Apr
25
But it has a significant role to play in reducing fossil fuel emissions. Let me explain:
Natural gas has recently made it into the spotlight, and for good reason: it’s clean burning. And in this post-industrialist era, that’s more than important. Green energy is a term for environmentally friendly, renewable sources of power and energy. Although natural gas doesn’t quite fit the definition of green energy (it is a finite resource and produces some carbon dioxide), it has recently garnered significant U.S. attention. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Natural gas burns more cleanly than other fossil fuels. It has fewer emissions of sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen than coal or oil, and it has almost no ash particles left after burning. Being a clean fuel is one reason that the use of natural gas, especially for electricity generation, has grown so much and is expected to grow even more in the future.”
As the number three source of energy in the U.S., natural gas is growing in market share, reducing the use of heavier pollutants such as coal. The trend is continuing as new technologies are increasing our access to domestic natural gas reserves. For instance, geologists have known for decades that there was natural gas in the Barnett Shale formation in Texas. But until the last decade, now one knew how to extract it in commercial amounts. Today the Barnett Shale produces about 1.4 Billion Cubic Feet (BCF) EVERY DAY. As the cleanest of the fossil fuels, increased usage of natural gas will be instrumental in decreasing pollution levels from all sectors. This is a good thing for American households, where more than 62.5 million homes depend on natural gas to fuel stoves, furnaces, water heaters, clothes dryers and other household appliances.
Is Natural Gas Green?…
This consumer reports on the use of natural gas for water heaters and other appliances…….