Methane Emissions from Household Gas Stoves: Significance and Mitigation Potential

The natural gas supply chain exhibits substantial opportunities for reducing methane emissions. However, sources from end users─particularly household natural gas stoves─remain undercharacterized. To address this gap, we measured methane emissions from 62 household stoves in China. The average emission factor reached 0.20 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.18, 0.22) kg of methane per stove per year, with 63% of emissions originating from incomplete combustion during stove operation. The measured emission rates during high-power use were positively correlated with both stove age and historical usage frequency. Nationally, household stoves are projected to emit 66 (95% CI: 59, 74) Gg of methane annually by 2025. The opening of the burner stove inlet valve (SIV) is the primary cause of methane emissions from stoves when they are turned off. Closing the SIV during inactive periods could lower emissions by one-third, avoiding up to 0.13 (95% CI: 0.09, 0.18) Tg of methane emissions between 2026 and 2030. These results help to refine the emission profile of household stoves and highlight practical mitigation strategies for methane reduction.