Nat Gas Now: Growing Demand
- Nat Gas Now: Growing Demand
- Monday, Aug 9
If you're a follower of Nat Gas Now or energy headlines generally, you've hopefully heard that America has as much clean natural gas as Saudi Arabia has oil. It's creating jobs. It can improve our environment. But only IF we increase our use of this abundant, domestic energy source. In this installment of Nat Gas Now, we explore the demand side of the equation-all the benefits that go along with greater use of nat gas for both clean power generation and transportation right here in the United States.
Greater use of clean natural gas means greater use of cleaner energy in our communities. Natural gas is twice as clean as coal, yet 45 percent of our nation's energy is generated by coal-fired power plants compared to just 23 percent from natural gas. And natural gas plants are 39 percent more efficient than the oldest 50 percent of coal plants.
Greater use of domestic natural gas also means greater energy security for our nation. The U.S. continues to import more than 12 million barrels of foreign oil a day, much of it from unstable parts of the world. Nearly 8.5 million barrels are used for transportation. Companies like Verizon and AT&T are already fueling service vehicles with natural gas and many city trash trucks and buses are helping communities reap the clean air benefits, too.
And, greater use of American natural gas means more American jobs and economic opportunities. In Pennsylvania alone, where the vast Marcellus Shale has had a profoundly positive impact, natural gas could generate up to $8 billion in revenue growth and add 88,000 jobs in the state by the end of this year, according to Penn State University.
We have the opportunity to clean our air now. We can build our economy now. And we have enough natural gas to generate clean energy now and for future generations. We are the envy of the world for our natural abundance of natural gas. It's time now to put it to greater use for all of us. It's just one more reason to join our call for Nat Gas Now!
