Comments on: Is Natural Gas the Way to a Greener Energy Future?

By: Vince

Vince — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:38:32 +0000

Halliburton Loophole ! A phrase that should be repeated over and over again like the word ‘terrorism’.

By: Fred Kesinger

Fred Kesinger — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:12:58 +0000

I would have thought the MIT Study would have more independent funding. Funding by the natural gas industry casts doubt on the intital outcome.

By: David E. Bruderly PE

David E. Bruderly PE — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:15:42 +0000

The MIT study suffers from too much domination by status quo thinking in both the electric and transportation sectors. The findings discount the potential of demand side management and renewable and high-efficiency distributed power generation to significantly reduce demand growth for electricity supplied from central power stations. The direct use of natural gas for high-efficiency tri-gen, instant water heaters, HVAC and motor fuels is much more cost-effective for the CONSUMER, more efficient and cleaner than replacing coal plants with megawatt scale central natural gas combined-cycle systems. Wind, solar electric and distributed, high efficiency biomass and natural gas tri-gen plants must not be crowded out by a rush to cheap, inefficient uses of natural gas in inefficient central power stations. The MIT study also understates the potential for natural gas motor fuels to immediately start replacing liquid petroleum-based motor fuels in all types and sizes of motor vehicles, from light-duty to heavy-duty as well as rail. There is only legitimate reason why natural gas vehicles may NOT be cost-competitive with gasoline or diesel vehilces at this time; NGVs are NOT mass produced. When OEMs start producing NGVs by the millions to capture economies of scale these cleaner, safer, reliable vehicles will quickly become affordable. And CNG fuel stations will crop up like mushrooms. If a reckless rush from coal to natural gas is moderated by rational renewable electric portfolio standards and other state and federal policies that actually start creating integrated energy planning based on emissions and cost performance criteria then consumers will soon be able to enjoy cleaner electricity and cleaner mobility. Aggressive demand side management, high-efficiency distributed electric power generation, renewable electric power generation and widespread conversion to natural gas vehicles will not only reduce energy costs to consumers NOW but create a solid foundation for even more sustainable energy systems TOMORROW.

By: Joseph Calamia

Joseph Calamia — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:22:10 +0000

Thank you for your comments.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:13:59 +0000

What about the natural gas that is produced every day by our livestock, and ourselves through our waste products? http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/mar/01/na-test-plant-powered-by-horse-manure/news-metro/

There is power in our poop.

By: Beth Little

Beth Little — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:21:11 +0000

The problem with the statement “the MIT report maintains that regulations should be sufficient to manage the risks.” is that 1. sufficient regulations do not exist; 2. states do not have sufficient resources to enforce what regulations do exist; and 3. extractive industries have a culture of violating regulations whenever they think they can get away with it or when the price (fine) for violations is less than the cost of obeying the regulations.

In WV there is no regulation regarding water withdrawals, such as the millions of gallons needed for fracking; there is no standard for the maximum total dissolved solids (tds) in surface waterways, where drilling wastewater is discharged; there is no monitoring or disclosure of the contents of fracing fluids, which are reportedly being disposed of in underground injection wells; and there are 17 inspectors for over 50,000 existing wells in the state and hundreds more being permitted annually as Marcellus drilling cranks up.

In other states it took overwhelming numbers of “bad incidents” before better legislation was passed, which industry fought with public relations campaigns full of lies and large donations to politicians; so here in WV, already a “sacrifice zone” for coal, we have little hope of relief.

Gas industry executives are smooth and sharp. They come across as concerned with intentions of being good neighbors. They talk a good line to the media. But many of the drilling contractors are owned and operated by cowboys that are little better than thugs.

I expect that the legacy of increasing natural gas production will be the loss of major portions of a more valuable resource: fresh drinking water.