There has been a lot of discussion recently about the role of natural gas in the clean energy future of America.

T Boone Pickens has made natural gas targeted for transportation use the center of his plan to wean America off of foreign energy sources. And a new study commissioned by the natural gas lobbying group American Clean Skies Foundation indicates that the United States has access to significantly more natural gas reserves than previously reported by government agencies.

It appears that many people are beginning to realize that the United States has to tackle a number of complex, inter-related problems with respect to our energy future. We need access to cleaner sources of energy. We need energy that is economically feasible. We need energy that is reliable. We need energy is native to our country.

Cleaner Sources of Energy

You can’t get much cleaner than wind and solar. These techologies emit zero harmful emissions. Unfortunately the wind and the sun provide varying levels of reliability in different parts of the country. So as reliance on wind and solar increases, there needs to be a certain amount of technology available to provide a backup. Energy storage technology could be the answer one day, but the technologies are not in a place where they can reliably provide mass energy delivery on demand in all the places where we might need it.

In some parts of the country natural gas fired power plants are providing (or are planned to provide) the backup energy needed in order to make adoption of renewable, but intermittent technologies feasible. Natural gas emits significantly less carbon dioxide than a coal plant. Natural gas is a fossil fuel though and as such does emit carbon as a result of generation. Still, many people prefer natural gas over coal or even nuclear, which releases zero emissions.

Economically Feasible Energy

Reliance on energy imported from unstable, foreign governments can get very expensive. We’re seeing that situation now. The increase in the price of oil has made every other source of fuel more expensive too. Native energy is always going to be less costly than foreign energy. And while we shouldn’t be encouraging people to use as much as they want, we are now seeing how tough times can get for American industry in an environment where the cost of energy can spiral so high, so fast.

Natural gas addresses the need for a near-term source of energy that is economically feasible. The cost is cheaper than oil and gas because this resource is plentiful in North America. That’s not to say that natural gas is not a volatile commodity. Natural gas is volatile due to the flexible nature (used in power generation, home heating and transportation) of the commodity and increasing worldwide demand. Increased exploration and a gradual reduction in demand as cleaner technologies are adopted could mitigate these economic concerns.

Reliable Energy

The 2003 NorthEast blackout showed many people how important reliable energy is to our society. When the lights go out on a 90 degree day, people want those lights (and air conditioners, and elevators, etc.) to return to life very quickly. So as the clean power system of the future is constructed reliability cannot be ignored. Cleaner technologies tend to be less reliable due to the nature of the power source (like the wind and sun) or because the technologies need to mature enough (like fuel cells) to perform more reliably.

Natural gas technology is very mature. As a result, natural gas fired power generators can be counted on to start quick and deliver adequate amounts of power when needed. Newer natural gas technologies like combined cycle make natural gas power generation even more efficient.

Domestic Energy

The United States needs energy sources that are native to our continent. Foreign sources of energy become increasingly questionable due to the volatile nature of the countries controlling the resources. Wind, solar and nuclear power all fit the bill as native sources of energy. All of these sources are emission free and economical in the long run. There are issues with safety (in the case of nuclear), reliability and maturity of the industries. Even though the U.S. aims to greatly increase output of all available clean energy sources there will still be a demand for energy.

Natural gas seems to qualify as the next best source of energy that is available domestically. Natural gas is cleaner than coal and deliverable via pipeline which serves to cut down on overall cost. Natural gas is also flexible enough for use in transportation, which in turn could contribute to reduction in demand for gasoline.

A Bridge To The Future?

For all of the reasons mentioned above I believe that natural gas will play a strong role in facilitating the clean energy future of the United States. The impact of natural gas is not a foregone conclusion though. Domestic exploration and production must increase. Investment in technologies that make natural gas cleaner, more economical and more flexible must increase. If the proper investments are made the U.S. will have a cleaner, more robust and more secure energy portfolio for many years to come.