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Let’s focus on solutions
Read my latest response on the National Journal’s Energy and Environment Experts blog to the question, “Should Congress strip the Environmental Protection Agency of its power to regulate carbon dioxide emissions?”
The current debate about allowing EPA to regulate carbon emissions or encouraging Congress to act in its stead is a significant and heated one. However, we believe there are more effective and pragmatic ways of reducing carbon emissions than government mandates, regardless of which branch of government is issuing them. For example, using America’s most reliable, efficient and environmentally friendly fossil fuel, natural gas, and using it as efficiently as possible, can significantly reduce carbon emissions.
To that end, government policies that promote the increased use of natural gas are the most effective way to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency. And because natural gas is domestically abundant—more than 97 percent of the natural gas we use comes from North America—it contributes to our energy security as well.
The fact is that, for four decades, natural gas residential and commercial customers have been leading the way in energy efficiency and carbon emission reductions. For example, the number of residential households using natural gas increased from 38 million in 1970 to 66 million today — an increase of more than 70 percent — yet aggregate residential consumption over that time has remained essentially flat. That is because residential natural gas users have cut their natural gas use, per household, by about 40 percent. This decline in residential gas usage per household is due to better insulated homes, more efficient appliances and conservation/efficiency programs that are supported by natural gas utilities.
This remarkable success in both reducing natural gas usage on a per-household basis and increasing appliance efficiency should be considered when crafting a national energy strategy. An effective course of action would be to continue to support these successful approaches and encourage other innovative ways to promote conservation.
We believe that natural gas could, and should, be used as a tool to improve environmental quality and energy efficiency. An approach to reducing emissions that is focused on appliance efficiency standards, building codes, and utility-supported conservation/efficiency programs has a proven track record for residential and commercial natural gas customers.
Let’s focus on what works for America, our environment and our future. We need to be talking about natural gas – domestic, abundant, affordable and available right now.
How Can The U.S. Wean Itself Off Oil: Diversity Breeds Strength
Read my latest response on the National Journal’s Energy and Environment Experts blog to the question, “How Can The U.S. Wean Itself Off Oil?”
The tragic and still un-contained oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may well go down as one of the most significant environmental disasters of record. That being said, the fact remains that United States’ insatiable demand for energy is unchanged.
As a country, we still use an enormous amount of energy every day and that energy has to come from somewhere. Compounding the already contentious debate surrounding our dependence on foreign sources of energy, there is a good chance that this disaster may sour Americans on additional, let alone existing, domestic oil production. Whatever comes next should reflect a more disaggregated but strong domestic energy framework that takes advantage of our nation’s many alternative resources.
AGA has long supported, to the fullest extent possible, the development of a diverse domestic energy supply, including coal, oil, nuclear, wind, hydro, solar and, of course, natural gas. And while everyone is encouraged by the increased awareness being brought to renewables, the fact remains that all of the power produced by alternative and renewable fuel sources meets only a small portion of the country’s daily energy needs.
A realistic plan for a sustainable low-carbon future, therefore, must include, and support, traditional and proven fuel sources such as natural gas. With major energy producers publicly turning to natural gas as their fuel of choice, the message is clear—as the cleanest of all fossil fuels, natural gas can provide the nation and its consumers with a proven, reliable, low-carbon source of energy.
Equally important is ensuring that the most effective and efficient application of natural gas—directly using natural gas to heat homes, to heat water, for cooking, and for other end-use applications such as natural gas vehicles—is encouraged and supported. Direct use of natural gas is more efficient, more cost effective and greener than converting gas to electricity to power the same end-use applications.
Domestic Access = Security
Read my latest response on the National Journal’s Energy and Environment Experts blog to the question, “Drill, Barry, Drill?”
President Obama’s plan to expand offshore natural gas exploration is a clear sign that his administration understands the importance of achieving American energy security on all fronts. While AGA is happy that the president sees the vital short- and long-term role that natural gas plays in a low-carbon future, greater inroads to capturing natural gas’ inherent efficiency and robust domestic resource base are still needed.
Just this Tuesday, AGA reported that at year-end 2009 the known reserves of natural gas in the United States likely increased for the 11th straight year, approaching 250 trillion cubic feet. Combined with the most current estimate of undiscovered resources, we have a total future supply equaling more than 100 years at the current rate of use. This is the highest level in more than 35 years. Much of the supply optimism can be traced to the influences of unconventional onshore resources such as natural gas from shale and tight sands. Access to offshore natural gas reserves will provide additional strength to domestic resources.
This kind of robust supply base reinforces the pivotal role that natural gas will continue to play in the years ahead. When used directly in homes, businesses and industry, natural gas is at its most efficient. And when used for power generation, natural gas is the cleanest of fossil fuels. All of these benefits point to the need for continued domestic exploration for natural gas onshore and off, unconventional and conventional.
The goal of a diverse stable of carbon-neutral alternatives for power generation is an important one; it is certainly a goal worth pursuing. To that end, AGA has long supported the development of a diverse domestic energy supply, including oil, nuclear, coal, wind, hydro, solar and, of course, domestic, abundant and clean natural gas.
But we as a nation also need to get behind the best low carbon fuel that is domestically accessible, already abundant, available and ready right now. Natural gas meets all of these criteria and expanded offshore access will help to ensure it continues to do so.
True Blue Natural Gas Blog from the American Gas Association (AGA)- Natural Gas Market Indicators
- Spectra Responds to Natural Gas Pipeline Concerns
- Don’t Miss Out—Make Sure to Register for the World Shale Gas Conference & Exposition
- Dave Parker Receives Prestigious Key Award from ASAE and The Center
- Department of Energy proposes to use full-fuel-cycle analyses in developing energy efficiency standards
- High dividend tax rates will negatively impact utilities
- White House Supports Keeping Maximum Dividend Tax Rate At 20%
- Natural Gas Market Indicators
- Natural Gas Vehicles for America in Boston
- Nick Stavropoulos of National Grid on C-Span
