Natural Gas Can Drive Our Economy
If you share my opinion after being bathed in the steady stream of news about solar panel producer Solyndra, its bankruptcy, and its questionable federal loan (with others apparently being teed up for other companies), you may have discovered periodic eruptions of smoke emerging from your ears. I suggest we turn our attention to a far more palatable subject: the increasing supply, availability, and use of natural gas as a transportation fuel.
You know all about the still relatively new and improved techniques involving horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing ( fracking ) that have gas emerging from underground at prodigious rates. Indeed, according to the International Energy Agency, assuming that environmental concerns about fracking can be overcome, the use of natural gas may increase by more than 50% by 2035.
At the same time, efforts to expand the use of natural gas to power trucks and cars in North America are generally emanating from the private sector, rather
Natural Gas, CO2 Emissions and Climate Change
As global natural gas production has risen and shale gas in the US impacts on the energy outlook for that country in particular, there has been increasing discussion about the impact of natural gas on climate change. Several scientific papers have recently been released questioning the carbon dioxide benefits of natural gas over coal in power production.
Perhaps the best place to start on this tough subject is to look at the basic chemistry, which at least grounds the discussion in some fact. Combusting natural gas or coal to produce thermal energy (for conversion to electricity) results in differing amounts of carbon dioxide emissions. This is because of the hydrogen to carbon ratio of the two which sets both the amount of energy released and the production of CO2. 
Looking at the chart above, this means that a tonne of methane (natural gas) releases 2.75 tonnes of CO2 (calculated via the ratio of molecular weights) when combusted. Combining the release of CO2 with the release of energy gives the CO2 released per unit of thermal energy produced. Natural Resources Canada publishes CO2 emission factors as follows:
Zee NewsLNG Price Boom Seen as Japan Vies With China While Exxon's Shipments Grow9 were bullish on US gas, while 13 percent were negative. That compares with 29 percent that were optimistic and 57 percent bearish a month earlier. Global LNG demand grew 9 percent in the first half and 13 percent over the past 12 months, Japan's energy loss, our LNG gainall 18 news articles »
But how many seats are filled is only one factor in airline profitability. Airlines have to make enough money from fares and fees to cover fuel and labor costs. All the major airlines except American have made money this year. and more »
Milwaukee Small Business Times (blog)So natural gas may gain us some valuable years, but before long it will also need decarbonisation options. This then points to the future need for carbon capture and storage (CCS) and of course a big push on renewable energy and nuclear power. All of Consider hedges for volatile natural gas pricesall 4 news articles »
