Charted: North American liquefied natural gas will surge in years ahead

Liquefied natural gas export capacity from North America is slated to more than double by 2027.

Why it matters: The U.S. is already the world's largest LNG exporter, and developers see a robust market going forward.

The big picture: Whether you're psyched or dismayed by this data from the Energy Department's stats arm depends on your point of view.

• LNG is helping Europe ditch Russian gas, and advocates also see it helping to displace some coal-fired generation in Asia.
• But Paris Agreement goals require movement away from all fossil fuels, and LNG critics also point to methane emissions that erode its advantage vs. coal.

Of note: This captures projects with final investment decisions and already under construction, and more is somewhere on the drawing boards.

Go deeper: U.S. now the world's top liquefied natural gas exporter