Gas

When we talk about gas in relation to energy, we are mainly referring to natural gas - the main fuel flowing through our gas networks or being converted to liquefied natural gas (LNG) and exported. Natural gas is an important part of Western Australia’s energy mix, working flexibly alongside energy storage to support solar and wind generation when it is needed.

Our gas power stations burn natural gas mixed with oxygen. The hot gas expands and rushes through a turbine, making it spin. This turns a generator, making electricity that travels through the power grid to homes, businesses and buildings. Gas-fired power typically produces 50% less carbon emissions than coal-fired power plants.

Gas plays an important role in WA’s energy transition. Solar and wind generation can vary with the weather and wind conditions. Over time, spreading renewable projects across a range of locations and growing our energy storage capacity will help address this. Until then, gas-fired generation gives us a flexible backup that can be turned on quickly if renewable generation slows due to the weather, or if energy demand suddenly increases.

This flexibility helps keep the system stable and secure, providing an essential back-up as coal is phased out, and while new renewable generation and energy storage capacity continue to grow. This makes gas an important tool for ensuring a reliable energy supply while we build a cleaner future.

We have world-class energy resources spread right across our State - strong winds, bright sunlight and, importantly, an abundance of natural gas. Every year we export millions of tonnes of LNG to neighbouring countries like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, helping them to displace more polluting sources of energy like coal within their energy systems. But we also have an important policy in place to make sure our State directly benefits from our strong LNG industry. The WA Domestic Gas Policy requires LNG exporters to make sure gas is made available for WA’s domestic market.

Under the Policy, exporters must reserve gas equivalent to 15% of their LNG exports for WA over the full life of their project, secure the infrastructure needed to develop, process and transport that gas to the domestic market, and make gas available to their current and prospective customers. The policy was developed to be flexible and responsive to supply and demand patterns, ensuring the reserved gas is available when the domestic market needs it most. The State Government regularly reviews WA’s Domestic Gas Policy to make sure that it still works for WA as our State’s economy and population continue to grow. By being flexible and responsive, we make sure the policy is fit-for-purpose as the needs of our State evolve. This helps to ensure that gas is available for our homes, businesses and major industries - now and into the future.