Energy demand has been increasing overall, especially in metropolitan cities, thus compelling many to develop much cleaner, efficient, and sustainable energy solutions. City gas is one such alternative with great potential, as it is an important energy vector for households and the commercial sector, including industries in general, in many countries. City gas is a system of pipelined distribution of natural gas, whereby gas is supplied directly to any consumer by connecting the sources of natural gas with households, offices, and industries through pipelines. Natural gas distributed usually consists of methane, CH₄, the major hydrocarbon component in natural gas. It is extracted from gas fields or oil wells, processed, and transported to the consumers via wide distribution.
In other countries, it has succeeded in replacing traditional fuels like wood, coal, and kerosene because of its efficiency and cleanliness. Unlike LPG, which is obliged to be packed in cylinders and distributed manually, city gas reaches consumption points directly from the source via an underground pipeline infrastructure. This makes a more reliable energy distribution system continuously available to users.
As discussed above, one of the major advantages of city gas is that it is more energy-efficient than traditional fuel sources such as petroleum and coal. Natural gas contains more energy units per unit volume; therefore, less gas would have to be used for any given amount of energy. In industries where supply stability is particularly high for city gas, this energy source is the most appropriate for processes requiring large amounts of consistent energy. Besides, natural gas is more manageable during combustion. As a result, combustion processes become more effective in industries that deal with steel, glass, cement, and chemicals.
In addition, natural gas has a combustion with lower quantities of greenhouse gases than other fossil fuels. The combustion of natural gas also produces about 30% less CO₂ for every unit of energy compared to petroleum and 45% less than coal, hence making natural gas a cleaner substitute. Natural gas combustion also gives off almost no SO₂ or particulate emissions, the major contributors to urban air pollution. Therefore, it can potentially mitigate the adverse effects of air pollution in urban cities. Indeed, with improved air quality, the health risks of pollution, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, can be minimized.
An uninterrupted gas supply is another convenience that city gas can ensure for household users. Unlike LPG, consumers are not obliged to change gas cylinders and undergo all the hassles of changing gas cylinders. Second, the city gas distribution systems deploy state-of-the-art safety technologies. Distribution pipelines are fitted with automatic valves capable of shutting off the gas flow upon detecting traces of leaks or abnormal pressure, thus improving safety. This system safety also reduces the probability of fire hazards and explosions resulting from improper handling of LPG cylinders. Due to better monitoring and control over the distribution network, the chances of accidents caused by gas are much less.
In the supply of natural gas, stability is one significant advantage of city gas compared with other fuels. Since it is supplied directly through pipelines, natural gas users are independent of liquid or solid fuel supply chains that are bound to face disruption in distribution in the form of delayed or postponed delivery and stock-outs. In countries with imported LPG or petroleum-based systems, city gas helps reduce national dependence on energy imports, thereby improving national energy security. The Government of Indonesia has been keen on developing city gas, especially to reduce reliance on imported LPG and support the movement toward cleaner energy. With substantial reserves of natural gas, Indonesia is starting to exploit this potential by distributing natural gas through a household gas network program called JARGAS.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the relevant companies have been carrying out the program. Consequently, the JARGAS program is intended to increase access to clean fuels for urban communities and contribute to a decline in the country’s LPG subsidy. According to data from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, until 2023, about 700,000 household connections will be connected to the city gas network, and these connections are forecasted to keep growing in the next few years. Besides households, industries also benefit hugely from city gas in Indonesia. Scores of factories have shifted from oil and coal to natural gas to increase their operation efficiency and reduce energy costs. Although city gas provides many benefits, developing its infrastructure in Indonesia faces several challenges: The initial investment to build the gas pipeline infrastructure is high, particularly in areas where energy infrastructure is still poor; laying the pipelines for gas transport needs meticulous planning and regulation, land-use permissions being a crucial one for the installation of pipelines underground.
Besides, the advantages of city gas should be better disseminated among the people. Comfort emanates from the use of LPG due to its acquaintance and availability. Awareness and outreach programs on city gas’s safety, efficiency, and economic benefits must be continued to inspire people for wider adoption.
Despite these challenges, the prospect of city gas in Indonesia is promising. The government’s goodwill towards increasing city gas coverage has been demonstrated through increased investment in the energy sector and infrastructure development on natural gas. Moreover, the future cost of developing and installing gas networks may decline with technological advances.
It may be an important part of Indonesia’s journey toward a low-carbon economy in the long term. Supported by the government, private sectors, and the people, it can also be one of the leading energy solutions in many big cities in Indonesia, helping the country reduce GHG emissions and improve air quality while offering cheaper energy to the wider community.
City gas represents a highly valued method for solving urban energy problems. In addition to efficiency, being eco-friendly, safe, and ensuring supply stability, deploying city gas can be asserted as providing an assured approach toward decreasing dependence on conventional fuels.
Although there are challenges with investment in infrastructure, the future of city gas is promising in Indonesia because it potentially supports government policies on greater utilization of clean and sustainable energy. As the city gas network continues to grow, more cities in Indonesia will experience this kind of valuable energy solution.
