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Appalachia First: Utilizing the Power Right Beneath Our Feet

YemI Akinkugbe present at OOGA.jpeg

By the Positive Energy Hub Staff

In a room full of Ohio energy leaders, CNX executive Yemi Akinkugbe didn’t mince words: “We don’t see natural gas as a bridge fuel. We see it as a catalyst fuel.”

“Natural gas will drive the future of the Appalachian region,” Akinkugbe continued, as he walked the audience through the company’s Appalachia First vision.

By putting a local emphasis on producing and using natural gas in Appalachia – first – it allows the region to prioritize local consumers’ energy needs, spur business development across multiple sectors, and create long-lasting economic growth.

Key to bringing this vision to life is by maximizing the benefits that low-cost, low-carbon natural gas provides, which positions Appalachia to lead the world in emission reductions and energy security.

It’s natural gas that’s led to a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Pennsylvania and Ohio, Akinkugbe said, arguing expansion production and use will lead to further declines. ​

“That’s the power of the resource we have under our feet,” Akinkugbe said.

Investing in natural gas not only allows the nation to combat our own energy insecurity while helping the overall air quality, but it also serves as a key tool in lifting up the manufacturing potential of the region.

With Appalachia’s unique benefit of access to existing transportation as well as enough natural resources to meet regional demand for over 50 years, natural gas creates unprecedented opportunity – opportunity that CNX is already taking the lead on with a new manufacturing facility in Hannibal, Ohio coming to the region utilizing captured coal methane to produce a biodegradable plastic alternative.

It’s an example of the “Appalachia First” vision coming to life: utilize local, cost-effective, and clean natural gas to boost the region and make it a hub for manufacturing and innovation in the future.

“Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia - we’re at the heart of it. Let’s leverage it,” Akinkugbe said.

 

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About Positive Energy Hub

A CNX news hub highlighting all aspects of our Appalachia First vision. Subscribe for insights on energy innovation, advocacy, and community engagement across the region.