Charcoal BBQ vs Gas BBQ Comparison: Gas BBQ – Charcoal BBQ Grill – Carbon Footprint
Considering gas and charcoal BBQ, or charcoal BBQ vs gas BBQ, there are both the cooking aspects and the environmental effects. There are also charcoal BBQ vs gas BBQ health and climate friendliness questions.
Most people would think that a renewable fuel, like wood, is more eco-friendly than a fossil fuel.
However, when it comes to a gas BBQ vs charcoal BBQ grills, the climate friendly choice is not what you may think.
What is a BBQ?
BBQ or barbecue refers to a cooking method over a gas or charcoal flame, typically at a social get-together, and a cooking style that involves cooking meat over an open flame or indirectly heated grill, to achieve a smoky BBQ flavor and aroma.
The term “BBQ” or “barbecue” can also refer to the physical device or grill used for BBQ cooking fueled by either a BBQ gas bottle or charcoal.
The BBQ gas is most frequently for an LPG gas BBQ, with a small percentage being for a natural gas BBQ.
What is Charcoal? Fuel for a Charcoal BBQ Grill
Charcoal is the charcoal BBQ grill fuel that is made from a renewable resource, wood.
Charcoal briquettes are manufactured by heating the wood in a low oxygen environment to remove all the moisture.
The end result is tightly packed little lumps of carbon.
When burnt, this carbon combines with oxygen to create heat and CO2.
What is BBQ Gas?
BBQ gas is either LPG gas or natural gas from a BBQ gas bottle or pipeline.
Whilst LPG gas is a fossil fuel, it is also a low carbon energy source.
The LPG (propane) gas molecule only has 3 carbon atoms.
The chemical formula for propane is C3H8.
This means that an LPG gas BBQ does not generate as much CO2 as a charcoal BBQ when burnt.
The Problem in Charcoal BBQ vs LPG Gas BBQ Grills – Propane Gas BBQ vs Charcoal BBQ Grills
When considering a charcoal BBQ vs gas BBQ (barbecue gas vs charcoal), biofuels do not always result in a smaller carbon footprint than the fossil fuel alternatives.
The problem with a charcoal BBQ grill is that it emits almost 3X the amount of CO2 that is produced vs an LPG gas BBQ.
This is harmful because CO2 is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
To produce charcoal, you heat wood in a kiln.
However, the usable output of a charcoal BBQ grill is only around 20-35% of the original input.
The remainder of the wood turns into gas and is emitted into the atmosphere.
In contrast, LPG gas BBQ energy yields are greater than 90%.
The fact that you cannot simply turn a charcoal BBQ grill ON and OFF, like a gas BBQ, increases the problem.
Charcoal BBQ fires need to be started ahead of time and then take time to burn themselves out.
In a charcoal BBQ vs gas BBQ comparison, gas is just a much more efficient fuel for cooking.
Scientific Research on Charcoal BBQ vs LPG Gas BBQ
Independent scientific research confirms these facts. Eric Johnson, of Atlantic Consulting, published his charcoal BBQ vs gas BBQ study “Charcoal versus LPG grilling: a carbon-footprint comparison” on this very subject.
As the title suggests, it compared the carbon footprint of a charcoal BBQ vs gas BBQ.
In addition to looking at the carbon produced during production and burning, the study also considered secondary factors like the use of firelighters, grill construction and the need for cylinders.
In the base case of barbecue gas vs charcoal (BBQ gas vs charcoal), the charcoal grilling footprint of 998 kg CO2e is almost three times as large as that for LPG grilling, at 349 kg CO2e.
This Charcoal BBQ vs Gas BBQ (BBQ gas vs charcoal) Chart Shows Results:
Source: Eric Johnson, Atlantic Consulting
Charcoal BBQ vs Gas BBQ Grill Health Issues
As previously mentioned, the problem with charcoal BBQ vs gas BBQ on health issues is that a charcoal BBQ grill emits almost 3X the amount of CO2 that is produced when you use LPG gas BBQ.
This greenhouse gas depletes the ozone layer which, in turn, increases the risk of skin cancers.
Charcoal is also derived from biomass and creates much more smoke and particulates.
Both smoke and particulates have adverse health effects.
A scientific study revealed that meats grilled with a charcoal BBQ vs gas BBQ, the charcoal BBQ contained more carcinogens than meat heated with a gas BBQ.
These carcinogens are called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – PAHs.
Charcoal BBQ also burns hotter, charring the meat and creating HCA (heterocyclic amines) which is yet another carcinogen.
So, gas BBQ grilling is arguably healthier in a charcoal BBQ vs gas BBQ health comparison.
Tree Planting and Carbon Sequestration
Many would point out that trees can be planted to replace the trees used to produce the charcoal, as this is a renewable resource.
This would result in carbon sequestration or, in this case, bio sequestration.
This is absolutely correct.
However, in a renewables problem unique to charcoal production, you have to cut down trees in the first place.
Merely replanting trees in equal quantities just maintains the level of sequestration that already existed.
To offset the carbon released by the charcoal, you would need to plant additional trees, over and above the number planted as replacements.
Of course, all of this assumes that the companies harvesting the trees are following good reforestation practices.
The sad truth is that much of it just results in deforestation, as a lot of charcoal comes from developing countries without good sustainability policies.
The Eco-Friendly Choice – Charcoal BBQ vs Gas BBQ Grill
When it comes to a charcoal BBQ vs gas BBQ, an LPG gas BBQ is the climate friendly choice.
Not only does a gas BBQ emit less CO2 vs charcoal BBQ grill, but it is also easier and more convenient to use.