Clean Energy View: How Economically Viable Is Natural Gas?

According to the EPA, natural gas is defined as a fossil fuel formed when layers of buried plants and animals are exposed to intense heat and pressure over thousands of years. The energy that the plants and animals originally obtained from the sun is stored in the form of carbon in natural gas. Natural gas is combusted to generate electricity, enabling this stored energy to be transformed into usable power. Natural gas is a nonrenewable resource because it cannot be replenished on a human time frame. The natural gas power production process begins with the extraction of natural gas, continues with its treatment and transport to the power plants, and ends with its combustion in boilers and turbines to generate electricity.

 

Natural gas is used to generate electricity, serves as an alternative to gasoline, can be used to generate hydrogen and helps create fertilizer. It has a cost advantage over other forms of energy such as solar, wind and geothermal. However, there is a huge debate as to whether or not natural gas makes sense because of the pros and cons with this form of energy such as the environmental impact, the current return on the investment the impact on the face of energy.

 

In this segment of The Clean Energy View Radio Show, hosts, June Stoyer and host, Luis Mejia, Managing Partner, Murdock Capital Partners talk to energy expert, Tom Drolet, President of Drolet and Associates Energy Services, Inc. Mr. Drolet has worked in the energy industry and technology innovation industries for over 42 years, including his tenure with the electrical utility industry at Ontario Hydro, the fourth largest electrical utility in the world (Nuclear, Coal, Natural Gas, Hydroelectric), American Electric Power (Canada) and DTE Energy. Stay tuned!