural gas's role in energy supply, the study states.

"There's a lot to be done to develop a holistic understanding [of natural gas]. We need a better understanding of unconventional resources like shale," says Anthony Meggs, visiting engineer at MITEI and a co-author of the report, Science Magazine reports.

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